You totally missed out the golden smell that hangs upstairs. It's like a sausage in front of those hungry business class dogs in the lounge downstairs, but or some reason the golden smell disappears as soon as you got the gold card. Very strange...

True about the showers. I don't shower in between short hauls, either. Although it would have been a good idea after dwelling around in a metal festival outfit, for the benefit of all on board.

You're right, I don't want to know about the KL snack. Or, I don't want to know any more than this. Christoph Franz would have said that the snack was significantly enhanced over time.

I haven't used the Novia lounge in ages. Sounds like it isn't much better than it was. I actually tried to compare both airlines' lounges at their home base. In that case I think both are very survivable and both have inferior options on the other airport. As you have Privium: are you Dutch?

You're right about short haul C (or J). Especially with SK there's no difference anymore, except for the noise level of the engines and the chance of having an empty seat next to you (but no guarantee). There aren't many airlines left in Europe where the business class product really makes a difference.

The question is not if they have milk and sugar on board, the question is if they explicitly offer it to you or if it gets within reach to grab something off the small tray (if they're actually holding the tray. Sometimes they have one hand holding a coffee can and one hand for grabbing your cup). As I usually have a window seat (1F is preferred, or 2F is 1F is nonexistent), I somehow always miss out on sugar and milk. And the attendant who goes round with a first or second (IF this even is being done) serving of coffee and tea usually does it at a pace as if he or she suddenly got a case of explosive diarrhea and only sees the toilets in the aft of the plane as point of salvation. Since they started handing out empty cups first, I have already ended up a few times with a still empty cup that was never filled at the end of a flight, a cup of black coffee where I asked for tea or just the sugar and milk but not the coffee...

I have a big respect for your airport running skills. I know CPH and I know how crowded it can be (and how many obstables there are on the way from gates B to the train station). Keep up the good work. And good luck next time.

I know we have to share the lounge. I have been affected by it 4 times since they started 2 weeks ago. There has never been a dragon to guard the gold lounge, they usually only have a cave troll at the general lounge entrance: everyone with some sort of lounge access could just enter. I actually have chosen to sit in C lounge with a gold card as they had hot dogs there, which they didn't serve in the gold lounge. I really like the SK loungedogs. I couldn't really find any difference in drink quality, as coffee, tea and coke are pretty much the same. The wines they serve aren't among my favorites. You're absolutely right about the liquor. I just don't drink strong stuff just before a flight (a personal decision, I know).

I have a SEN card with LH that I use for my LH flights, which status is always printed with large friendly letters on my boarding passes. I have never ever been upgraded with them (ok, once, I think, after they completely screwed up my booking and sent me on a horrible rerouting, then one leg was C), despite having made hundreds of flights with them. As said, I saw people being left on the ground as LH refused to upgrade a few pax to C. I even offered them to use a few of my own Senator vouchers once to upgrade myself to C on an overbooked flight (ADD-FRA), but they refused as my booking class was wrong. As a result some pax were refused boarding. It could have been one less. That's one of the things I don't like about LH. For SK, they usually oversee me as EBG while people taking their first flight ever with SK do get upgraded. You can see any FQTV lacking on their boarding pass when it's handed out. If they respected status, I should have been upgraded at least 25 times. I have been upgraded 10% of those cases.

I'm happy to read that there apparently still is staff running around the plane for a second serving or even a first serving. I might just be on a run of bad luck then, as I got served black coffee when asking for tea and sitting in Plus more than once, if I even got anything. That's always quite awkward conversation: "Coffee?" "Tea, please" *attendant grabs my cup, fills it with coffee, hands it over and runs away*. I'll be on 2 SK flights again on Friday, 2 more the Monday thereafter and 3 more 2 days after that (all in seats 1F or 2F), let's see how it goes. Or maybe domestic crews are a bit more service oriented than crews to northern Europe...?

Thanks for the insight on priority luggage. It's very useful. I didn't know that. Next time I find something broken I will really blame myself for doing an extremely lousy, lousy job on packing.

I'm mainly a domestic flyer, so I have until last year only barely managed to get enough points to maintain gold at the old Norwegian qualification level, every year, so I only have had chance to visit a SK lounge five or six times a year. My visits to the OSL lounge have usually been on the "hot dog days". I can only remember one occasion that hot dogs were served in the Business lounge at OSL and not in the Scandinavian lounge as well. But the cart is usually placed in a corner, so it's not that easy to spot.

I certainly have a different experience to you when it comes to coffee/tea service, which in a way is strange since my usual SK flight is one of the few runs with no competition from DY

Well, yes, technically I am, in the sense that I hold a Dutch passport. That's more or less where my Dutchness stops.

