Review: SAS Plus, Stockholm-London

Summer Trip Flying EVA Air Business Class on 777 & Hello Kitty Jet, Singapore Airlines Suites & Cathay Pacific First Class

Last summer, I travelled to the Philippines for the 70th birthday celebration of my father. It was a very short visit since I needed to be back home for work. I've always wanted to try EVA Air's Hello Kitty Jet so I booked my flight from Stockholm to Fukuoka using Avianca Lifemiles flying with SAS and EVA Air. From Fukuoka, I flew on a budget carrier to Tokyo, and from Tokyo I flew on Singapore Airlines Suites to Singapore, and then first class to Manila using my Kris Flyer Miles. On my way back to Stockholm, I flew on Cathay Pacific First Class and Finnair Business Class using my AA Advantage Miles. This trip allowed me to test EVA Air Hello Kitty, Singapore Suites and Cathay Pacific First Class all for the first time and I couldn't be more satisfied.


SAS Summer Pop Up Lounge, Arlanda T5 (ARN)
SAS Plus Stocholm-London
Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge, London (LHR)
United Club, London Heathrow (LHR)
EVA Air Royal Laurel Class, London-Bangkok
New EVA Air Lounge, Bangkok (BKK)
EVA Air Royal Laurel Class, Bangkok-Taipei
Hotel Novotel Taipei Taoyuan Airport
EVA Air The Infinity Lounge Taipei (TPE)
EVA Air Premium Laurel Class Hello Kitty Jet, Taipei-Fukuoka
Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk
ANA Suite Lounge Satellite 5 T1 Tokyo Narita (NRT)
Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class, Tokyo-Singapore
Singapore Airlines The Private Room, Changi Airport (SIN)
Singapore Airlines First Class, Singapore-Manila
Top Attractions in the Philippines
Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
Cathay Pacific First & Business Class Lounge, NAIA (MNL)
Cathay Pacific Business Class, Manila-Hongkong
Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge, Hongkong (HKG)
Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge, Hongkong (HKG)
Cathay Pacific First Class, Hongkong-Frankfurt
Air France-KLM Lounge, Frankfurt (FRA)
Finnair Business Class, Frankfurt-Helsinki
Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa
Top Attractions in Finland
Finnair Premium Lounge, Helsinki Airport (HEL)
Finnair Business Class, Helsinki-Stockholm

SAS Egil Viking bound for London Heathrow

Flight: SK 533
Departure in Stockholm: 18:20
Arrival in London: 19:55
Equipment: Boeing 737 800
Flight duration: 2h 35m
Date of flight: July 6, 2015
Seat: 2A
*This is an award travel, Business class flight #83

Check-in


SAS Plus check in counters, Arlanda Airport T5


Fast track for premium passengers and those with status


The Climate Portal inside the Terminal gives you the chance to feel the weather in your destination even before getting there.

Lounge


Normally, those flying with SAS Plus have access to the SAS Lounge but since it was under renovation, passengers were directed to the SAS Summer Pop Up Lounge which I was able to visit for the first time.

Boarding


Around 5:45pm, I left the SAS Summer Pop Up Lounge and headed to the boarding gate which was F65. Boarding started at 6pm instead of the scheduled 5:50pm.

Aircraft


SAS Boeing plane bound for London Heathrow

Seat


Legroom on SAS plus, seat 2A


Ethiopian's Dreamliner in Arlanda

Dining


 SAS Plus dinner consisted of Chopska Salad Shoulder Steak with lemon potatoes, Rhubarb and Quark Cake; a glass of apple juice


SAS Plus lavatory


Cathay Pacific plane upon landing at London Heathrow

CONCLUSION

SAS has promised in the past that they would try to improve their inflight meals on their intra-European flights and I would say that the meal I got was much better than those from my previous flights. The usual Scandinavian friendliness from the flight crew was there and although the seats were not the usual business class seats offered by other airlines (where the middle seat is free), it was still okay for a short flight. Overall, a nice flight to London.