It’s now time to leave Stockholm for Copenhagen, and here there’s not much choice in terms of airline: it’s on SAS Scandinavian Airlines that I’ll be flying to Copenhagen, then to Gothenburg, the final stop on this Scandinavian journey, even if, as you’ll soon see, the itinerary will be slightly modified during the trip.

As a reminder, the routing of this trip.

And all articles related to this trip:

Ticket booking

I booked my tickets several months in advance, with two one-way tickets: Stockholm-Copenhagen and Copenhagen-Gothenburg, which we’ll talk about later.

For medium-haul flights, SAS offers two travel classes: SAS Go and Sas Plus. There is no real equivalent to business class on medium-haul routes.

SAS Go corresponds to a “light” or even low-cost economy class. No services provided on board other than coffee or tea. Everything else is chargeable.

SAS Plus entitles you to a snack (minimalist as you can see on this Paris-Copenhagen flight), a full choice of beverages, priority queuing, priority boarding and lounges. These last advantages make it an “eco +” or a “business -” as you prefer. In other words, premium economy…

I’d choose SAS Go for a number of reasons. First, the flight time. Then the fact that my status had been extended by a year, so I wasn’t racing for miles to finish the year. Finally, because I’m a Star Alliance Gold and, even more so, a Diamond member of SAS’s Eurobonus frequent flyer program, I benefit anyway from priority queuing and lounge access.

And if I change my mind at the last minute, there’s a bidding mechanism for upgrading, knowing that as a Diamond my ” bids ” are boosted by 30%.

In short, I bought a SAS Go flight to Copenhagen for 98 euros.

Check-in

I check-in online the day before the flight, which is something I haven’t done for a long time, as most airlines require me to go through check-in counter to physically check my COVID documents. But there are no such constraints for intra-Scandinavian flights, and that’s a good thing.

In the meantime, I will have decided not to bid for an upgrade to SAS Plus, which I consider pointless for this trip.

Airport access and ground handling

Travelling to and from Stockholm is a real pleasure thanks to the Arlanda Express, which links the central station to the airport in just 20 minutes and in the greatest comfort.

Once I arrive at the airport, I head for Terminal 5 where, during this pandemic period, all the airport’s operations are concentrated (which doesn’t change much for SAS…).

Having to check-in a baggage item, I made my way to the appropriate counter, where I was surprised to see an endless queue.

So there’s a queue at the counters….

But even worse is what awaits the passenger before accessing this area!

But of course there is a priority queue! Except that the sorting between priority and non-priority is done at the entrance to the check-in area, and there’s obviously no way to avoid the first part of the queue.

It’s totally inefficient and reduces the benefits of a SAS plus seat to virtually zero!

A little further on I notice…self check-in kiosks where you can issue a baggage tag and place it on a conveyor belt a little further on. And these kiosks are…totally unused!

In less than two minutes my suitcase is tagged and I’m off to drop it off at the automatic counter 10m further on, where I’ll be completely alone!

I must confess I’m puzzled by the situation, and wonder why passengers have to queue for at least 45 minutes when they could check-in their luggage in 5 minutes. Unfamiliarity with the system? Afraid of not knowing how to use it? This will remain a great mystery to me.

In short, relieved (with the queue forming, I was beginning to doubt whether I’d make my flight even though I had a comfortable head start), I made my way to the security checkpoint.

While airports were the only place in Sweden where masks were compulsory, I only saw 20% of passengers wearing one, which confirms my experience the previous autumn in Gothenburg.

In this case, the priority queue was a great help, as it enabled me to get in front of everyone (and you can guess that the queue was long).

Checks completed in 2 minutes, passengers and airport staff without masks...it’s a pleasant “old world” feel. My only regret is that the zones where you gather your belongings after the controls are so small.

Here’s what I avoided:

No need to dawdle, I’m off to the lounge, which includes the obligatory duty free crossing.

SAS Gold lounge in Stockholm

After a COVID-related closure, the SAS lounge in Stockholm has reopened, as have all the lounges in the only terminal used, I believe.

I won’t dwell on the subject, as I already gave you a tour just before the pandemic.

Just a few photos to share with you this delightful design.

On the other hand, the breakfast offer is as limited as ever. I can’t wait to return here in the middle of the day.

After a very pleasant wait, it’s time for me to head for the boarding gate.

Boarding

I make my way quietly to the gate. It’s clear and there’s no rush.

Boarding begins and priorities are well respected…it’s smooth and organized. A minute later I’m in the cabin.

The SAS A320 cabin

At first glance, as soon as you step inside, the tones are quite elegant. Sober but elegant.

I head for my seat.

Does this seat remind you of Lufthansa’s NEK? Correct. It’s the Recaro seat (the BL3520 to be exact) that served as the basis for the Lufthansa seat still seen on most medium-haul aircraft, even though it’s being replaced by the Geven Essenzas I saw on Austrian 2 weeks ago.)

In terms of comfort, I found a familiar experience, even if I prefer the leather of the Lufthansa. Comfortable, yes, but it lacks a little thickness.

I’ll be on the window side.

Still about the seat, while I find the overall look tasteful, the disadvantage of light-colored seats is that, while they enhance the feeling of space and get dirty as quickly as the others, it’s immediately noticeable. And the combination of fabric + light makes wear more visible too.

Nothing serious, but it was worth noting.

I’m not at emergency exit level, but right behind it, and legroom is really considerable. Plenty of room to fit my 1.88m and extend my legs.

Within 10 minutes everyone has boarded and we’re ready to go.

The flight and the service

As we push back to gain the runway, I take a look at the Buy On Board menu since only tea and coffee are free in SAS Go.

At first glance, the aircraft is 75% full in SAS Go and almost empty in SAS Plus. The auctions are obviously not too successful, and they could have upgraded some Diamonds…

We take off and I can see the Swedish countryside fading away.

A few minutes later I see a beautiful sun that had somewhat deserted me during my stay in Stockholm.

The service begins and the cart arrives from the rear. Tea or coffee? I’ll have a coffee. I’m not even sure that water is free…

It’s very basic, but at least it’s served with a smile.

In theory, as a Diamond member, I’m not limited to tea and coffee, but I can ask for any beverage…but since I wanted a coffee I’ll leave it at that.

Through the window I can see the Swedish coastline receding into the distance, and a few seconds later we’re over Denmark.

A few minutes later, the trolley returns for a second round of drinks. Not bad for a product that’s supposed to be basic: I know of airlines that have a superior positioning in medium-haul economy, but where you shouldn’t expect a second service on a short flight.

We already have to prepare for landing.

The SAS crew

Not much to say as the flight was so short and the service included in SAS Go so limited that there’s not much to evaluate.

A professional, smiling crew who did what they had to do very well.

Landing and arrival.

The descent begins quickly and we make a small loop around Copenhagen.

We land under bright sunshine and a beautiful blue sky. A change from Stockholm…

We disembark 10 minutes early at a Copenhagen airport that I’m discovering and that I’ll be visiting at greater length in a few days when I leave the city.

Anyway, it looks very pleasant.

Off to baggage claim: more than 15-minute wait. You’d think you were at Roissy…and that’s not a compliment!

With my luggage finally collected, I jump into a cab and head for my hotel!

Bottom line

After a rather chaotic check-in, a good flight on SAS. The cabin was pleasant and I was familiar with the service offered, so I didn’t expect anything special from this flight, but the little that needed to be done was done, and with a smile. We don’t judge an experience in absolute terms, but in terms of its consistency with the promise.

But it’s surprising to see the gap between what SAS offers in medium-haul and what they can do in long-haul.

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