Review of SAS flight Tokyo Copenhagen in Business

Airline SAS
Flight SK 984
Class Business
Seat 4D
Aircraft Airbus A340-300
Flight time 11:35
Take-off 03 Nov 15, 12:30
Arrival at 03 Nov 15, 16:05
SK   #61 out of 95 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 212 reviews
NGO85
By SILVER 10098
Published on 28th November 2015
Background:

This series will cover a quickie to København.

Part 1 – NGO-NRT [NH 338, Boeing B737-800, Economy] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-12280.html
Part 2 – NRT-CPH [SK 984, Airbus A340-300, Business] – You are here
Part 3 – CPH-NRT [SK 983, Airbus A340-300, SAS Go] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-12571.html
Part 4 – NRT-NGO [NH 337, Boeing B787-800, Economy] – Coming soon (maybe)

This report will cover several firsts for the site since it will be the first report on a SK wide-body. This will also be my first time aboard an A340 and my first time flying SK.

How did I end up in the J-cabin; that still remains a mystery to me. When I booked the ticket 4 days prior to departure (in the BA Terraces Lounge at BOS), there were no more SAS Go (economy) seats available on the outbound flight so I was approved to book a ticket in SAS Plus (premium economy) for SK 984, which was in fare class “S.” Perhaps SAS Go was already oversold.

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I forgot to take a screenshot of the seat selection screen, but in the SAS Plus cabin the day before departure, there were still 5-6 empty seats in the cabin. I had picked 16D since there were no window seats left and the middle seat was currently unoccupied. At check-in at NGO, I was just handed a boarding pass for 4D. The NH agent didn’t mention anything about the upgrade, so it must have been processed before I got to the airport. My eyes lit up when I saw the 4D on my boarding pass, but I just played it cool and waited until I was out of sight before I got giddy like a schoolgirl. I was looking forward to giving you guys a report on SAS Plus, but instead we are going to get a look at SK’s business product.

photo 1

And now on to the report.


Pre-flight:

I left off the last series while I was in the UA Club at Narita. If you are interested in this lounge, go back to Part 1 for a review of this lounge. What I didn’t show in the last report is my spotting bonus from the UA Club, which has some really great tarmac views (much better than the ANA Lounges). So I’ll bore you with some spotting to start things off.

NH B788.

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UA B772.

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NH B763 with winglets.

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NH B788 departing, the ground crew waves goodbye.

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Polar Air Cargo B747F.

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PR A333 lifting off in the heat haze of the NH B763.

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FedEx B777F.

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ANA Cargo B767F.

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Rich Austrians leaving in a Gulfstream G650.

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JL B738.

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AF B77W.

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DL B752.

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NH B763.

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NH B735.

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NH B738, but not just any one, this is JA81AN, which was the plane that I just flew on in Part 1 of this series. It is already heading off on its next domestic mission.

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Leaving the UA Club, a brief stop at the FIDS. My flight is still showing the 80-minute delay due to a late inbound aircraft. AF also has a new departure time, but believe it or not they are moving in a more favorable direction.

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Some spotting on the way to the ANA Lounge in Satellite 5.

NH B763.

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NH B77W.

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Numero_2 A343.

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The underground tunnel between Satellites 4 and 5.

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Artwork at the entrance of the ANA Lounge in Satellite 5.

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The ANA Lounge at Satellite 5. This is the bigger of the two lounges.

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Entering, two NH agents greet me, scan my boarding pass, and remind me that my flight is delayed. They then motion for me to enter the ANA Lounge side. Entering the lounge, it is so much calmer than what I saw before my NRT-ORD flight the previous month. All of the NH TPACs are gone and took the crowds with them.

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I head over to the noodle bar to get some food since the UA Club had such a poor offering. I order some ????????.

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While I wait, a quick shot of where the rest of the food is located. Basic offerings with limited hot options.

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My ???????? and a glass of oolong tea.

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After that tasty snack, I wander into the annex area of the lounge.

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Since no one is back here, I’ll take a picture of the food offering at the ANA Lounge. It is the same in the main seating area.

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Nihonshu.

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The empty seating area in the annex; only two Germans in the corner having a loud conversation.

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My second offering highlighting the hot food options in the ANA Lounge: fried chicken and potato wedges. The best of Japan’s culinary offerings.

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After an hour in the ANA Lounge at Satellite 5, I head over to the ANA Lounge at Satellite 4 since it is closer to my gate. On my way there, some more spotting.

BR A321 with sharklets.

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As I just stop by my gate to see what is going on, I see Danes starting to appear out of the jetbridge!

