Home > SAS > 2004 > Review

Taken September 2004 from Chicago, IL (Chicago-O'Hare International Airport) - ORD to Paris (Charles de Gaulle) - CDG

I am a student who flies internationally roughly 2-3 times a year, and this has to be one of the best airlines in existence. It is the first time I've ever flown SAS, and I will definitely try to fly them again.

I appreciate how they leave Chicago very late in the evening and arriving in the early afternoon in Europe. This really helps me combat jet lag once I reach my destination, and I can normally recover by the following morning.

Upon check-in, we were informed that the flight would be slightly delayed. I was glad to be informed about the delay, as most of the time my regular airline keeps its passengers in the dark. Once SAS began boarding, they were very quick and insisted on organization and lines - another welcomed aspect that's often overlooked in boarding. They literally would tell people, "You're row is not boarding; please step aside." This helps everyone get situated much easier once on board.

The flight from Chicago to Copenhagen was excellent. SAS flies the A340 series on its long-haul international flights, giving a decent amount of legroom and personal touch-screen TVs in seat backs to all its economy passengers. Even thought the flight was fairly full, I still felt like I had enough space. Dinner was a tasty salmon penne dish, with lingenberry tart for dessert. The wine was OK, but what surprised me was the bread. A flight attendant came around at least three times with a basket filled with a variety of warm, freshly baked breads from which to choose. To finish off, another attendant came around offering free digestifs - whiskeys, baileys, gin, etc.

Another fun aspect of SAS is the cameras they have positioned outside of the airplanes. On two of the plane's many channels, you can watch under the plane or the view from the cockpit. Great during take-off and landing!

The layover in Copenhagen was nice. The airport has an excellent duty-free store that seems more like a mini department store than a shop. Passport control wasn't a problem, and finding my flight to Paris was easy.

The flight to Paris was also enjoyable. For the short 2-hour flight, we were still served a small meal. A chicken sandwich and yogurt - more than you'll find on any US flight of the same duration. Landing in Paris was uneventful, but we fortunately received our baggage very quickly.

I would highly recommend SAS to anyone flying to Europe. The airline is one of the best I've flown, full of Scandinavian style, comfort and sensibility.