For our trip home from Europe, we flew SAS on an A350 from Copenhagen to Los Angeles in economy class. While by no means horrible, I won’t be rushing back to fly SAS again in economy class.
SAS A350 Economy Class: My First Impressions
We arrived in Copenhagen from Frankfurt and had a marathon walk from our gate (A14) to the connecting gate (C33). With only a 45 minute connection at Kastrup Airport, we had no time for the lounge and proceeded right to the gate, where boarding was nearly complete.
Onboard, we had reserved three seats on the starboard side and the aisle seat across the aisle. The SAS A350-900 (business class review here) is configured 3-3-3 in economy class. Legroom is 31 inches, though it does not feel quite that tight because the seats are thin.
Big annoyance: no power ports beyond a USB-A port on the IFE screen. Why oh why do airlines not include power outlets in economy class? This is a relatively new aircraft.
The captain announced a paperwork delay and we ended up sitting on the ground for almost an hour, though we made up the entire time enroute to Los Angeles.
After takeoff, lunch was served. There was no choice, just a beef hamburger patty in gravy with mashed potatoes with a salad and cake on the side. Vegetarian meals can be pre-ordered, but at a cost (special meals cost extra in economy class).
Heidi and I ordered business class meals, which I will detail in a future post.
11 hours is a long time to be on a flight, but SAS does not offer a complimentary mid-flight snack like most full-service airlines. However, snacks are available for purchase (a cart came down the aisle and ordering was also available via screen).
90 minutes before arrival into Los Angles, a light snack was served: a pastrami sandwich with apple juice.
As a point of comparison, SWISS and KLM serve something heartier than that as a mid-flight snack, with a more substantial snack before arrival.
The internet did not work for the first half of the flight, but I had thankfully prepared in advance for that and had no pressing work to complete.
Service was very matter-of-fact. While by no means hostile, the flight attendants appeared simply to be going through the motions and did not show smiles (which has not been my experience in business class).
My full report will contain more details about the IFE and Wi-Fi onboard, business class meals available for purchase in economy class, amenities, and service onboard.
For now, I will simply say that SAS economy class is a below average product, especially in terms of the stingy onboard meal service and flight attendants simply going through the motions. Even so, it was nice to fly nonstop home from Europe to Los Angeles.
Not to hijack your article, but or the sake of comparison, we flew SAS premium economy back and forth across the pond a couple of months ago. It was great! FAs were friendly and proactive with drinks. Leg room was spacious. On the return leg, a friendly FA even prepared us a to-go bag with snacks to tide us over as we continued on our homeward odyssey. I’d rebook SAS premium economy in a heartbeat!
And the SAS seat in premium economy looks pretty nice indeed.
I fly on SK long haul frequently, and hold SK Diamond status (as does my wife).
My take is roughly as follows:
Economy – worse than low-cost carriers. I last flew it in 2015 and won’t book it again.
Plus (economy extra) – okay. A good value, especially considering the lounge access för non-gold members.
Business – better than Lufthansa and Swiss, but below average.
Lounges at ARN, OSL and CPH – terrible.
@Lukas, I think you summed things up quite nicely (and accurately).
I totally agree that SAS Plus is “okay” and “a good value.” The airport experience is better than most PE products and the prices are usually a lot lower than everyone else. Onboard, IMHO, they’re below average to average, but a significant step up from SAS Go. Really bummed they got rid of free WiFi since their IFE sucks… 🙁
Are the lounges that bad? Haven’t been since the pandemic, but I thought them to be just above average- nice spaces, unremarkable food and beverage offerings but with enough stuff to cobble an acceptable meal together.
All true but better than Lufthansa in business is a VERY low bar.
“Service was very matter-of-fact. While by no means hostile, the flight attendants appeared simply to be going through the motions and did not show smiles (which has not been my experience in business class).”
I chuckled at that observation and it says something about our modern society. In some cultures, people smile not because they need to please higher paying passengers but rather they naturally enjoy doing so such as some sections of the southern USA, for instance. Back when I worked at the stock exchange in Philadelphia, my manager gently reprimanded me that I was “too friendly” to people and it was annoying them. I even weaponized this that if some Philadelphian was trying to get on my nerves, I’d be EXTRA nice to them! That REALLY irked them!
