SCANDINAVIA'S SAS, thenational carrier for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, plans to offer three, rather than two, classes on its short-haul flights.
From October 31, SAS will sell three brands on all European routes: Business, Economy Flex and Economy.
The top product, Business, will change very little. The airline says that the middle seat of three will not be sold ? a clear benefit when flying a Boeing 737 ? but the carrier still operates some planes with twin seats (like the MD-80 and some turbo-props) where this will not be possible.
The new Economy Flex will be aimed at the value-for-money traveller. It offers the most important aspects of business class (ticket flexibility, priority check-in, free meals and drinks) but at a lower price, and with no lounge access, unless you have tier status in the SAS EuroBonus.
SAS says it will continue to award EuroBonus (its frequent flyer scheme) points on all flights, although fewer points will be awarded for the cheapest seats.
Lastly, the new Economy product from SAS is designed to be price-competitive with the low-cost carriers. Tickets will be restrictive and on-board catering will carry a charge.
*Price differentials between the products were unavailable at the time of writing, but they're likely to reflect market forces.
