Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has announced plans to reintroduce business class on intra-Europe flights, replacing the carrier’s current quirky SAS Plus product.
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SAS will offer business class on regional flights
As of the summer of 2025, SAS plans to once again offer business class on intra-Europe flights operated by regional aircraft. Now, intra-Europe business class isn’t much to get excited about, and typically consists of economy seats with blocked middles, a curtain between cabins, a dedicated lavatory, and enhanced service, food, and drinks. On top of that, business class offers priority services on the ground.
For context, currently SAS has what it refers to as SAS Plus on short haul flights. That branding is aligned with the name of the carrier’s long haul premium economy product. SAS Plus consists of seats at the front of the cabin with complimentary drinks and snacks. There are also premium ground services, like fast track security and lounge access.
However, SAS Plus doesn’t have blocked middle seats, there’s no dedicated bathroom, and you’re primarily just getting economy food and drinks for free in business class. So these changes will more closely align SAS with what you find in the rest of the industry.
We don’t yet know exactly as of which date this product switchover will be made. This should be a pretty easy change to implement, since it’s not like cabins will have to be reconfigured. The airline will just have to switch up its soft product, and add a curtain between cabins.
Why SAS is changing its premium short haul product
The timing of this announcement is no coincidence. SAS has just received an investment from Air France-KLM, and the airline has also joined the SkyTeam alliance. The goal is even to get SAS into the SkyTeam transatlantic joint venture, which consists of Air France-KLM, Delta, and Virgin Atlantic.
It makes perfect sense for SAS to also more closely align its short haul product with that of partner airlines, so that there’s more consistency between airlines. For example, if someone is on a transatlantic business class ticket, they at least want a blocked middle seat on their connection, and SAS doesn’t want people booking away from the airline because of this.
Bottom line
SAS is making updates to its short haul premium product. As of the summer of 2025, the airline will introduce business class on flights within Europe, replacing the current SAS Plus product. This should mean blocked middle seats, a more substantial food and drink selection, more personalized service, and more.
This seems like a sensible move, given that SAS is trying to align more closely with its SkyTeam partners. I’ll be sure to provide an update when we have more details about what service will be like, and the exact implementation date.
What do you make of SAS introducing business class on short haul flights?
I guess it's a step in the right direction, but what needs to happen is for an airline to raise the bar for what intra-europe business class is regarding hard product. A coach seat with a blocked middle is a joke. When AA regional jets beat out all european mainline narrowbody aircraft's highest class of service for intra-europe flights, there's a problem!
If you booked a SAS business (indeed, a full C booking class) ticket, you'd ended up in Plus anyway. Only on long haul flights they have something that resembles a business product. It's mostly the Janteloven at work: believing that, no matter what, no one should stand out in any way. I personally believe that it worked in the short term: selling a premium product for an affordable price gets the attention of the curious,...
If you booked a SAS business (indeed, a full C booking class) ticket, you'd ended up in Plus anyway. Only on long haul flights they have something that resembles a business product. It's mostly the Janteloven at work: believing that, no matter what, no one should stand out in any way. I personally believe that it worked in the short term: selling a premium product for an affordable price gets the attention of the curious, but in the end people found out that Lufthansa and the likes offered a product that's actually more premium for just a fraction more. Especially after SAS terminated all lounge contracts and fast track agreements some years ago, there simply wasn't anything left to distinguish between Plus and Go anymore. Paying hundreds of kroner for a snack box, which was the only tangible difference left, just isn't worth it. I think that also nearly killed SAS in the end.
I'm curious about what a 'real' C product on SAS will look like. Time will tell. At least it's easy to see that AF/KLM, Anko van der Werff and SkyTeam won't let SAS get away with its usual antics.
SAS - taking pride in mediocrity since 1946.
werden dann auch die Gepäckregeln angepasst (z.B. Freigepäck 2 x 32kg?)
Actually, the big issue was you booked business to wherever in Europe and then also booked business from wherever to somewhere on SAS only to receive SAS's inferior SAS Plus product. They knowingly allowed that to ticket as business. Frankly, I'm surprised there haven't been lawsuits.
Travelers should understand that SAS is now a low-cost carrier, even on their Transatlantic flights. Seating is basically against the seat in front of you. Everything has been monetized away, even water. They only provide coffee or tea for free. Most staff are OK, but they have little to nothing to serve as real food. Business and SAS Plus get a little more, but by and large SAS is no longer a premium carrier. You fly them to save money and not to be comfortable.
Positive news, however, SAS need really to step up to compare with LH and Swiss in Europe. SAS Plus in Europe have been much more expensive vs Business in SA in Europe with significant less service. My expectations are high. I have LifeTimeGold and Diamond in SAS but (because of change) also now Senator in LH. I am pending to change to SAS in Europe until I see the full product and price.
"SAS Plus consists of seats at the front of the cabin with complimentary drinks and snacks." ... that is what one would expect - however, on their ATR72 the SAS Plus seats are in the last four rows of the plane.
Those were not enjoyable. The engine sound was loud and occasionally the exhaust fumes were sucked in. The only logic I could think of is that this plane boards from the rear and hence...
"SAS Plus consists of seats at the front of the cabin with complimentary drinks and snacks." ... that is what one would expect - however, on their ATR72 the SAS Plus seats are in the last four rows of the plane.
Those were not enjoyable. The engine sound was loud and occasionally the exhaust fumes were sucked in. The only logic I could think of is that this plane boards from the rear and hence you are out of the door quicker upon landing. I would have much more preferred to sit on the cheap economy seats upfront !
Business class in the back is a standard on ATR across carriers. It's closer to the door, which is the reason why it's in the front on other planes. I don't see how sitting in the front would be better - it would make deplaning massively more inconvenient and it wouldn't solve the issues you mention. ATR is simply loud, everywhere. It's worse around the engines but the back seats aren't really closer to them...
Business class in the back is a standard on ATR across carriers. It's closer to the door, which is the reason why it's in the front on other planes. I don't see how sitting in the front would be better - it would make deplaning massively more inconvenient and it wouldn't solve the issues you mention. ATR is simply loud, everywhere. It's worse around the engines but the back seats aren't really closer to them than front seats. As for exhaust fumes, it's not like ATR has openable windows - if the fumes get sucked in, it's via airconditioning and distributed around the cabin.