It’s understandable that people who are hustling to hand out the goodies in economy class may not have time, or emotional energy, to put forth a friendly attitude. On my own part, I (gently, see above) share the love, so to speak, with FA’s who are handing out things to let them know they’re appreciated and remind my daughter to say “thank you” and “please” and that usually catches a smile from them. I also address them in their own language, albeit poorly, for the basics: “Please, thank you, hello”.
As we see AI catching on and the notion of humans being less, well, needed, one would think that service levels should improve rather than decrease. In the states, we have millions of low skilled immigrants but yet restaurants and retail are suffering for lack of staff and so on. It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.
I like your take on the smiling comment from Mathew. I do also try and talk to the FAs and have flown with SAS a few times lately. They are very often smiling and joking with us, the passengers. But usually they are 8 working on board the A350, which takes 300 passengers. With a big business class and a premium economy as well as a big economy class. I think it’s amazing that they smile at all.. Also they are not treated very well by their employer..
That last point is true…I think it is deplorable that SK has tried to replace Scandinavian workers with cheap labor from other nations.
However, I was very courteous and did smile and even engage the FAs during the service and they while perfectly flight, they just seemed rushed and tired.
What are your thoughts on this piece I wrote?
https://liveandletsfly.com/why-did-sas-fail/
Was this flight on the day Spain’s team defeated Sweden’s team? Just wondering…
Why is SAS so bad? Scandinavians certainly have disposable income, and CPH is considered a desirable airport to connect in. Seems a good product could gain a revenue premium here. Poor tech and non-functional WiFi should be inexcusable. Especially considering Scandinavian travelers could reasonably fly BA, LH, KL, or AY anywhere they want to go. It makes me wonder if SK should even exist.
SK are very helpful for those living in remote locations in the north of Scandinavia which no major airline would serve on a commercial basis. While they would probably get some Public Service Obligation subsidy, that would only get them as far as ARN/OSL, from where they would need a separate ticket to go wherever, with all the attendant connection costs and risks. Other than that, I guess SK has failed miserably in building brand equity (it’s amazing that a night in a half-decent hotel in Oslo is almost invariably more expensive than an one-way flight between OSL and any other European capital), and they are not helped by the fact that fact that two of the three major European airline groups have lots of service to Scandinavia.
Likewise, I think a lot of Europeans wonder if the United States should even exist, period.
Thanks for playing, Jeeeeeeerry.
Now pop into your Walmart scooter to earn those sweet, sweet points so you can fly to Greece, yell and be obese as you people are, and stay in a gaudy Marriott that reminds you of back home in BAWSTON.
You sound like a very unhappy, lonely, angry, woman.
I can’t agree more. Meds must be taken EVERU day!!
Now you listen here, Loretta. I’ve got a Walmart+ membership, so I get unlimited free home delivery. No cart necessary.
And I live in Austin, not Boston, but don’t feel bad, Tom Green made the same mistake.
GO LORETTA, bravo! Show those obnoxious Americans, they really think they know it all. What a disgusting country and people. Concentrate on your own problems, such as the constant shootings and homeless epidemic!
Looks like we found a judgemental and ignorant kindred spirit for Loretta.
You need to rank all the economy class trips you have taken across the Atlantic, just to see which ones you’d recommend people take and which you’d recommend they avoid.
I just randomly searched Air France from lax to athens (after finding nothing for lax Sydney). 16,500 miles in economy. Amazing.
That shouldn’t take long given Matt’s aversion to anything less than business class.
You keep repeating that but I fly more Y than just about any travel blogger in this sphere.
Exactly. It’s a game. And I think the smartest players know that flying in y is a good decision when the price is right. Especially with the cost of a whole family. I really like that part of the blog.
I took SAS on 5 segments in longhaul economy after they announced Chapter 11 (restructuring) and had sub-$500 Economy fares to/from Europe. Wifi was fine for me on all segments, food nothing memorable and entertainment was sufficient for the flight. More disappointing was water not being free on intra-Europe segments, and paying $105 to check a carry-on after purchasing champagne in France, even for *A Gold.
I find Copenhagen to be my favorite airport to connect in in Europe aside from perhaps Amsterdam, in terms of minimal complexity. Frankfurt has only ever not been a nightmare when taking SQ 25 or 26 all the way through
“aside from perhaps Amsterdam”
is this the Amsterdam that had 6 hour lines last summer to get into the airport? The Amsterdam that has several hours’ long lines snaking around random sports bars to get from Non-Schengen to Schengen?
That Amsterdam? I can’t, dude …
The one where one could easily spend 15+ minutes walking from the lounge to the gate – that’s if they are happy to visit a lounge where mice roam freely around the buffets.
