Lscorpio From Sweden, joined Feb 2008, 12 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 24364 times:
I have been reading the trip reports in this forum for a while and been amazed by the level of information, pictures and fun reading here, so I thought that I would give it a try, here goes my first trip report:
Flight information
Date: May 28, 2008
Route: Stockholm-Arlanda (ARN) to Newark Intl (EWR)
Airline: SAS
Flight Number: SK903/UA9369
Aircraft: Airbus A330-343X
Reg: SE-REF
Seat: 01A
Flight time: 8hrs
Scheduled Departure:10.40
Scheduled Arrival:13:15
During April, I decided to book a flight between Stockholm and New York for the last weekend of May. I was mainly looking for flights where I would have the possibility to upgrade myself with FF points. As I have accumulated points with SAS Eurobonus and AF Flying Blue, booking a flight with either SAS or AF/KLM were my main options.
Prices for regular economy were quite steep and since AF/KLM requires that you do not have a discounted economy ticket for being able to upgrade at check-in, I chose to book a ticket on SAS instead. This was also more convenient since SAS has a direct flight to EWR saving me a couple of hours in NY.
I have a history of failed attempts to buy upgrades on long-hauls using points on the different airlines. There has been different reasons for this, full flights, cancelled flights, airline staff not sure how they could secure a seat even if there were ones available etc.
I chose to book the SAS ticket through UA website as the same flight gave me a significant cheaper fare than booking directly with SAS.
On May 28, I arrived early to terminal 5 at Arlanda airport in order to secure myself the upgrade seat. I had the day before checked seatcounter.com that there were seats available in C-class. So I hoped for the best.
Different airline logos at Arlanda's terminal 5
When I arrived at the check-in counter there were three lines for economy. Since my Eurobonus had been downgraded to Basic, I had to stand in one of the economy lines. It took about 20 min for 4 persons to check in before me. Finally at the counter I asked the check-in staff for an upgrade with points.
"No problem, do you want you want to upgrade to Economy Extra or C-class?".
"C-class please" I replied.
The lady at the check-in counter got assistance from a colleague on how she should register the upgrade request. I received the boarding pass for my regular economy seat and was asked to go to the upgrade counter next to business check-in. So I went over there and realized that I got the last available upgrade seat! Phew! They asked if I wished to have an aisle seat (5G), but I kindly asked if they had any window seats available. After a check they offered me 6H or 1A. I chose 1A mostly because it is not everyday you get to sit in the front%uF04A but also because I knew that we would be arriving into EWR from the north with Manhattan on the port side of the plane and hopefully a nice view of the city.
She (well over her 50s) printed the C-class boarding pass and wished me a pleasant flight and said that I was up for an experience since the service was so good in C.
There are now three security entrances at terminal 5, I took the new one located in the middle of the terminal since the one located at the normal SAS check-in counters always has a long queue. There was no one in front of me when I passed security, so it went very swift.
There was an announcement that passengers for EWR should go to gate, already 80 min before departure. SKs US flights depart from gates in the recently built pier F. After a long walk towards the gates I noticed that there were not so many people at the gate F62 (most of them were probably at the check-in counters still). I noted that the A330 taking me to EWR would be SE-REF painted in Star Alliance cls.
Flights departing Arlanda this Wednesday morning
Announcement was made at 10.30 that rows 1-6 could board. The load in C was 100%.
While getting myself seated in 1A I was offered champagne or juice. I asked for the champagne as did everyone else in my row.
After only 10 mins of boarding the captain announced that boarding was complete and that the flight was expected to take 7hrs51min with a light turbulence after 4 hrs into the flight, over Greenland.
Ready to line-up on 19R with a SAS MD-80 taking off
Ethiopian 757 at the gate
We received the menus for the day together with the amenity kits, and a small snack was served after take-off.
The snack consisted of mini red pepper filled with sardines and capers with tomato pesto and mozzarella. Quite tasty, I thought.