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The beautiful A343 (not really given how dirty the fuselage is) that will take me to CPH.

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At the gate next door, there is an OZ B744 in from ICN.

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And another OZ of the A333 variety leaving for ICN.

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An example of the gate areas in NRT.

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The entrance to the ANA Lounge in Satellite 4.

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The NH agents as before scan in my boarding pass, notify me of my delay, and then motion for me to enter. Press offering on the way to the food.

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The noodle bar.

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This lounge does not have tarmac views and has a very dark seating area.

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Nihonshu at the bar.

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The food offering here is identical to the other lounge.

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Anticipating lunch on the plane soon, I just grab a bowl of miso soup, coffee, and oolong tea.

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I only stay 30 minutes until an announcement is made that our flight will be boarding soon. On the way back to my gate, I cross a BR B77W.

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——————————-

Scandinavian Airlines, SK 984
Equipment: Airbus A340-300 [OY-KBI “Rurik Viking”, delivered November 2001]
Departure: 12:30 (ATD: 14:04)
Arrival: 16:05 (ATA: 17:08)
Flight time: 11:04


Reaching the gate, there were already lines forming for the priority boarding and the general boarding. I grab one last shot of my plane basking in the sun.

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I’m near the end of the priority line so it takes a while to get scanned in and head down the jetbridge. A nice glimpse of the nose of this A343, which confirms not only that we have pilots today, but also that we will be aboard Rurik Viking, a 14-year old member of the SK fleet. She could use a new paint job; she is looking pretty rough around the edges (both outside and inside).

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A big burly SK FA is greeting passengers. Not what I was expecting at all, but he was actually quite nimble in the cabin and very friendly so my prejudice was not warranted.

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After the gatekeeper greeted me in Danish (my blank stare resulted in a second greeting in English), he confirmed I belong here, and then waved me down the first aisle towards my seat. Since I was not anticipating flying business class, I didn’t do any research into this product so stepping into the cabin my eyes eagerly scanned the cabin with this first glimpse of the SK business class product.

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The SK J-seats. In a 2-2-2 configuration with angle lie-flat seats. This is the main J-cabin, there is also a mini cabin behind the galley with 2 rows that sits right in front of SAS Plus.

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Here is my seat: 4D. Preplaced on the seat are pillow, headphones, and an amenity kit.

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A glance over at the window seats from my seat, which would be occupied by an older Danish couple.

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The seatback containing old IFE, which is positioned rather low and is not tiltable.

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Seat pitch is good.

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The pillow. Very nice pattern and very good quality (Hästens).

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The headphones.

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The amenity kit. Not as cheap as the paper bag AY gives, but this black plastic bag is only “slightly” better since it has a leather SAS tag on the zipper. The contents are barebone. There was a black eye mask, black socks, REN products (lotion and lip balm), toothbrush, toothpaste, and earplugs.

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A brief seat tour before my seatmate arrives. There is no privacy divider between the seats, you are very exposed in this cabin even when in the “bed” position. There is a reading light.

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The center console is pretty small and contains the seat controls.

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On the side of the center console, there is the IFE remote.

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There is a storage compartment below the armrest, which is where the headphone jack and power outlet are.

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The seat belt buckle has a strange message. Not sure what they mean, but okay.

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This plane needs serious help, the ceiling was filthy and the moving map is prehistoric (same as on AA’s old B772s).

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An FA comes and offers a pre-departure drink; I’ll start with champagne. There was no oshibori offered pre-departure. No newspapers were offered either.

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The FA then returned and provided a menu.



We backed up a little bit ahead of the announced time. The taxi was fairly quick since we were right near the runway. The safety video played during the taxi. There was no wait to takeoff so we were quickly on our way to Denmark.

The seatback had a little pouch with some limited items.

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Opening it up to the fleet, we can see that the newest A333 just arrived bearing the brand new SK cabins. J, W, and Y all look much better so hopefully the SK long-haul experience will also be better in the future.

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The safety card. Does anyone else find it really weird that there is not a single word on this card? There are only pictograms.

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Leveling off, the FAs distribute slippers. These things were terrible. They were like cardboard on the bottom with this thin hospital paper on the top. I guess these are at least better than not getting slippers at all (CX!).

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The meal service quickly started up. Oshibori were distributed.

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The FA for my aisle then laid the linens.

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Aperitif service was conducted by cart.

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I ordered an “Orange Blossom,” which was pretty heavy on the gin (not a bad thing). Served with a ramekin of warm mixed nuts.

