SAS currently operates a fleet of three Airbus A 321LRs, which are deployed on thin routes across the North Atlantic. Currently, there are two daily services operated by the SAS Airbus A 321LRs from Oslo: one is to Newark at 10h55, and the other is to New York JFK at 13h25. The seat SAS has installed in its Business Class cabin is similar to the one TAP Air Portugal and Aer Lingus have on their A 321LRs.

Getting to Oslo Airport

I leave the Radisson Blu at 08h00 in the morning and make my way across the footbridge to Oslo’s main railway station. Trains for the airport depart every twenty minutes throughout the day. Tickets can be purchased on the Flytoget app or simply by tapping in and out at the stations. The price for a one way ticket is NOK268 or CHF24. Trains to the airport usually leave from track thirteen at Oslo Station.

SAS Business Class Check-In

I’ve already checked in online for my flight. So, once I arrive at the airport, I take the escalators up one floor from the station to arrivals, and then from there up another floor to departures. Perhaps it’s because it’s Saturday morning that the terminal is calm.

Fast track security is a breeze and ejects me on the domestic departures concourse with the A gates. For international departures I follow the signs for gates B to F.

The SAS Business Class Lounge Oslo

There is a Business Class lounge on the domestic and international concourse. I visit the one in the international sector. On previous visits, when SAS was still a member of the Star Alliance, there was a Star Gold lounge within the Business Class lounge. However, that no longer seems to be the case and there is just the one big lounge for all Business Class passengers and Flying Blue status holders. The lounge is pleasant enough. It has a comfortable vibe – it feels a bit as though you’re sitting in somebody’s living room. Like the rest of the airport, the lounge is not very busy.

SAS Business Class Boarding

At 10h10 the flight shows up as boarding on the departures screen, which seems rather early. However, passengers still need to clear immigration to access the F gates from where the flight is leaving.

At 10h30 passengers are finally allowed on board, starting with boarding group 1 – which is Business Class passengers and status holders. I have no idea what the seat load is on today’s flight. However, the boarding completed announcement comes fairly quickly, which has me thinking that the aircraft may not be so full.

The SAS Business Class Cabin & Seat

The SAS Airbus A 321LRs have a low density seating configuration for a total of only 157 seats, of which 123 are in Economy Class, twelve are in Premium Economy, and 22 are in Business Class (In a high density configuration, the A 321 can seat up to 220 passengers).

The Business Class cabin has alternating rows of four seats abreast and then two seats abreast. The uneven numbered rows are the ones with four seats, whereas the even numbered rows are the ones with only two throne seats, one on either side of the aisle. In total, this means there are six throne seats. I’m on 2A today.

What is immediately noticeable about the throne seats, and quite impressive, is the abundance of available storage space. There is a storage compartment specifically for laptops, and another to place shoes. For smaller items there’s also a net below the video screen. In contrast, it is equally noticeable that there is hardly any storage on the paired seats.

The colours in the cabin are rather dark. They make it difficult to see things. Especially if, like me, you have trouble with your eyesight. That’s why the storage compartments are fitted with lights that can be turned on and off centrally from a switch in the armrest.

A further positive point to mention about the seat is that the foot well is sufficiently large to comfortably accommodate my size elevens, even with the shoes on.

SAS Business Class Amenities

A thick blanket, a pillow, and the amenity kit are provided at each seat. I like the striped design, although I’m assuming that any resemblance to Condor’s corporate branding is purely coincidental and unintentional. In addition, there’s a bottle of still water.

SAS Business Class Crew & Service

The Business Class cabin is served by the purser and another flight attendant. The purser is a woman in her fifties, if I had to guess. She’s great and interacts comfortably with passengers. The other is a man in his early forties, I’d say. He’s more reserved, but also friendly. The service starts on the ground with a welcome drink – there is a choice of champagne, orange juice, and water.

At 11h05 the doors are closed. The cockpit and cabin crew welcome us aboard. The flight time to Newark is announced as seven hours and forty minutes. We slowly push back onto the taxiway and run through the start up procedure. A short while later we enter the runway behind a cargo Boeing B 777 and take off.

Once we’re settled into the initial cruise at 31’000 feet, the service resumes with the distribution of hot towels ahead of the first meal service. No menus are handed out to passengers on this flight.

SAS Business Class Meal – First Service

The meal service starts with the crew setting the tray tables. I like the little SAS logo in the bottom right corner, and the fact that the crew pay attention to drape the table cloth the right way up.