I’m not sure it is that bad, but I find the food wholly unremarkable.
I do enjoy the coffee lounge upstairs on the Gold level.
Yea SAS lounge coffee in CPH is tops. Real baristas!
Not a problem when you transit.
I like Amsterdam airport a lot. Lovely non branded lounge areas where you can sit with a beer bought from the deli. Comfortable. Clean etc.
Lounge is crowded but nice.
SAS has better service, even in Economy, than anything you’ll get on AA, UA, or DL.
There’s a cultural element, too. You won’t get the fake friendliness in Europe if you’re behaving like an entitled American. You get measured by your ability to have some class, and class is not something you can buy.
For those in the back: nobody in Europe cares about you having amassed 105,000 Chase Ultra Power Mega Points from your latest tp haul at Costco. Europeans think Americans are generally too loud, too tacky, too full of themselves …
… while preaching about how others should live. Hashtag stay home.
I’m not sure what sort of behavior you are referring to, but even my kids were well-mannered on this flight.
Sorry Matthew, I didn’t mean you specifically, I know you and your family understand how to behave.
It was a general observation from knowing both sides of the Atlantic well.
Well, I’m pretty sure the entire World would agree that you yourself are too loud, tacky, rude, full-of-yourself, and just plain arrogant. Maybe try going for a walk and getting some fresh air. You seem unwell and unhinged. Yikes
“Preaching about how others should live.”. I don’t think you hear your own hypocrisy at all, do you?
Also, you don’t speak for any continent of people, regardless of where you’re from.
I was thinking the same thing. Sounded just like a typical AA flight in economy.
I have several Swedish friends who are upper-middle-class professionals. None of them fly SAS for work. One insists on Lufthansa even as that requires connections in Germany. Another insists on KLM, which is interesting because I rate KLM pretty awful. KLM and SAS have extremely poor lounges and a poor to awful intra-Europe business-class pr premium (whatever you want to call it) product. Stockholm’s airport is pretty awful too for a European capital. I’ve been in B-list U.S. cities with better airports. At the end of the day I think a lot of it is a reflection that business travel in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark isn’t anywhere near other countries. Even the hotels in the Nordic countries are pretty poor for the price. You certainly can’t fine real 4-star or 5-star hotels like elsewhere.
LOL, yes, the US is so much better than Scandinavia in all things business, akshually. Now go back to your diversity training and DEI meetings. Don’t forget to thank a dead-weight colleague who was hired based on their genitals or skin color.
Dear god, the delusion runs strong.
Do your friends actually like flying in Lufthansa business class within Europe? It really feels like Y from a few years ago – uninspiring small snack, 31″ pitch, no IFE, indifferent service, no espresso machine, no wardrobe, a really bare bones service which really isn’t worth paying much for. It’s been a very long time since I last flew with KLM, but, aside from the hideous hub airport, I can’t envisage it being much/any worse than LH in European C class.
I find some of the above characterizations a bit over the top. It’s almost like you think one out of every 3 Americans is a self centered, cretinous, gluttonous bigot who takes their cue from whatever cult leader they follow on Sunday, and Kid Rock the rest of the week …. And can’t find a Starbucks in Europe even though they’re EVERYWHERE. EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK. JUST SMELL FOR THE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE.
Ah, never mind.
Matt
Would prefer USB-C port that in the screen can charge a laptop or an AC outlet hidden under your leg?
Either would be fine.
Interesting review of your flight. Just a little reminder though. In SAS economy you can order a premium meal. That is not a business meal or anything close to what is served in business Class on SAS flights. The premium
Meal you can order is somewhat similar to a meal offered in SAS Plus (economy premium), not business Class.
Best regards
Not quite true. The food you can order is precisely off the business class menu, but it is not served as a business class meal on porcelain. I’ll do a separate post on this.
Interesting review. A few questions:
1) you said you got to the gate in Copenhagen as boarding was ending but you have pictures of an empty cabin. Was the flight empty? If not, how was the cabin empty but you got to the plane as boarding was ending?
2) you mentioned that it was nice to fly home from Europe nonstop. But you didn’t- you connected in Copenhagen rather than fly nonstop from Frankfurt. Confusing/ contradictory.
Fair questions. I’m tickled you didn’t notice, but if you look closely you’ll see a lot of things out of order in the unobstructed cabin shots. At LAX, I waited until everyone alighted and then took those pictures.