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After the aperitifs were finished, the crew began the meal service. Drink orders were taken while bread dishes were laid along with distribution of cutlery. I ordered a beer and water.

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SK has its own special beer brewed by Mikkeller. I think this is a pretty novel feature and sure beats getting the generic Carlsberg.

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The SK cutlery.

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I think we have enough cutlery now, so I’m ready for some food. Note the salt and pepper packets in the top right corner; no fancy shakers like you’d expect to see in J.

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The starters are rolled out on a cart. Not Do&Co quality, but there is an FA wearing a chef’s jacket that does the buffet service. It’s nice this way since you are able to see the options before picking (menu descriptions are often deceptive).

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He asks me if I want the beef or scallop starter. I go for seafood always. He then asks me if I want a salad. I say yes, and he prepares a salad for me on the spot. Visually, this starter looks very good. You eat with your eyes and SK initially leaves a good first impression since everything looks bright and fresh.

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The salad is served with this little bottle of balsamic vinegar dressing.

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The scallop starter with mango salad was very good.

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The bread was warm and hearty.

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Seeing my empty beer, the FA promptly delivered a new can.

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Several entrée choices looked good. I was torn between the perch and the veal, but went for the veal because I had a craving for mashed potatoes. This is a pretty rustic dish so presentation is not very fancy. It was served with this lingonberry jam that I didn’t use. The veal was very good and well seasoned and I thought the snap peas were very fresh tasting (all the vegetables on SK were really good). The mashed potatoes and gravy were also good. Overall a very well-performed rustic dish. More bread was proposed while I ate the main.

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Hot tea was also served with the meal since this flight was originating from Japan.

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After the meal, we had digestive and dessert service.

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I passed on the cheese plate and just asked for the chocolate cake with orange sauce and fruit. Also, a Irish cream to wrap up the meal.

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I thought the cake was pretty poor.

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Coffee service.

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The meal concluded as we began our long journey through Russia.

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Once the tray tables were cleaned up, the FAs finally distributed blankets. I guess they assume that nobody uses it until after the meal anyways so they don’t want to clutter your space? The duvet is really good quality and has the same pattern as the pillow.

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My Irish cream was constantly topped off by a very attentive crew.

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The cabin after meal service.

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The IFE is pretty poor: the screen is small, the resolution is bad, and the content is pitiful. I saw nothing of interest on the IFE so I just took a nap.

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I woke up about 3.5 hours later, quite an impressive feat for this really angled seat.

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Time to head to the lavatory. And now for the best part of SK’s business class on the A343! I’m not kidding; I would gladly give up my seat and sit in the lavatory all flight. Look at this thrown with a view!

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No wonder the lines for the bathroom were always really long.

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The sink on the other hand is average, but contains a lifetime supply of wet towelettes.

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Passing through the galley, I stop and chat with the FAs for a bit. They make me a cup of coffee (there is an espresso machine in the galley) and then show me the food offering. I just take a chocolate back to my seat with me.

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At the halfway point, the FAs come through the cabin with a cart with snacks on it. I grab an apple half, a banana, and a glass of apple juice. They also had small sandwiches and other sweet snacks.

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The offering on the IFE is really bad, maybe 12 movies max and no TV shows of interest. I watch Mission Impossible until we reach the Ural Mountains.

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The FA sees I’m up and moving about so they check on me regularly. They bring me a glass of water and some sweets while I watch my movie.

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Sunset shot over Finland from the lavatory.

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As we reached Helsinki, the second meal service started up. Oshibori were distributed.

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Linens were laid.

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A tray was delivered bearing the duck starter, and a fruit cup. Bread was distributed and drink orders were taken.

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The duck starter with potato salad, asparagus, and some sort of chutney (wasn’t listed on the menu). Getting both scallop and duck starters on this flight is a good sign from SK catering that they are willing to use more exotic products than other carriers.

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The chef then came through the aisle with a cart and served passengers “family style.” On the cart was all of the options and you picked what you wanted. I asked to try the apricot and mozzarella-stuffed pork loin and vegetables.

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The pork loin was very good and very tender. The vegetables were phenomenal, they had a smoky grilled taste to them and were crisp. I don’t know how SK did it, but these were really good vegetables and some of the best I’ve ever seen on a plane.

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Again, hot Japanese tea and coffee were offered.

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Meal service concluded as we approached Stockholm.

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I did some work until the cabin was prepared for landing. We had a very smooth landing in to a cold/wet Kastrup from the northeast.

