SAS Scandinavian

Chicago to Stockholm. We are Canadians and we compare it to charter airlines. The stewardesses were polite and fine however the seating was the worst. I think they shrunk the seat so they could fit more in. I am only 5 feet 2 and my whole thigh hung over the seat. I stood as much as I could like everyone else. The audio system was a joke from the 90's - it did not work for half of the programs and their attitude was "oh well nothing we can do ." Now know why the price was so cheap compared to the other European airlines. They also try to charge you for everything such as another bad plastic bottle of wine with your dinner. I get the impression they make sure that the meal is so vile that you have to come up half way thru the flight to buy chips and pretzels at really absurd pricing. Lots of mothers I noticed forced too do this during the flight. The only positive thing I have to say is they had up to date English magazines in the middle of the cabin.

Cabin crew attentive but not particularly friendly. Old aircraft. No Wifi. No entertainment system. No more leg room than low cost airlines although considerably more expensive tickets. Free coffee/tea but food expensive.

ABZ-SVG. Check-in was good. Boarding was not much of a hassle. Aircraft aging and dirty. Restroom was smelly as not cleaned property after the last flight. Not even snack or soft drink available onboard only tea coffee and water offered free of charge. This seems unacceptable while the price is similar to other airline I always get at least a can of coke and a pack of peanuts from the likes of AF LH and BA. It was an hour flight. So nothing else to comment. But definitely not recommend SAS for this route!

LHR-ARN-HEL-OSL-LHR impressively for SAS all sectors were on time and service on-board was very friendly especially on the Blue1 Helsinki flights. Flying SAS is basically like flying an LCC but you do get newspapers a bag to check roomy seats and lounge access (for *G or SAS Plus customers) so it's not all bad. SAS is very competitive with Norwegian on the HEL-LON route these days so it's a no-brainer. Only minus is that the BOB is very overpriced (think Scandinavian prices!) and not very fresh; my 9 Euro Caesar salad was wilted and practically damp.

ATH-CPH-HAM 2 sections were delayed CPH-HAM = 40 minutes CPH-ATH = 20 minutes. Weather was not the problem for the delays. The airline is indifferent service is minimal offering only cup of coffee. You have to pay for the food. Riding a bus could be more interesting. Airplanes were A321 and CRJ900 clean and ok. I could travel again if the price is right.

Copenhagen - Chicago San Francisco - Copenhagen. The entertainment system was really poor. Though it had some of the new movies you couldn't stop rewind or pause. So if you wanted to see a movie from the start you had to look when it was nearly finished and then start to watch the entire movie better take your toilet visit before! The plane was alright but the service was poor to. 2 meals on a 10.5 hour flight and only 1 time in between we got something to drink. I asked for a Coca Cola and got it but it wasn't normal procedure that they gave out sodas / alcohol. I've had much better flights with Virgin in the past and would do them again if possible.

SK4758 11 Sep FRA-OSL. 737 was looking very tired and there was no demarcation between business and economy. The middle seats in business were not identified and in fact I was assigned a middle seat. Legroom was poor. Business class passengers were offered the standard for-purchase fare but did not have to pay. No linen no glassware - nothing. Crew was given nothing to work with for Business Class customers. Would avoid SAS domestic/European business class. LH and OS are far superior.

Chicago (US) to Moscow through Stockholm and back from Moscow to Chicago. On the way back I had to change planes in Oslo and then in Copenhagen. When I got to Oslo from Moscow they said I must have a Schengen visa (I am a Russian citizen). I tried to explain that I was just changing planes in Europe and going to America. However policemen in Oslo explained that if I travel from one Schengen country (Norway in this case) to another one (Denmark) I have to have a Schengen visa even if I am not leaving the airport. Luckily a visa was issued and they even held the plane for me. I made it to the US. In Chicago my luggage was still in Oslo. What I don't understand why SAS didn't tell me anything about the Schengen visa when I bought a ticket on their website. I don't think I will fly with them again.

Return trip Stockholm-Copenhagen Sep 25 2013 (SAS Plus) for a short business meeting in Copenhagen. Everything was very smooth and efficient and the staff were very friendly as always. The airplanes on this trip were Airbus A320 and A321. The A320 though not new had a fresh interior but was equipped with the dreadful budget Recaro seats that feels sitting on your local bus. The SAS A320s are not equipped with any overhead monitors. On the way back to Stockholm I travelled with the A321 quite similar but equipped with overhead monitors. The A321 is also equipped with Recaro seats but with slightly better padding but obviously worn since they have been around for some years by now. Generally the trip was good mostly thanks to the very professional and friendly staff. The level of service offered in SAS Plus (Business Class) is however not what would be expected from this generally well-renowned airline. To me it seems that SAS has decided to become a low-cost airline for the intra-European traffic unfortunately with service levels below the average.

I travelled with SAS ARN-FRA SK635 B736 September 17 2013 in SAS Plus (former Business). As always everything worked smooth and efficient but nothing extraordinary. The impression when travelling with SAS is for me that the staff are at the level of the highest ranked airlines in the World but their only tool is is their outstading charm. The intra-European concept by SAS with SAS Plus and SAS Go is equivalent to what we Europeans normally expect on our charter holidays. SAS please reintroduce the well renowned Business Class within Europe.