Seat 24A (Window)
Economy class for 57€ (0.22€ / km, 0.38¢ / mi)
Bombardier CRJ-900LR (EI-GEH)
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I recently took an Economy class flight from Copenhagen to Düsseldorf on SK 627 with SAS Scandinavian Airlines, and I would like to share my thoughts on the experience. The flight was operated by CityJet using a CRJ 900 ER, with a seating configuration of 2-2. In this review, I'll go into detail about the seat comfort, flight experience, boarding process, and more.
Boarding Process
Boarding the flight in Copenhagen was done via stairs, which I had done before a few times, for instance on my flights between Sønderborg and Copenhagen just before. Passengers with luggage that was too large were asked to leave it outside to be stored in the cargo bay. This was no problem for me since I had only packed a small backpag which was classified as personal item, but I can see it being a minor inconvenience for some. The bags you drop off during boarding will be put in front of the aircraft or into the gangway during deplaning.
Seat Comfort and Space
Upon boarding the flight, I was originally assigned seat 24C, which happened to be the last row of the aircraft. Unfortunately, the legroom was limited, making the seat rather uncomfortable. The window was also quite dirty, adding to the unpleasant experience. However, I was lucky to have a kind passenger offer to swap seats with me since his bag was too large, meaning he had to get off the aircraft, hand his bag to the ground handlers and board again, and I gladly took the offer. While the seat I ended up in definitely had a better view, it still lacked legroom for a comfortable flight experience, but was alright for the short hop.
Flight Experience
Despite the seating situation, the flight experience was positive. The crew was friendly and welcoming, offering free tea and coffee multiple times throughout the one-hour journey. The flight was smooth, with no turbulence to speak of. The final approach fix was done north of Essen, which is east of Düsseldorf Airport, for an approach onto runway 23R. We were able to look out onto an industrial area, with an interesting hill ("Abraumhalde" in German) which was created with leftover dirt from coal mining nearby.
The cost of the flight was roughly 58€, which calculates to a cost per kilometer of 0.22€ / km or 0.38¢ / mi. This is relatively reasonable for a one-hour flight, especially considering the service provided by the crew. It is worth mentioning that, if you are under 25 years old, a flight booked via SAS Youth might be cheaper, but requires early booking due to limited seats.
Arrival in Düsseldorf
Upon arrival in Düsseldorf, I found it amusing that the aircraft I took to Copenhagen in the morning was standing at a remote gate, waiting for its next flight. The airport staff sent us to the non-schengen terminal, which was not an issue for me but could be a challenge for those with connecting flights, since it takes extra time to enter the Schengen part of the airport (namely terminal A and B).
Final Thoughts
Overall, my experience on SK 627 with SAS Scandinavian Airlines was a positive one. The friendly crew and smooth flight made for an enjoyable journey. However, the limited legroom and dirty window detracted from the experience. Additionally, the boarding process and arrival in the non-schengen terminal could pose difficulties for some travelers. I will definitely fly with SAS again, although I would try to make sure that I have a seat with a bigger seat pitch.
I will soon be flying a Lufthansa CRJ 900 with one less row, and am looking forward to compare the two!
Images in this post
The aircraft seen during boarding via findaflight.euThe view inside the cabin from seat 24A via findaflight.eu
Turning into final north of Essen via findaflight.eu