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The cabin during touchdown. We landed about an hour late, but ahead of the estimated arrival time given our delayed departure. The pilots made up about 30 minutes enroute. The taxi to the gate was pretty short. Deplaning, the crew thanked me for flying with them.

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There was no line at immigration since we were the only non-Schengen flight arriving at that time. Danish immigration officers at least scanned my passport before stamping it unlike my last visit to Europe in FCO where they just opened it to a page, stamped it, and handed it back.

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The bags were about a 20-minute wait, but I took that time to use the ATM to get some Kroner and buy my ticket for the subway. København’s subway is very clean and efficient depositing me downtown in about 15 minutes. With that I will leave off this series as I begin my short 2-day stay in København. Please join me soon for the return to Nagoya looking at SK’s long-haul economy product (no upgrades on the way back…).
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Verdict

SAS

6.6/10
Cabin5.0
Cabin crew8.5
Entertainment/wifi4.0
Meal/catering9.0

ANA Suite Lounge Satellite No. 5

6.8/10
Comfort6.0
Meal/catering6.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Services6.0

Tokyo - NRT

8.8/10
Efficiency10.0
Access7.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness10.0

Copenhagen - CPH

9.2/10
Efficiency10.0
Access10.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness9.0

Conclusion

My first time aboard SK and after reading a lot about its decline into LCC territory, I didn’t really have high expectations going into this series. The SK hard-product leaves much to be desired. I found it to be better than AA’s angle lie-flat seats and comparable to JL’s angle lie-flat seats (which is still not a high benchmark for comparisons). I found the crew to have a very warm Scandinavian touch to their service and the catering was pretty good (mid-flight snacks were a little average, but both meals were very good). I think with the cabin refurbishment underway, SK has some room to improve their offering to a higher level so it will be interesting to try them again in the future.

Cabin comfort: Full cabin, but it didn’t feel that claustrophobic in a 2-2-2 configuration. These seats are old; there is no way to get around this problem. There is a complete lack of privacy with these seats. I was able to sleep for a couple of hours, so not terrible seats since they were fairly comfortable for lounging. Nice duvet and pillow, but below average amenity kit. Fantastic toilet.

Crew: Scared a little bit initially when seeing the hulk welcoming passengers. After that initial shock, everything went smoothly. The crew was all smiling, friendly, and a Scandinavian touch to their service. Also had a Japanese FA working our cabin so I didn’t see any obvious language issues since they all spoke English flawlessly.

Meal and catering: I thought SK’s catering was very good overall. I like how linens were laid for both meals. I also like how the food was brought out on carts so that you can see the options before picking and how the second meal service was a “family-style” offering. I thought everything I ate was very good, but the dessert was a miss and the fruit wasn’t great. I like how they serve local craft beer specially brewed for SK.

Entertainment: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this actually wasn’t the worst IFE I’ve seen this year (that award goes to AA). Nonetheless, the IFE was old, slow, and lacked content. I think there were maybe 10 movies in total, I didn’t check the music selection, but there was also no TV shows available. No newspapers were offered either.

On-time performance: SMS message notifying me of the delay well in advance due to late inbound aircraft. We left a little bit ahead of our new scheduled departure time and we arrived only 1-hour late into CPH since the pilots made up some time enroute.

Information on the route Tokyo (NRT) Copenhagen (CPH)

Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 3 avis concernant 1 compagnies sur la ligne Tokyo (NRT) → Copenhagen (CPH).


Useful

La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est SAS avec 6.9/10.

La durée moyenne des vols est de 11 heures et 30 minutes.

  More information

20 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 152481 by
    KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6668 Comments
    As interesting as it would have been to see a review of SAS' Premium Economy product, which doesn't have many reports online, An upgrade is always welcome! And I totally know that giddy schoolgirl feeling you get from OpUps (or when upgrades clear last minute)--my excitement often manifests itself with high pitched squealing :-P

    Oh, so much beautiful planespotting. You just know how to start a FR right! Clearly ANA's lounges are better than JL's. I like that the word for noodle soup you spelled out in Japanese, looks like noodles--how appropriate. Overall the lounge seems nice and I like the decor. It's weird, but I've always thought JAL was the more premium carrier, but that doesn't seem to be the case from your reports. Perhaps it's because of JAL's bankruptcy and restructuring that they're looking a little shabby right now.

    A shame the fuselage is so dirty, because I rather enjoy the SK livery when it's clean! LOL.

