Bergen, Oslo and Paris via SAS All-Business 737 and home via Air France La Première

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Sep 14, 2015, 11:05 pm

#16

nemme99

Join Date: Sep 2012

Location: SFO

Posts: 224

Aren't those Ren products the same as BA first? Well, I guess you wouldn't know.

Looking forward to Norway pics; been on my list for a while.

Sep 15, 2015, 1:53 am

#17

siaa380

Join Date: Aug 2013

Programs: AC Aeroplan, BA Executive, DL Skymiles, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, National Executive Elite

Posts: 264

Its weird to see Howard Lite earplugs in an amenity kit, I work in industrial sales and that's what we sell to machine shops and construction companies. Not exactly business class.

Looking forward to the AF bit, their CDG lounge looks fantastic!

Sep 15, 2015, 7:51 am

#18

HALA330

Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: NYC, WAS, MAD

Programs: Marriott Gold

Posts: 25

I just read today on AirlineRoute that SAS is cancelling the Houston-Stavanger, and re configuring the 737 to a C/Y to go onto Newark-CPH this winter.
(Source: http://airlineroute.net/2015/09/15/sk-iahewr-w15/)
Glad that there is a report on this special service before it goes!

Sep 15, 2015, 7:57 am

#19

ninim2200

Join Date: May 2014

Location: SoCal

Posts: 2,164

Cool report, i can't wait for your report on the train ride from Bergen to oslo, we are doing Oslo-Bergen ride next summer, its suppose to be a great trip. Have fun.

Sep 15, 2015, 8:31 am

#20

roadwarrier

Join Date: Jul 2013

Location: JNB

Programs: Flying Blue, Miles and Smiles, Hhonors, ICHotels

Posts: 1,307

Thank You!! Another TR to look forward to.

Sep 15, 2015, 9:45 am

#21

Bretteee

Join Date: Dec 2001

Posts: 3,181

Fascinating unusual route.

Private Air are based in Geneva, Switzerland but I assume the crew were Norwegian.

Sep 15, 2015, 11:12 am

#22

SFO777

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Original Poster

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Denver • DEN-APA

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Posts: 21,593

Quote:

Originally Posted by krazykanuck

I'm surprised with all your flying you hadn't run across the UA 787 before! I flew it in BusinessFirst in the reverse (IAH-DEN) about a month ago and thought it was overall a great flight. Also interesting to see SAS all business class plane. They've been advertising the heck out of it around Houston on billboards, at IAH, etc. but I don't know anybody who as actually flown it.

Thanks krazykanuck. Yeah, never was able to work the 787 into my schedule. Interesting that they are really advertising a lot in Houston. I checked the seat map this past week and Saturday's 50% was the best of the week. Some days only had 5-6 seats selected.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyingfox

Hello and thanks for the report thus far. I have been waiting for your Air France F class review for a while and am happy to see it is forthcoming! I always enjoy your reports.
We just got back from northern Norway. I must say their so-called business class product within Norway and to closeby EU destinations is ridiculous! It books into business fare-basis wise, but is an economy product with free lounge access and free economy "food" (crap) onboard. That plus mileage is the only difference. The seats were identical, and they did not block the centre seat. Very sorry excuse for a product that they call "SAS Plus". The service was worse than that in F class within the US by far - not even a smile. Hope you had a good time. Norway itself is marvelous and has managed to retain its culture thus far.

Thank you Flyingfox. Yeah, SAS domestic Business Class is pretty pathetic. I was fortunate enough to luck into the two best seats on the plane. the DF bulkhead seats. I guessed that the plane wouldn't be full and selected 2D and 2F. No one chose 2E and there was major league floor cut-off in the bulkhead. Not that we needed anything, but the FA sat in the jump seat or the entire 28 minute DVG-BGO flight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kent

It's pretty much a corporate shuttle for Statoil, as their US HQ is in Houston and Global is in Stavanger. Saves significant time for their employees so they don't have multiple connections. Bankers/tech advisers/oil field service companies also use it when making sales calls. Not sure if it saves significant money, and how long it will last given the happenings in US unconventional/shale right now.

Thanks very much for the info Kent. Yeah, those loads appear really weak.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexisonsmith

Excellent use of points on this one! SAS looks surprisingly good. Was not expecting the food to look that good...

Thank you alexisonsmith. I wouldn't have given it look ordinarily but LH doesn't fly FRA-BGO so we would have had to make three connections and spent a lot more time. Plus, at only 45K per person and no YQ, I figured what the heck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukasVIE

Wow great TR so far SFO777. I didn't know that SAS had no fuel surcharge ... good to know!

