My flight from Doha landed at Oslo airport on time ~0610. There was hardly any immigration queues so I collected our priority baggage and were at the arrivals hall in no time. My connecting domestic flight was to depart at 0850. Oslo airport is made up of 1 big terminal for both international and domestic flights so there is no need to leave the airport building when transferring flights.
I had a friendly chat with the lady immigration counter official. I told her I was going to take a cruise and see the Northern Lights. I asked her and she said she had never seen the Lights before.
A good thing about arriving at Oslo airport is that there is no need to fill immigration form. This is great as I had not booked any hotel for this trip so I need not worry about the address part.
Oslo airport, or rather Norway embraces technology to a large extent. For example, there are many self check-in machines for SAS flights. There are manned counters as well, but is only for baggage drop and passengers with status and premium classes. There are counters for SAS plus as well. Travelling on SAS plus allows me to check in 2 baggage. As a star gold, I can check in 1 more baggage even for domestic flights. As almost everyone else were using the check-in machines, there were no queues for the counters.
It was here that I learnt how to pronounce Kirkenes correctly. My first time. Haha ! Anyway, this lady check-in staff don't even know what is the Northern Lights. And we are in Oslo.
To enter the departures gate, I only need to scan the QR code on my boarding pass and the automatic gate will open. For domestic flights, I can simply head to the gate area after security. There is no passport checks.
As I'm travelling on SAS plus and as a star gold, I'm entitled to use the SAS domestic lounge on the 2nd level. I took a lift up from the ground level and scan my boarding pass to enter the automatic gate. This lounge is underwhelming. Small area with limited seats, food and drink variety limited and no shower facility.
SAS has another international lounge for star gold as well but I need to pass through immigration checks before entering the lounge. Since I'm on a domestic ticket, I could not go there.
After a short time at the lounge, I went to the gate, a short walk away. Boarding is delayed by a while, probably due to the weather. It was foggy outside Oslo airport. Soon, boarding is called and SAS plus and star gold passengers board first. Great that they emphasize priority boarding even for domestic flights.
The aircraft was a B737 narrowbody. SAS plus seating is exactly the same as economy seating. SAS has removed business class from its domestic and european flights. There is no curtain to separate the classes as well. I should say that the only benefits for SAS plus is domestic lounge access, priority baggage, additional baggage, priority boarding and front row seating.
SAS serves free breakfast for all its passengers on all its morning flights before a certain time. I think its ~0900. Since this flight is to depart at 0850, I guess we qualify. Hence, there is no difference in food quality between SAS plus and economy. The flight was close to full.
The flight took off in foggy weather. At higher altitudes, the fog cleared with only some hanging clouds. Soon we got above the clouds with only blue sky and the morning sun. Cabin staff served the free breakfast package in a box soon after. In this aircraft, there was absolutely no in flight entertainment and no overhead TVs.
As we approach Kirkenes, the clouds cleared and revealed the spectacular scenery below. It was simply gorgeous! Easily the best airplane scenery I have seen before.
I had a friendly chat with the lady immigration counter official. I told her I was going to take a cruise and see the Northern Lights. I asked her and she said she had never seen the Lights before.
A good thing about arriving at Oslo airport is that there is no need to fill immigration form. This is great as I had not booked any hotel for this trip so I need not worry about the address part.
Oslo airport, or rather Norway embraces technology to a large extent. For example, there are many self check-in machines for SAS flights. There are manned counters as well, but is only for baggage drop and passengers with status and premium classes. There are counters for SAS plus as well. Travelling on SAS plus allows me to check in 2 baggage. As a star gold, I can check in 1 more baggage even for domestic flights. As almost everyone else were using the check-in machines, there were no queues for the counters.
It was here that I learnt how to pronounce Kirkenes correctly. My first time. Haha ! Anyway, this lady check-in staff don't even know what is the Northern Lights. And we are in Oslo.
To enter the departures gate, I only need to scan the QR code on my boarding pass and the automatic gate will open. For domestic flights, I can simply head to the gate area after security. There is no passport checks.
As I'm travelling on SAS plus and as a star gold, I'm entitled to use the SAS domestic lounge on the 2nd level. I took a lift up from the ground level and scan my boarding pass to enter the automatic gate. This lounge is underwhelming. Small area with limited seats, food and drink variety limited and no shower facility.
SAS has another international lounge for star gold as well but I need to pass through immigration checks before entering the lounge. Since I'm on a domestic ticket, I could not go there.
After a short time at the lounge, I went to the gate, a short walk away. Boarding is delayed by a while, probably due to the weather. It was foggy outside Oslo airport. Soon, boarding is called and SAS plus and star gold passengers board first. Great that they emphasize priority boarding even for domestic flights.
The aircraft was a B737 narrowbody. SAS plus seating is exactly the same as economy seating. SAS has removed business class from its domestic and european flights. There is no curtain to separate the classes as well. I should say that the only benefits for SAS plus is domestic lounge access, priority baggage, additional baggage, priority boarding and front row seating.
SAS serves free breakfast for all its passengers on all its morning flights before a certain time. I think its ~0900. Since this flight is to depart at 0850, I guess we qualify. Hence, there is no difference in food quality between SAS plus and economy. The flight was close to full.
The flight took off in foggy weather. At higher altitudes, the fog cleared with only some hanging clouds. Soon we got above the clouds with only blue sky and the morning sun. Cabin staff served the free breakfast package in a box soon after. In this aircraft, there was absolutely no in flight entertainment and no overhead TVs.
As we approach Kirkenes, the clouds cleared and revealed the spectacular scenery below. It was simply gorgeous! Easily the best airplane scenery I have seen before.
This is what it looks like to be near the top of the world !
Kirkenes airport does not have airbridges. So we descended via stairs. This makes it a great way to take a picture of the plane that just sends me here.
In the very small airport terminal
This is basically a domestic airport with limited facilities. I entered the airport building and there is the baggage belt. There is no immigration control as all flights to and from Kirkenes are domestic. Good that priority baggage came out first. I was out of the airport very quickly.
And my trip continues...
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