    A big burly SK FA is greeting passengers. Not what I was expecting at all
    - Really? Of course he's burly, it's SAS, they're big vikings :-P

    Does anyone else find it really weird that there is not a single word on this card? There are only pictograms.
    - Again, must be a Scandinavian thing--It's like IKEA instructions haha

    I'm somewhat perplexed by the meal service. The warm nuts in a ramekin are more premium that average for a European carrier, most of which just serve a bag of nuts, but the paper salt and pepper packets are definitely not premium. The white linen cart service for the appetizer and main + the lack of a tray is even more premium and is certainly better than having everything pre-slapped together in a tray, which is the norm on BA, AF, and other European carriers. And the dishes actually look quite good visually.

    Bottom line, the hard product is super outdated and just not competitive on a 10+ hour flight. The soft product is impressive, however, and definitely softens the blow of such a old cabin. SK is working to refit aircraft with their new cabins. Had you gotten the new cabin, this would have probably been a 9/10 experience.

    Having spent much time around Icelanders and Norwegians I have a certain fondness for Scandinavian/Nordic culture and I'm glad to see that SK is moving in the right direction after some poor publicity in the past. Good job SAS!

    Tak for sharing!


    • Comment 330357 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1963 Comments
      And I totally know that giddy schoolgirl feeling you get from OpUps (or when upgrades clear last minute)--my excitement often manifests itself with high pitched squealing :-P
      - When it happens at the airport, it is so much more gratifying since by that point you have already mentally prepared yourself for economy. The other interesting thing about SK Y+ is that they send their passengers in that class to the KAL Lounge at NRT, so that would have been something different.

      It's weird, but I've always thought JAL was the more premium carrier, but that doesn't seem to be the case from your reports. Perhaps it's because of JAL's bankruptcy and restructuring that they're looking a little shabby right now.
      - It's funny how that works out. Before moving here, I had the same feeling since JL is the named carrier of the country, but NH brags that they are the ONLY Japanese carrier with a 5* rating and plaster Inspiration of Japan across the side of their planes. Well deserved?

      A shame the fuselage is so dirty, because I rather enjoy the SK livery when it's clean! LOL.
      - They must contract AF for airplane cleaning, lol. (Although the AF B77W I spotted at NRT looked fairly white)

      They're big vikings :-P
      - I was expecting a tall blonde, not Thor.

      Again, must be a Scandinavian thing--It's like IKEA instructions haha
      - Perfect comparison :)

      I'm somewhat perplexed by the meal service.
      - Every carrier has some quirky things they do that make you scratch your head. Overall, I felt the catering was good. It maybe is not up to top-tier Asian standards, but for the European/North American markets they hit, I feel they are very competitive. No trays is always a plus :) The vegetables for both meals were really good, it's weird that is what I remember most vividly, but they were!

      Had you gotten the new cabin, this would have probably been a 9/10 experience.
      - As RI777 pointed out, at this time the first A343 had just been retrofitted and was being sent to ORD. Rumors that the second was going to be on SFO service would suggest that NRT might hit the rotation with one of those birds. It looked like planes ex-US would go to CPH and then head to Asia.

      I'm glad to see that SK is moving in the right direction after some poor publicity in the past. Good job SAS!
      - Absolutely, I always thought they had a good reputation when I was younger, but the 2000s hit them hard. I was satisfied with this experience (had I paid out-of-pocket for J, my opinion might be different, lol) and I would happily consider flying them again in the future on their new hard-product. On-time ratings were poor on both flights, but I thought catering and crew were good.

      Tak Kevin.
  • Comment 152483 by
    757Fan 632 Comments
    Thanks for sharing! Great to see a report about SK. My wife and I flew them a few years ago, and we had a really great flight from Washington-Copenhagen in J. The seats, cutlery, plates, etc, haven't changed a bit! The food though, looks quite a bit better than the offering we had.

    How great to get the upgrade!

    Best,

    Matthew
    • Comment 330358 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1963 Comments
      Hi Matthew, thank you for your comments! I'm glad that this report could help you relive your trip :)

      The food though, looks quite a bit better than the offering we had.
      - They may be in the process of revamping everything in order to match their fleet refurbishment. I think SK is trying to restore its image so it may be worth taking another look at them in the near future once they install flatbed seats and sort out their poor intra-European products.
  • Comment 152484 by
    jetsetpanda 2283 Comments
    How did I end up in the J-cabin; that still remains a mystery to me.
    - Fairy godmother (fée marraine sounds better) must have been working overtime. I was originally scheduled to fly on SK SFO-CPH and was hoping to upgrade to SK Plus at the airport. Then I found out that I could get 2-3 extra days off and that's when I decided to get an earlier start on my vacation and explore LIS. Here you are spoiling us with a SK FR. Funny how life works.

