It’s time for the last flight of this itinerary, back to Boston. And it’s once again in a narrow-body, a newcomer to the SAS fleet, that I chose to cross the Atlantic.
As a reminder, the route followed:
Boarding
I left the Eventyr lounge 45 minutes before the departure of my flight to Boston. The journey to gate E136 was very long, taking around 15 minutes.
When I arrived, pre-boarding began and 3 minutes later zone A boarding began. I noticed that all passengers had a “USA checked” stamp, but nobody told me anything.
So I entered the jetbridge, and after a few minutes of patience, was invited aboard.
Cabin and welcome
The Business class cabin onboard A321LR is very elegant. It has 7 Business rows, configured alternately as 2-2 and 1-1.
Of course, I chose a solo seat on the right-hand side of the aircraft, perfect for solo travelers.
The seat is identical to the one chosen by TAP Air Portugal and already tested on a transatlantic, but more elegant and better designed. There was plenty of storage space.
The bedding was excellent quality, made by Hastens.
Noise-reduction headphones and a bottle of water were provided.
An amenity kit, identical to the one on the outward journey, was provided.
The tablet was nicely sized and well-made.
A welcome drink was offered and I chose a glass of champagne, Charles Heidsieck.
Menus were then handed out and are very appealing.
Service and catering
Service began about fifteen minutes after takeoff, with a distribution of hot oshibori.
Tablecloths were placed on each passenger’s table.
Drinks service began, and I took a SASmopolitan, made with vodka, Cointreau and cranberry juice. It was excellent but very very strong. It was served with warm cashews, perfect!
Next came an excellent starter platter, with seaweed-flavored butter and a very fresh salad.
The tartare appetizer was very well presented and excellent in taste, accompanied by very good warm bread.
For the main course, I ordered ordering the beef, which was to die for, and the potatoes very melt-in-the-mouth. To drink, I had the Italian red wine, which was excellent.
The cheese and dessert cart was brought along, but I skipped it and just have a Cognac.
I then had a nice 4h nap and then took a few items from the buffet.
1h30 before landing, the second meal was served, an open avocado and shrimp toast that was excellent, and some cut fruit that were not ripped enough.
I had a black coffee and sparkling water to go with it.
Entertainment and Connectivity
I only used the entertainment system to display the airshow, and used the free wifi which was excellent.
Arrival and disembarkation
We landed and arrived at the gate 20 minutes ahead of schedule. Immigration took a hellish 1h15.
Bottom line
A very good flight: excellent seats, excellent catering. I wish the service was more attentive and smiling. Too bad.