We start with an apéritif, which is served very old school from a drinks trolley. I just have a Coke Zero, and the crew volunteer if I would like ice and lemon with that. Along with my drink, the crew serve small bowls of freshly warmed cashews.

For the starter there is a choice between shrimps with pickled radish and mayonnaise or cured beef. I go with the former which is, perhaps, not the most spectacular dish but certainly a nicely prepared one. The starter is served on a tray with a small side salad with olive oil vinaigrette. Several passes are made through the cabin with the breadbasket, which contains a nice selection of warm bread slices and rolls.

The plates and cutlery for the first course are removed before the main course is served. And I must admit that I’m perfectly charmed with the way the main course is served. The male cabin crew rolls a trolley into the cabin with open sides. He’s wearing a chef’s jacket. The hot meals are sitting side by side, with the tinfoil on one plate of each dish removed for passenger to see what it is. It’s rather old-fashioned, I think, but also rather nice.

The choices are between beef and chicken, or the vegetarian option, which is what I have. From what I can see, there are only three vegetarian dishes available. It’s a plate of ricotta filled tortellini cooked in a creamy cheese sauce with rosemary. Just before serving, the chef puts a few leaves of fresh mint on the plate, which works surprisingly well. It’s an enjoyable, hearty meal.

Once I’m done, the whole tray is removed and the crew prepare for the cheese and dessert service. There is a choice of chocolate cake, fresh fruit, and ice cream.

I ask to have a bit of cheese and the chocolate cake. The cheese and dessert are both plated from an open trolley, in front of the passenger.

Unfortunately, I forget to ask what the cheese are. Both of them are very nice, and served with a fig chutney and two pieces of Knäckebrot. The dessert is a bit too rich and tastes a bit too eggy.

That terminates the service. The tray tables are cleared and the self-service snack bar at the front of the cabin is opened.

To be honest, I’m not sure if it’s because this is a day flight, or because the NEOs are so exceptionally quiet, but it strikes me that the cabin is very loud. It’s as though I’m partaking in all the conversations happening around me.

Mr 1F has gotten gradually more drunk during the meal service and is generally behaving like an obnoxious, pretentious prat. Eventually, he passes out, probably from the booze, so at least we have some peace and quiet.

SAS Business Class Meal – Second Service

Ninety minutes out of Newark the lights in the cabin come on again and the crew kick off the second service with a further set of hot towels.

The tray table is set ahead of the delivery of the food tray. For the second service there are no options. The meal consists of a plate with a hot smoked salmon open sandwich, a bowl of melon with mint, and some rather oddly packaged marzipan and chocolate thing. It’s not bad and perfectly adequate as the second service of a flight of this duration.

Arrival in Newark

Shortly after the trays are removed, the captain comes on the loudspeaker to give us a progress update. He tells us they’ll be switching the fasten seatbelt sign on early because they’re expecting a rather bumpy approach. And it really is a very rough ride. The aircraft sways and dips precariously and on several occasions I’m convinced we’re going to end up doing a missed approach. Fortunately for us, though, our pilot flying has, apparently, a set of testicles made of the finest Krupp steel. He manages to recover the aircraft from everything the rough weather is throwing at it, so that eventually we land in Newark slightly ahead of schedule.

We taxi in behind the SAS service from Copenhagen which has just landed ahead of us. Our flight terminates at the B pier. As our parking stand is rather a tight fit, we stop on the taxiway and switch off both engines. A tug is then attached to our nose wheel to pull us the rest of the way onto our parking stand. The only other place I’ve ever experienced this is at Paris CDG 2E. And that brings the flight to an end.

Getting into New York

Immigration is a bit messy, but doesn’t take too long. From arrivals I head up to the top floor to catch the AirTrain that connects to the railway station for Newark airport. From there I catch a train to Penn Station. The ride into Manhattan takes about thirty minutes.

Conclusion

This wasn’t a bad flight with SAS on the A 321LR from Oslo to Newark. I’m in two minds about the cabin and seat, though. While the single seats provide an abundance of storage space, the twin seats have next to no storage space at all.

The service on SAS was okay. Although, to be honest, SAS Business Class always feels a bit like travelling with a low-cost carrier that happens to do long-haul flights too. While the crew were friendly enough, their service was completely impersonal and lacked anything that might have made it memorable.

This was my first time traveling through Newark Airport, and I must say, I’m rather impressed. Not only is immigration less of a hassle than JFK. The airport is much closer and more easily accessible from Manhattan.