    My eyes lit up when I saw the 4D on my boarding pass, but I just played it cool and waited until I was out of sight before I got giddy like a schoolgirl.
    - So did you still board the plane with a grin on your face? ;)

    I’ll bore you with some spotting to start things off.
    - With the quality of spotting that you do, it's never boring so don't be so modest. :P

    While I wait, a quick shot of where the rest of the food is located. Basic offerings with limited hot options.
    - In my limited experience, it seems that JL lounges have better food.

    A big burly SK FA is greeting passengers. Not what I was expecting at all, but he was actually quite nimble in the cabin and very friendly so my prejudice was not warranted.
    - Oh my....if I were you I would wet myself from fear :P But you know what? never judge a book by its cover. When I was in CPH, I always encountered the friendliest people anywhere.

    After the gatekeeper greeted me in Danish (my blank stare resulted in a second greeting in English)
    - Ha ha. Well, at least you are not like me. I greet in Spanish and sometimes they answer me in English. ;)

    I didn’t do any research into this product so stepping into the cabin my eyes eagerly scanned the cabin with this first glimpse of the SK business class product.
    - Oh it's a dinosaur! I'm surprised they are using this configuration to Japan.

    The amenity kit. Not as cheap as the paper bag AY gives
    - Not anymore. AY uses Marimekko designed ones now. The old recyclable kit looked like a homeless kit.

    The seat belt buckle has a strange message. Not sure what they mean, but okay.
    - Lost in translation. :P

    The starters are rolled out on a cart.
    - Looks pretty good to me.

    It was served with this lingonberry jam that I didn’t use. The veal was very good and well seasoned and I thought the snap peas were very fresh tasting (all the vegetables on SK were really good).
    - Oh I bet it tasted great with the jam. A bit of sweetness can enhance a dish. ;)

    I thought the cake was pretty poor.
    - Very underwhelming actually.

    Thanks Michael for sharing this awesome trip. It was great that you were able to experience SK longhaul for the first time. I can't think of a better reporter to write this FR.
    • Comment 330359 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1963 Comments
      Fairy godmother (fée marraine sounds better) must have been working overtime.
      - She must have known that I had already endured several treacherous TPACs in Y during the previous couple of weeks. After flying UA, one deserves some compensation from *A ;)

      So did you still board the plane with a grin on your face? ;)
      _ I knew about the upgrade when I checked in at NGO so by the time I boarded the SK flight 6 hours later the grin had already turned into tiredness, lol.

      In my limited experience, it seems that JL lounges have better food.
      - Not in my recent experiences. I found the JL Sakura Lounge in NRT to be poor, but that is also because the dining area was closed off because it was too crowded. <== A real premium experience, no?

      Oh my....if I were you I would wet myself from fear :P But you know what? never judge a book by its cover. When I was in CPH, I always encountered the friendliest people anywhere.
      - It's SK, I was expecting a tall blonde, so seeing a 1.9m giant built like a refrigerator was the complete opposite. I found all of the crew to be very friendly. They were talking with passengers throughout the flight (during the service and in the galley mid-flight).

      Oh it's a dinosaur! I'm surprised they are using this configuration to Japan.
      - The first A343 had been retrofitted and was being sent to ORD. I bet NRT will get one soon. I think they will finish next year (maybe). They are also getting those new A333s that will be nice.

      Not anymore. AY uses Marimekko designed ones now. The old recyclable kit looked like a homeless kit.
      - Didn't realize that had changed after the Marimekko contract. I just remember seeing paper bags in AY reports. The SK report is definitely meh.

      Looks pretty good to me.
      - I was happy with the catering, very different from what I'm used to flying Asian carriers selectively recently. I was happy with the entrees I received. The dessert was obviously disappointing and the mid-flight snacks were average. I found the apple half in plastic wrap strange, but I guess it is better than dealing with an apple core mid-flight.

      Thanks Michael for sharing this awesome trip. It was great that you were able to experience SK longhaul for the first time.
      - Hopefully in the years to come I'll get to try again :) Thanks for all of your support Adan!
    • Comment 330360 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1963 Comments
      I made frequent trips to the lavatory, I didn't even need to use the restroom. The FAs might have been getting concerned about my frequent use and the camera clicks coming from inside...
    • Comment 330363 by
      jetsetpanda 2283 Comments
      Good thing that they did not send the big guy that you saw at the door to find out what was going on inside. :P ha ha!
    • Comment 330219 by
      jetsetpanda 2283 Comments
      And now for the best part of SK’s business class on the A343! I’m not kidding; I would gladly give up my seat and sit in the lavatory all flight. Look at this thrown with a view!
      - I can picture you sitting there. All you need is a crown. :P
  • Comment 152523 by
    Rl 777 802 Comments
    Thank you for sharing this report with us! I've been waiting for this one forever!

