Scandinavian airline SAS is reintroducing a Business Class cabin aboard its short-haul flights across Europe in response to rising demand for premium travel experiences.
The move will align the short-haul onboard product that SAS offers with what is already available on European flights offered by Air France and KLM, whose parent company took a near 20% stake in SAS last year.
To be clear, this is European short-haul Business Class, so don’t expect SAS to be revamping its aircraft with big recliner style seats for premium passengers. Instead, the airline will simply block out the middle seat between passengers and separate the cabin from the rest of the plane with a curtain.
Along with additional elbow room, however, SAS will be introducing an “enhanced dining experience” with real porcelain crockery, metal silverware, and an improved meal.
In addition, Business Class passengers will get to benefit from priority check-in and boarding, as well as airport lounge access.
Until now, the only product that SAS offered passengers wanting a more premium experience on short-haul flights was its SAS Plus proposition with boxed meals and drinks but no dedicated cabin and no blocked middle seat.
“Many of our comfort- and quality-focused travelers expect a clearly defined European Business Class that aligns with international standards,” commented Paul Verhagen, the airline’s chief commercial officer.
“While SAS Plus has provided an upgraded experience, it has lacked the recognition and clarity that travelers seek,” Verhagen continued. “With the reintroduction of European Business Class, we are ensuring that SAS offers the premium experience of a top European airline.”
What is important to remember here is that when SAS says it is aligning the onboard experience for short-haul Business Class to an international standard, it categorically means a European standard.
There are many people who question the value proposition of European Business Class, given the fact that it offers no additional legroom and the same seats that every other passenger is sat in, save for the fact that there is a blocked middle seat.
Despite the negativity, however, European Business Class remains a popular product. Yes, there are some people who find themselves in European Business Class through virtue of the fact that they’re on a connecting itinerary and first traveled in international Business Class.
But there are many other people who do see value in booking European Business Class even if it doesn’t live up to the standard that you might expect on an Asian or even North American carrier.
And there’s the proportion of people who want to splurge a little on life’s little extras and view travel as a luxury – the ones who quote Parker Posey from Season Three of the White Lotus: “I just don’t think at this age I’m meant to live an uncomfortable life.”