As for nonstop, I meant from Europe to LAX versus having to stop at an East Coast or a Midwest hub. I l don’t like a domestic connection after a long flight.
Hey Matthew,
Agree with you on SK-product. Not an airline we´re proud of in Denmark. Their Busines Class is “ok”, but Economy is not very good. And you even flew on one of their newer planes.
On a sidenote: Please don´t let your kids put their shoes on the seat. The next person sitting there might get dirty, and it´s just not a good thing to teach children. And no, seats do NOT get cleaned after a flight.
You’re talking to an American. Most of their stewardesses will actively try to make your life worse while weighing 200 kg.
Seriously, they’re that fat. Should be fired immediately.
What in the hell is with you and your absolute hatred for Americans? You absolutely vile woman.
I am stunned this crazy Lady think that claiming to be an American somehow legitimizes her perceptions of Americans. Keep writing Loretta, we are all laughing at you.
How much was the ticket? If it was $600-700 one way, I wouldn’t be complaining. If it was closer to $1000 one way, I certainly would be. It always amazes me that the idea of investing a little more to provide better meals on long-haul flights, which would generate good word of mouth and hopefully repeat business, escapes the great thinkers running most airlines. I have to assume that always looking for the cheapest price, which commoditizes everything, is to blame.
44K UA miles MLA-FRA-CPH-LAX.
SAS is a bit stingy in economy, though I do actually think the quality of the meal in economy is pretty decent. I enjoyed the main meal for SFO-CPH/CPH-SFO more than what Air Canada serves long-haul. Service on my flights was actually pretty cheery in both directions, and they came by with multiple offers of free tea/coffee with each service.
In general, I think they’re good value despite the clear cost-cutting. Sure, there are many better airlines, but I think they’re all right. Fares are usually competitive, and for mileage earning, you earn at least 50% distance flown, even on SAS Go Light fares.
I was wondering if you’d mention how hot the flight was. Our $1500 roundtrip from newark to copenhagen was so warm that we were sweating. My husband cooled himself with wet washcloths for the entire flight. There were no ac controls at your seat. l don’t expect much in economy, even internationally – bad food, bad service- but being hot? Unacceptable!
Flight was thankfully not hot, though the lack of personal controls are annoying.
Being based in Sweden with CPH as my local airport, I flown more than my share of SK. From a Economy product standpoint, they are better than the low cost carriers, but just barely. Big upside is that their gates are close in CPH, whereas LCC’s have the gates far, far away. On board, the new A350’s are horrible. Yes, noise levels and humidity are better, but the removal of the power socket from economy is a massive step backwards (A330s still have them). But they do have cloth seats – I hate leather on long haul – it doesn’t breath, and other carriers (UA) have fallen into this trap. On board entertainment system is responsive, but movie selection (and breadth of selection) is lacking. Meals are boring and unfilling. Upgraded meals are slightly better, and come with two drinks, but they make you take both drinks at once. If you go for expensive drinks, the meals are OK priced, but it you just get soda, they are overpriced. Free coffee throughout the flight, but that’s it. One soda with dinner – otherwise you pay. Flight attendants are business-like. They are there to do a job and they do it.
Another problem with SK is their IT systems. I have Global Entry. SK seems to never recognize this unless I print the boarding pass at the airport. Their integration with other carriers is also broken as well – eg, transferring in IAD, they sent invalid boarding cards to Copa (which had my first flight), so I couldn’t get through security. When I was *G with UA, SK never recognised this, so for lounge access I always had to hold up the line while they manually processed me. Similar problems with SK/LH connections. But the common culprit here is SK – when on LH itineraries, I never have any IT related issues.
SK cancelled my flight back from ORD to CPH a few months ago and they rebooked me onto KLM – really night and day difference with the onboard experience. KL is much better.
But where SK does shine is when things go wrong. Cancelled flight? Rebooked automatically onto competing carriers with minimal time deviations. Broken baggage? Either get a new suitcase right at the airport, or wait a few days and get a voucher for Samsonite. Compare this to LH, where I had to chase them for upwards of eight months to get reimbursed for delayed baggage. Or my friend who had LH cancel his flight and is now having to take them to court. LH’s onboard product is decent, but their support is the worst that I have encountered.
Basically, if you put value on something, SK will try to charge you for it, even if it costs them nothing.
Excellent commentary. Thanks.
No pajamas in coach on this flight.