    A fantastic spotting compilation is always a great way to start an FR :). The weather seemed pretty good that day.

    I must say that I'm impressed by the catering. The presentation and quality looked pretty good, didn't expect SK's catering to be this good. There are still some small negatives like with the cake but almost nothing is 100% perfect.

    The hard product is obviously crappy, old and super outdated. The IFE in Y isn't even AVOD. OY-KBA and LN-RKF have the new cabin of the 340s. Only OY-KBA had the new cabin when you flew with them. I think your experience would've been great if your ride had the new cabin. I've never flown with SK long-haul, would love to try their new A330E ARN-HKG.

    Thank you once again for sharing this great FR!

    Have a good one, see you!





    • Comment 330361 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1963 Comments
      I've been waiting for this one forever!
      - Hopefully it didn't disappoint after all that hype :) Thanks for your comments!

      A fantastic spotting compilation is always a great way to start an FR :).
      - With a 5 hour layover, you have to do something with your time :)

      I must say that I'm impressed by the catering. The presentation and quality looked pretty good, didn't expect SK's catering to be this good. There are still some small negatives like with the cake but almost nothing is 100% perfect.
      - In J, it was a very solid catering performance. In Y, you will see that things aren't always greener on the other side ;) I thought the service standards on SK were good, the only real negative was the dessert, which I would have expected SK to excel at.

      The hard product is obviously crappy, old and super outdated. The IFE in Y isn't even AVOD.
      - There is no way to beat around the bush, it is old. But I still found it comfortable for lounging, just no sleeping. It was better than the AA seats on their B772. The Y IFE was AVOD, it's a 6 screen, but it was the same content as I showed here for J. I didn't pay for this product, so I'm more than happy to fly it. If I had paid to fly this J-cabin, I'd be upset, but given the circumstances, I was very happy. J is always better than Y, especially when it is free :)
  • Comment 152594 by
    aussenrist 225 Comments
    Thanks for sharing this report with nice pictures! The SAS FR is finally here and you finally flew on a A340! :D
    It is glad to hear that you were upgraded to J.
    I expect SAS will use a newer plane for this route. Again, nothing is absolute :( Hope SAS can soon replace with a refurbished plane for this route. My friend just had the HKG-ARN flight in Y on a A330 with new cabin and he is very satisfied with it.
    Aw Jeez why the fuselage can be so dirty LOL? Or the aircraft refurbishment just started from toilets so need to deal with the cabin and fuselage later? :P
    Although the hard product is very outdated, the soft product looks good (not the amenity kit @@). Nice catering offering from SAS (except the cake) and I really like their special beer! The can design is so cute!
    Look forward to your next trip!
    • Comment 330619 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1963 Comments
      Thank you for your comments!

      I expect SAS will use a newer plane for this route. Again, nothing is absolute :( Hope SAS can soon replace with a refurbished plane for this route. My friend just had the HKG-ARN flight in Y on a A330 with new cabin and he is very satisfied with it.
      - I am sure NRT will not get a new plane, the A333 is too small for this route, both flights were close to 100% full. The cabin refurbishment will really help at least clean up the inside of the planes. The photos of the new cabins look really good.

      Aw Jeez why the fuselage can be so dirty LOL? Or the aircraft refurbishment just started from toilets so need to deal with the cabin and fuselage later? :P
      - The toilet was also old, but it is the one thing they should not change during cabin refurbishment ;)

      Nice catering offering from SAS (except the cake) and I really like their special beer! The can design is so cute!
      - The soft product was very good on SK (both in J and Y). The catering in Y you will see soon, but in J I thought that the catering was very good. There were different beers on the return flight, they all had some sort of aviation themed can.
  • Comment 152597 by
    KL651 TEAM 4534 Comments
    Thanks for this FR, the first SK long haul one on this website!

    The upgrade was sure a good news even if the plane still had the old cabin.