Johan

@UltraRant the op-up procedures on SK are really a mystery in itself. Got an op-up on ARN-TXL the other day. Volunteered as VDB and was asked to sit at the gate until everyone had boarded, once it was my turn I got the red light and a new seat assignment. Was flying as Star Gold, and the upgrade was a nice surprise though a bit strange since there were at least a dozen EBG on the flight.

Ironically enough three non-status pax (three youngish guys traveling as a group) were occupying row 1 which must indicate that they were upgrades as well. It seems more like SK upgrade people on the VDB list rather than status pax. Without making any generalizations I'm guessing those guys must've ended up on the list for their lack of status, low fare class and obliviousness to online check-in.

I must say that, in the past, SK has been the *A carrier that has most frequently honoured my *G status in terms of operational upgrades on shorthaul flights. I guess they figure that with the new "service" concept it is no longer worth any extra effort or time to target OpUps, and I don't blame them. And it doesn't matter for me personally anyway; since UA's FF numbers changed to alphanumerical ones two yeas ago my status hasn't shown in SK's system, and they're clearly not interested in making the necessary update.

Statement accepted ^

That may have worked in the past (I'm slightly surprised that it would have), but it wouldn't work now. They scan all boarding passes on entry to the Crown Lounge; and mobile boarding passes these days allow the operating airline to be quickly identified with just a glance, at least to someone working in the industry!

Privium membership is not restricted to Dutch citizens; passport holders of any EEA country may apply.

https://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/A...Membership.htm

But the perks are not the same. The Crown Lounges can't hold a candle to the Privium ClubLounge.

Johan

I actually got upgraded from Go to Plus from CPH to OSL yesterday. (Ironically I had the best seat on the B737 (exit row, no seat in front of me) in Go, had to settle for a middle seat in Plus. But hey, I got free breakfast now. Won't complain). It seemed the CPH staff decided to upgrade all EBG pax instead of reducing the amount of Plus rows from 10 to less, as there was so much shiny gold in the front of the aircraft that you'd expect they'd film a gangster rap video there...

Just after Plus/Go was introduced on NO DOM, I was paged at the gate, and asked whether I wanted that upgrade. I declined, and the GA said that he had suspected that I would. That was the reason he asked before doing it.

For me, that would be a significant downgrade: the free softdrinks and snacks are worth less than window emergency exit.

Just got off a CPH-AMS flight and now waiting for my room to be readied. My flight was supposedly in Plus after a transAt flight in business -- which hardly qualified as Comfort Class on TK! SAS used to be a very good airline with first rate service in business. I recall many pleasant flights in that "cabin" between European cities during the 80s and 90s, but this was my first time (other than the SKminiMD80Do flight) since then and must say these ranked among the worst flights I've ever experienced!

The A320 was full so I was unable to change my pre-assigned window seat (2F) for an aisle (which at OLCI I changed from a centre seat). Fortunately the flight was about an hour. Packed into a tight space was only "enhanced" by a box and cup that was handed to me shortly after take-off. The box contained what was supposed to be Breakfast. The cup was supposed to be used for tea. Neither impressed and there was no alcohol to salve my discomfort. (Or water for that matter!)

How SK can charge a premium for this product defies belief. It certainly has convinced me never to fly that carrier within Europe...as did my IAD-CPH flight in business swore me off the carrier on long haul flights. Hard to know where to start about that flight...maybe the seat which doesn't extend long enough to rest my legs on comfortably. Of the head rest that forces seating in a most uncomfortable position. Practical storage space was non-existent. Fortunately the seat next to me was empty...I later discovered when I moved to the window seat that its recline and other functions did not work.

On international business flights I would at least expect a menu card to describe what was on offer for the meal and from the bar/cellar. Everything was to be a mystery. And does SK not believe in salt and pepper...I had to be brought a sachet from economy. While the seared tuna was served on a china plate, the salad came in a plastic bowl! As for the main course, the supposed beef short ribs was more like one of those sadly overcook steaks that used to be served in economy (back in the good old days), the three thin slices of potato buried under half a chopped onion. The flavouring was so bland I had to put salt over the dish in order to have some taste. As for the breakfast, it was only marginally more interesting than what my box contained, with two slices of mystery meat instead of one.

Service was perfunctory at best and if the person dressed in the chef's outfit was indeed a chef, she should be sent to the culinary school around the corner!

I passed on the SK lounge at CPH since it was going to be a mile or more from gate A22 and I'd have to fight the hordes of people blocking the passageways, most interested in window shopping than getting to their next flight. CPH is one of the worst laid out airports in the world and its shopping mall is more of a pain than an attraction. And if SK really believed in service, it would have another lounge at the A/B gate area and not rely on a single facility almost a mile from the majority of its gates.