The lunch serving then started with the first course of smoked salmon with horseradish cheese, red onion and capers. With that I took one of the two white wines on offer, "The Crossings, Sauvignon Blanc 2006".
"What do you wish for the main course?"
"I will go for the fillet of halibut please"
The fish was not the best I have eaten, but pretty ok.
For dessert we were served Rhubarb pie and fresh fruit salad. A Calvados accompanied the dessert, yummy!
When the serving was completed I spent the time beginning to watch "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. I got bored after half an hour and decided to test the facilities of the seat. I managed to get 2 hrs sleep in the comfortable bed that the seat had transformed to.
Now I realized how I wanted to travel going forward. I usually travel on long-haul business trips to South America, and since my employer maintains a strict "economy seat only" policy for everyone except the vice presidents I have never scored a business seat. Therefore I am always quite wasted after such a flight. Being able to stretch out was perfect!
The C-class restroom
Nice view from the restroom!
I continued to watch "The Golden Compass", a film that suited me ok for the flight.
Before arrival we were served an assortment of sandwiches, from which I chose the Crayfish in mustard sauce with lettuce and cucumber together with a fresh cut fruit and chocolate macaroon.
Passing MGJ - Orange County, NY
We started the descent into EWR and passed Manhattan on our left turning into a approach into 4R.
Newark International on the open patch before the river
The wheels touched down after an 8 hr flight at 13:00 local time.
We were told over the speakers that photography was forbidden at Newark airport, but I managed to take some pics from the plane.
SE-REF on its way back to Stockholm
All-in-all I was really satisfied with the trip and SAS service in C. I want to try the same class in AFR or KLM to compare. I will be ready to use some points for getting an upgrade...
StarAlliance38 From United States of America, joined Jan 2008, 1445 posts, RR: 4 Reply 1, posted (3 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 24360 times:
Nice TR!
Glad you got to fly a Star Alliance colors ac. Lucky!
SK601 From Belgium, joined Jun 2005, 973 posts, RR: 5 Reply 2, posted (3 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 24322 times:
Nice report. It's always nice to fly C-class! SK C-class looks good, strange though, that they serve the meal with the plastic still around the plates.
Someone83 From Norway, joined Sep 2006, 2289 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (3 years 10 months 4 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 23942 times:
Nice report, and pretty much in line with my experience with SAS C-class on long-haul
Quoting SK601 (Reply 2): SK C-class looks good, strange though, that they serve the meal with the plastic still around the plates.
For some reason, SAS serves the cold meal in C-class with the plastic on, but it would look much nicer if it was removed by the crew before in was being served
Ryanair!!! From Singapore, joined Mar 2002, 4608 posts, RR: 30 Reply 4, posted (3 years 10 months 4 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 23554 times:
The logo of SAS is upside down on the boarding pass?
Not a good showing as far as I am concerned. I might as well be eating at Cafe Ikea.
Overall, I think it was an ok product for SAS but it is little details like these that make or break a perfect JCL flight. However, that being said SAS has only JCL to worry about so I felt they could have put in a lot more effort.
Nostalgia though as I used to fly SAS a lot when I was a little boy!
Welcome to my starry one world alliance, a team in the sky!
Stargold From United Kingdom, joined May 2008, 83 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (3 years 10 months 4 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 23509 times:
Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 4): The logo of SAS is upside down on the boarding pass?
I just looked at my recent SAS boarding pass, and realised why. The entire boardnig pass is upside down (presumably it was fed in the wrong way) because the SAS logo is supposed to be on the top left, not bottom right. You can get it the wrong way round because they no longer have a perforated section but instead scan the entire thing at the gate.
CharlesMD From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 67 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (3 years 10 months 3 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 22666 times:
What a great trip report. I have always wondered what SAS is like to fly. At least they could've taken the plastic film off the salmon before they served it to you. Still, it looks delicious! Also I have to say the colors of your camera are so vibrant. What kind of camera is it???