    The catering is definitely the best part, as the seats clearly look like the ones found on TK Y+

    Looking forward to flight back in Y+ !
    • Comment 330620 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1963 Comments
      the first SK long haul one on this website!
      - Thank you for stopping by and commenting, the second report will be coming soon ;)

      The upgrade was sure a good news even if the plane still had the old cabin.
      - It doesn't matter what carrier you are on, J > Y. Although the seat was not necessarily great, the catering was much improved in J over what I got in Y so that is a big difference in the level of service between the two cabins.

      as the seats clearly look like the ones found on TK Y+
      - Since this cabin has probably not been touched since the plane was delivered 11 years ago, I think a comparison to Y+ seats is very appropriate. Does this mean that SK's Y+ seats are comparable to TK's Y seats?^^
  • Comment 152603 by
    Numero_2 TEAM BRONZE 10415 Comments
    Thank you for sharing !

    After reading this I can tell that SK is certainly the worst European carrier when it comes to long haul business class cabin. lol

    Now you can tell us : How did you feel on boarding an A343 for the first time ? ^^

    Sharp spotting pictures as usual : I don't have the patience / photo material to do that as good as you !

    Numero_2 A343.-> I decide to unpgrade my fleet with brand new B777-300ER, starting of 2016. lol

    The NH lounge is way better than the UA one but I still sthink that the International ANA Lounge at HND is better than this one.

    only two Germans in the corner having a loud conversation. -> Maybe because they were tasting the draught beer options since 9:30am. lol

    The best of Japan’s culinary offerings. -> Not the best at all but I admit they are well cooked. ;)

    A big burly SK FA is greeting passengers. Not what I was expecting at all -> Of course you weren't, after all these JL and NH flights in front cabins where you were pampered by female FAs. ^^

    Surprinsingly the menu and wine list are not that bad.
    I ordered an “Orange Blossom,” which was pretty heavy on the gin (not a bad thing). -> Quite of a Scnadinavian reflex. lol

    Not Do&Co quality, but there is an FA wearing a chef’s jacket that does the buffet service. -> I thought you were not into flying TK ? :D

    I woke up about 3.5 hours later, quite an impressive feat for this really angled seat. -> The Irish cream did his job. ;)

    Sunset shot over Finland from the lavatory. -> The angled seat didn't satisfy you at all.

    I like how linens were laid for both meals. -> I think it's pretty standard in 2015 ?!?!

    See you for the flight back to Japan.
    • Comment 330621 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1963 Comments
      Merci Clement^^

      I can tell that SK is certainly the worst European carrier when it comes to long haul business class cabin. lol
      - Definitely have the worst hard-product, but the soft-product was very respectable for European standards.

      How did you feel on boarding an A343 for the first time ? ^^
      - Like an A333^^ Since I did not have a window seat I could not enjoy the hairdryers to really tell the difference.

      I don't have the patience / photo material to do that as good as you !
      - I took those while drinking a beer in the UA Club, it wasn't hard work ;)

      brand new B777-300ER, starting of 2016. lol
      - I'm guessing that you will put your first planes on twice daily ZRH-HKG service?

      I still sthink that the International ANA Lounge at HND is better than this one.
      - HND's lounges are better. The domestic lounge at HND is really nice, but all the other domestic lounges are crap. I don't know why HND has a better international lounge than NRT, makes no sense.

      Not the best at all but I admit they are well cooked. ;)
      - My comment was sarcastic, but they are okay to eat since they are the only hot food offering outside of the noodle bar and better than anything I saw at the UA Club^^

      after all these JL and NH flights in front cabins where you were pampered by female FAs. ^^
      - Perhaps I would be even more shocked to board a NH/JL flight and see a male FA greeting me at the door^^

      Surprinsingly the menu and wine list are not that bad.
      - The menu and catering were good for European standards. It is better than I'll see on a US carrier and better than CX^^ The catering was also ex-NRT so it had to be good ;)

      I thought you were not into flying TK ? :D
      - OS also has Do&Co, you only assumed I inferred TK ;)

      The angled seat didn't satisfy you at all.
      - The lavatory was much more private and had windows, I consider it the SK Suite product ;)

      I think it's pretty standard in 2015 ?!?!
      - Maybe for the fancy airlines you frequent, but not for the lowly American carriers as Kevin pointed out. The second meal service is normally just a tray with a napkin over it :(

      I see we have the first of the hangover reports posted, blurry photos GVA-CDG await me ;)
    • Comment 330436 by
      KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6668 Comments
      I like how linens were laid for both meals. -> I think it's pretty standard in 2015 ?!?! - Not in 'Murica :-(
  • Comment 153189 by
    Chibcha SILVER 540 Comments
    Great report NGO, as usual great photos, thanks for sharing!
  • Comment 432410 by
    Mmaster 1 Comments
    I know this review is 2 year old, but I wanted to thank you anyway. At least I know what I can kind of expect when flying to Tokyo this year with this airlane. Thank you :)

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