What to say about headphones that don't block out the noise around you (and use the 3-prong jack so you can't plug in your own Bose. An amenity kit as bad as LH's and UA's old pouch ones? And a tiny screen with a meagre selection of films and too much American TV! (Where's that great Danish political series we're hearing so much about in NAmerica?!)

All in all, SK must be the least impressive member of the STAR family. It has fallen so far in a couple of decades. I feel sorry for those of you who must fly it regularly, particularly within Europe and Scandinavia!

For the most, I agree with you - the experience on SAS Business does not match the price tag (in particular if you pay list price). Shorthaul advantages seems to be anything but related to the experience onboard (ticket flexibility, extra luggage, fast-track and lounge access).

Regarding long-haul, they seem to be very aware that their hard product does not live up to industry standards. A few days ago, their COO (Flemming Jensen) was quoted in Danish newspaper, that he can hardly wait for the current aircraft to be refurbished (early 2015) and new aircraft to be delivered.

A few days ago I flew SFO-CPH in Business and it sounds like I was served the very same menu. Which by the way was printed and handed out prior to take-off (including a description of all wines and cocktails on offer). I agree with your observations regarding the IFE (screen size, quality and the $5 headset). I got the impression that quite a few travel with their BOSE headsets (that can be used with a two-pin adapter) but I was stuck with my iPad in order to get decent entertainment. The devil is in the detail - lousy headset, plastic salad bowls, personal items becoming stuck in the seat due to lack of storage space and inadequate personal space (I'm 6'1/185 and did not fit comfortably in the angled flat position) can deflate the experience. However, I had a very pleasent crew, the beef ribs were tender and flavourful and I did find salt and pepper wrapped with the cutlery

Regarding your description of "my" airport - I disagree.
It is true that being forced through a shopping centre may provoke some travellers, but I find the size/layout of the airport simple to operate in and the diversity of the stores and restaurants make most other airports look like a sorry operation. I had a connection in IAD on my outbound flight and the gate area (United) felt like a bus terminal (no windows and harsh light) - you don't see that in Copenhagen. The walk from A22 to the SAS lounge is perhaps one of the worst combinations in the airport but it is a 10 minute walk - I can not walk a mile that fast

So desperately sad, because it is so desperately true (although I reserve judgement as to whether SK is truly worse than Egyptair!). Honestly, what is left that would be worth fighting for in order to muddle through for another year or two, rather than packing it in and leaving it to the competition, and a possible successor starting from scratch without all the liabilities? The distinctive and innovative product went first, and the reputation for having one obviously went soon after. All that's left is the ancient and inadequate fleet, the ancient and embittered staff, and the shopping mall hub with miles of pretty shops changing prices that nobody who doesn't actually get paid in DKK would consider paying.

I don't understand what you are complaining about, as SAS does not have any business class anymore on european routes. Plus is a simple form of economy extra, where the biggest advantage compared to go is the flexibility in the ticket, in addition to lounge access, free food, extra luggage and more seats pr. person if the total number of pax allows it.

Considering the price of SAS Plus (which usually is fairly close to Go, especially when A-class tickets are available), I think the product is just fine.

I have similar impressions. I mostly fly from A to B intra-Europe, I want to rest on the flight, or work. I do not need 18 years old flight attendants or pre-packaged snacks, nor even a meal. This all disturbs on a short flight.

I need a clean aircraft and low hassle arrival/departure experience. CPH with fast track does better for me than most European hubs, even if I have to go to A25 (better than FRA, MUC, CDG, AMS or LHR). I also need relatively well behaving other PAXs, because they disturb my flight much more than SK could. SK pax are usually fine (also DY PAX are normally not too bad either). I also like a reasonable price, and this is what I usually get from SK on my routes.

Now I rarely fly PLUS, but usually the price for PLUS on my routes is only 30-50% more than the price for GO, and I think this is reasonable to pay for someone who does not have status, but wants the smooth travel experience.

I agree that SK long haul service in C is outdated, but I am cheap and fly Y. The service in Y is equally bad on most European airlines, unless you really value the IFE system (which I don't as I always use my own electronics, IFE is just there to provide some diversion during the meal). So I am a perfect example of a passenger that fits the SK business concept. I am unlikely to be taken over by competition (low cost are too messy and too inefficient, and LH hates people that fly so little as I do, and it offers mostly long connections through inconvenient hubs. Arguably for intra EU I have reasonably good experience with AB, which seems to have a somewhat similar business concept - simple flying).