Unlike my prior three connections on this latest journey, this flight was fairly good. Only issue was boarding as it was once again one of those Icelandic issues of bunch up, walk in the rain to a bus that then has you run up three flights of stairs to board the plain. I was in Saga class but the bus scramble eliminates any chance you get on first and have to then find a place to squeeze your carry on into an overhead that the people in economy populate so they can grab it on their way out up front. But unlike other Icelandic flights this journey I did find more the of the business class like accommodations then the other air segments. This one found a pillow and blanket waiting for me and I actually received a small cup of sparkling wine and had a bottle of water in place. Service was attentive and the flight departed and arrived on time. Received a menu and had choices of a hot or cold meal. I choose the hot which was cod and it was good. Decent size portion, salad and a choice of dinner rolls. Beverage menu was a selection of wines, beer and soft drinks. Desert was a small Tiramisu. Overall the six hour flight was a good experience for the price point.
First, Icelandic airs process to check in luggage is Stockholm is poor. Station does not open until 2 hours before flight, an international flight, so if you have checked luggage you have a huge line to navigate before getting in the long line to get through security to your flight. Second lack of business class accoutrements. Sage/business class has dropped a travel bag instead going to ala carte requests for things like eye shades, hand lotion or whatever that awaits you in your seat on just about every other airline. Good luck asking a Steward to get you one until after your in flight and past meal service. No pre board beverage either. In flight wifi was hit and miss as it logs off frequently in mid use, after you have to take about four attempts each time to log back in. On the positive the meal service was much better than anticipated with a warm meal of chicken and good salad. Flight was 25 minutes late to take off for reasons never explained, which made a 100 minute layover much shorter complicated by the local staff in the airport at terminal C unaware of where the pass port control was to get to terminal D. Was told by two separate staff members that there was no passport control needed even though there is. Icelandic is a discount air service but it seems to be heading toward the now departed "Spirit Air" level vs a Jet Blue level.
We paid for saga class, which is the business class for international. My seat was broken and did not recline and my monitor for in-flight entertainment was broken.
The flight itself was fine, even with a one-hour delay leaving on the Reykjavik tarmac (the lost time was made up during flight). Our experience at the Reykjavik airport on arrival was terrible due mostly to the one hour it took for passport control. Only two stations were open for our category, and the room was full with a huge crowd.
Awful. The Iceland airport was a complete mess. Boarding was a chaotic, the seats were awful, there was a group of rowdy 20 something men in our row hooting and hollering, ordering alcoholic drink after drink. Yelling and laughing at the top of their lungs and the crew just went along with it. Passengers complained to the men, asking if they could keep it down (it was a night time flight so people wanted to sleep). They never listened crew continued to laugh with them, flirt with them and serve them more drinks. No free food or snacks, seats were horribly uncomfortable. Worst flight I've had in a long time
Having been prepared for paying for everything on board other than water, coffee and tea the service was OK. Food and drink is expensive but the food was OK if limited in scope. Plane was clean and obviously well serviced. After complaining about having to walk in wind and rain to a get a bus to the airport the same thing happened at Portland. I’m sure you could get a terminal gate flight, complimentary food and drink for not much more money without traipsing through rain and slush in Reykjavik. Not bad but not great.
I had an exit row and so was Comfortable on the long flight.
Plane left an hour late and missed our connecting flight. Your service center was closed ao Alaska Airlines could not change the ticket. Thus we missed the chance to get out that night to San Jose. This is a major operational blunder.
The seats are very close to one another and it is a bit uncomfortable, especially since I was in a middle seat.
Some drinks and basic snack will be good. Water should be served at least once an hour. Blankets for folks who might be cold.