Thanks LukasVIE.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewE

Thank you SFO777, I've been waiting for this one.
http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common...-airfrance.htm

Thank you AndrewE and for the link with the new La Première pics. Wow, pretty cool. Please no equipment on Saturday.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRITINJAPAN3

SFO not sure if you said how long the flight was ? I just did NRT-BOM on a 737, 9 1/2 hours sched but 10.05 actual flying time.

Thanks BRITINJAPAN3. Wow, another long one. Was that the NH Business Jet? A bunch of us flew that from RGN-NRT a couple of years ago... on the £54 DL Business Class mistake fare. It was a great flight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemme99

Aren't those Ren products the same as BA first? Well, I guess you wouldn't know.

Looking forward to Norway pics; been on my list for a while.

Are you asking me? I don't fly BA.

Thank you nemme99.

Quote:

Originally Posted by siaa380

Its weird to see Howard Lite earplugs in an amenity kit, I work in industrial sales and that's what we sell to machine shops and construction companies. Not exactly business class. Looking forward to the AF bit, their CDG lounge looks fantastic!

Thanks very much siaa380.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HALA330

I just read today on AirlineRoute that SAS is cancelling the Houston-Stavanger, and re configuring the 737 to a C/Y to go onto Newark-CPH this winter. (Source: http://airlineroute.net/2015/09/15/sk-iahewr-w15/) Glad that there is a report on this special service before it goes!

Thank you HALA330 for that news. I guess with cheap oil and industry cutbacks, the current anemic load factors had to put this route on the danger list.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninim2200

Cool report, i can't wait for your report on the train ride from Bergen to oslo, we are doing Oslo-Bergen ride next summer, its suppose to be a great trip. Have fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadwarrier

Thank You!! Another TR to look forward to.

Thanks roadwarrior.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bretteee

Fascinating unusual route. Private Air are based in Geneva, Switzerland but I assume the crew were Norwegian.

Thank you Bretteee. Indeed, the cabin crew was certainly SAS and seemed Norwegian.

Sep 15, 2015, 12:05 pm

#23

peterfox

Join Date: May 2014

Location: OSL

Programs: SAS EBD, QR Platinumr, HH Gold, Intercont Platinum Ambassador,CC Gold

Posts: 158

Just in the news today, SAS will seize the flight between SVG-IAH permanently from October 24th due to low bookings / sales.

Sep 15, 2015, 12:27 pm

#24

MarylandFlyer244

Join Date: Nov 2012

Location: Washington, D.C.

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Posts: 174

Another great start to what I'm sure will be an awesome report, SFO777!

Sep 15, 2015, 2:36 pm

#25

Kent

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: Edinburgh

Programs: AA PLTPRO; DL GLD

Posts: 146

Quote:

Originally Posted by peterfox

Just in the news today, SAS will seize the flight between SVG-IAH permanently from October 24th due to low bookings / sales.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HALA330

Just came here to post the same. Glad we were able to get a SFO777-class trip report on it before it goes.

Sep 15, 2015, 5:19 pm

#26

BRITINJAPAN3

Join Date: Jan 2015

Location: Tokyo

Programs: SPG LT Plat ANA Plat

Posts: 596

[I]Thanks BRITINJAPAN3. Wow, another long one. Was that the NH Business Jet? A bunch of us flew that from RGN-NRT a couple of years ago... on the £54 DL Business Class mistake fare. It was a great flight. [/I]

It was the buisness jet, but they added some y seats , about 10 or 12 at the back, but they are using PE seats. no IFE so i player ( or simlar )

Its long flight in Y as C fully booked, but not bad at all.

Last edited by BRITINJAPAN3; Sep 16, 2015 at 12:43 am

Sep 15, 2015, 8:31 pm

#27

UAL250

Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: In between IAD and DCA

Programs: UA Plat 1.1MM , Marriott Gold Elite, Hyatt Discoverist

Posts: 2,262

Great stuff as usual SFO777. I too go out of my way to get on a 787 domestically. Such a pleasant, spacious ride. I am interested in seeing your report on Norway. I have been to Sweden recently, so am curious to see how those two countries stack up!

Thanks for another great TR! Looking forward to the rest.

Sep 15, 2015, 9:34 pm

#28

worldtraveller73

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.

Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle

Posts: 4,609

Awesome to see the SAS Private Air experience. A bit disappointing to see the upcoming cancellation of the route, considering how LH seems to run Private Air aircraft to several African destinations.

Hopefully a good view from the Shangri - La hotel room coming up!