If you arrive in Oslo on an international flight with SAS, you can transfer directly to your domestic connection without having to go through security a second time.
However, if you’re connecting to an SAS domestic flight from an international flight not operated by SAS, you’ll have to go downstairs, go through customs, then head upstairs to departures and go through security again.
It’s not that much of a detour. It also helps that there is a dedicated fast track for security to speed up the process.
SAS Domestic Lounge
Security ejects you into the domestic airside area. SAS has a lounge in both the domestic and international sectors of the terminal. However, when I visit, the domestic lounge is completely packed. There is standing room only and the buffet looks like a bomb just went off. Besides, there are no airside views. So I exit the lounge and find myself a place to sit by the window near the departure gate.
Boarding
My flight should start boarding at 19h20 for a 19h50 departure. But at 19h30 my aircraft is still nowhere to be seen.
Eventually, an aircraft pulls onto the stand. There’s been an aircraft change, because instead of the A319 CEO, it’s now an A320 NEO. There are no boarding announcenents, and the process is just one big mess.
The Cabin
I’m seated on row 6. The seat pitch is good.
In addition, every seat has its own USB port. There is also wifi available on board.
And the outside view is not too shabby either.
The Crew & Service
The crew on the flight are friendly in a relaxed, Scandinavian kind of way. On domestic flights, SAS does not have a Business Class as such. There is the SAS Economy cabin and SAS Plus, which is a kind of improved Economy Class service. It means that you have access to complimentary snacks and drinks that passengers in Economy need to pay for.
I just have some apple juice.
Arrival
Eventually, we land after forty minutes in the air. There are no airbridges at Haugesund. By this time we’re running 25 minutes late.
Getting into Town
There is an express bus that runs into Haugesund, but it appears to have already left. So I have no choice but to take a taxi for about EUR50. The journey duration is about 25 minutes.
A Side Note
Today it was announced that SAS would be exiting Star Alliance to join SkyTeam, as Air France KLM have succesfully bid to purchase a 20% stake in the Scandinavian carrier. SAS comes with a lot of baggage, so it will be interesting to see how this partnership pans out for all stakeholders.
Hi William————–Do you think The AF/klm Bid will result in SAS PLUS becoming a separate Business class?,Peter
Interesting question. In a first step, I don’t expect anything much to change. AF/KL only hold 20% and SAS is such a political animal that it remains to be seen if they can make a profit. As a member of the Star Alliance, SAS is hardly an important player anymore. They’ve left many key routes to their partners to operate. In SkyTeam they might have a more prominent role to play. However, even then I wouldn’t be so sure that will automatically mean a better C Class product.