Lscorpio From Sweden, joined Feb 2008, 12 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (3 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 22289 times:
Thanks!
Out of your reactions of the plastic film etc on the food, yes, I was also a bit surprised that it was there when they served me, but in the end, the food tasted good. I guess that you won't see that on other C-class servings on carriers like LH, AF, TG.?
BA319-131 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 7886 posts, RR: 57 Reply 8, posted (3 years 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 21647 times:
Nice report and pictures, thanks, not too many SK TR's around these days, guess us A.Nutters don't fly SK too oftern, is that a sign?
Food and it's presentation is not too good, quite disaponted really, thought it would have been better.
B747forever From Sweden, joined May 2007, 16092 posts, RR: 12 Reply 9, posted (3 years 10 months 3 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 21159 times:
Nice TR.
The pics are really good.
Glad that you got upgraded to C class.
As I can see from your first pics the CO a/c seems to be docked to a gate, but on the flight board it says that PAX will be bussed to the a/c, how does that come??
Luv2fly From United States of America, joined May 2003, 11571 posts, RR: 53 Reply 12, posted (3 years 10 months 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 20893 times:
WOW how lazy can the staff be not to take a minute and remove the plastic wrap. It would be a simple thing that would improve the product ten fold.
Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3663 posts, RR: 35 Reply 13, posted (3 years 10 months 2 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 20813 times:
For your first trip report that was great!
I noticed on your BP that is notes 'SK*B', I presume that denotes frequent flyer tier. As a BD Gold I usually get 'BD*G', but I've never seen a '*B' before. Is that a Swedish translation of Gold or Silver?
As others have said you'd think the crew would remove the film before serving the food!!
"My first job was selling doors, door to door, that's a tough job innit" - Bill Bailey
Lscorpio From Sweden, joined Feb 2008, 12 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 years 10 months 2 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 20735 times:
Quoting B747forever (Reply 9): As I can see from your first pics the CO a/c seems to be docked to a gate, but on the flight board it says that PAX will be bussed to the a/c, how does that come??
I noticed the same thing for the LX flight parked next to CO. I was never at that part of the terminal, maybe it was shut-down that day??
Quoting Fbgdavidson (Reply 13): I noticed on your BP that is notes 'SK*B', I presume that denotes frequent flyer tier. As a BD Gold I usually get 'BD*G', but I've never seen a '*B' before. Is that a Swedish translation of Gold or Silver?
Unfortunately I lost my Silver tier status on Eurobonus last year, so now I have the "Basic" Level. I believe SK*B denotes Eurobonus Basic tier.
Nethkt From Thailand, joined Apr 2001, 814 posts, RR: 3 Reply 17, posted (2 years 5 months 9 hours ago) and read 16033 times:
I am sure SAS crew would be so very upset if you tell them to remove the plastic before serving the meal to pax. And that might be the only reason!! Don't laugh.
Don't be annoyed knowing the passengers around you are non-revs and op-upgraders, be grateful for them. Life is beautifu
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 23098 posts, RR: 60 Reply 19, posted (2 years 5 months 3 hours ago) and read 15459 times:
Nice report. The starter I would have loved personally. Main course I dont like fish so wouldnt have gone for that. Also dessert was not my thing. Id prefer ice cream. Bathroom very nicely laid out.
All in all not a bad offering but not anything special, I do love the glass ( the emtpy one ) that was on your main course tray. Nice design.
Great first report.
OA260
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
Sponsor Message: 
From Sweden, joined Feb 2008, 12 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Jan 2008, 1445 posts, 
From Belgium, joined Jun 2005, 973 posts, 
From Norway, joined Sep 2006, 2289 posts, 
From Singapore, joined Mar 2002, 4608 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined May 2008, 83 posts, 
From Thailand, joined Apr 2001, 814 posts, 
From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 23098 posts, 
Sponsor Message: 
Printer friendly format
