Trip Report: Flying SAS to Mumbai from Milan via Copenhagen in Business Class

‍MUMBAI — Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) began operations in 1946, with its first flight from Stockholm (BMA) to New York (LGA) carrying just 28 passengers aboard a Douglas DC-4. Eighty years later, the airline has grown into a carrier operating a fleet of around 143 aircraft, including the Airbus A320, A330 and A350.

On September 17, 2026, SAS celebrated its 80th anniversary in New York, where the airline presented its vision for the future along with a new tagline, “Scandinavian As Standard.” The anniversary celebrations also come at an important time for SAS as Copenhagen continues to develop its position as the airline's main hub and an important gateway.

Around a year earlier, SAS had announced nine new routes from its three Scandinavian hubs in Copenhagen (CPH), Oslo (OSL) and Stockholm (ARN), with seven of those routes departing from CPH. One of the most significant additions was Mumbai (BOM).

The inaugural flight to Mumbai was originally scheduled for June 2026, but SAS was forced to return to Copenhagen after failing to obtain the necessary regulatory approval. The airline eventually received the required approvals and operated its first flight to Mumbai on October 1, 2026.

I had the opportunity to experience the inaugural flight in Business Class. However, my journey to Mumbai actually began in Milan (MXP).

Leg 1: Milan – Copenhagen

As I was travelling in Business Class for the entire journey, I had access to several benefits similar to those available to EuroBonus status members, including a dedicated check-in line and Fast Track security.

I arrived at Milan Malpensa around two hours before my 09:30 departure. Malpensa was already busy, with a long queue even at the check-in and baggage-drop area. Least to say Malpensa was packed with the number of departures and the passengers at this time.

Fast Track helped me get through security in around 15 minutes, although I can only imagine the longer wait that passengers using the regular security lanes may have experienced. I then headed to the Monteverdi Lounge for a quick coffee before the flight. The lounge was also busy, so I just had a quick coffee before making my way to the gate.

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The first sector was operated by an eight-year-old Airbus A320neo. I had selected seat 1F during online check-in. SAS has installed Starlink in all their A320s and the service was seamless. The streaming speed for me showed around 300Mbps for the entire flight. 

Due to traffic at MXP, the aircraft departed with a short delay from Runway 35L. Once we reached our cruising altitude of 39,000 feet, the cabin crew began the service with drinks and a light snack. Lunch followed, consisting of sous-vide beef with osso buco sauce, potatoes and carrots, followed by a mango shortbread cake for dessert.

This was a good time to prepare myself for the next flight, as I was curious which aircraft would SAS deploy on the inaugural route. With around an hour and a half of flying time, the flight passed quickly. We landed in Copenhagen at approximately 13:30.

Transit at Copenhagen

Deboarding was quick, and information for connecting passengers was available just outside the arrival gate. My next gate was around a 10–12 minute walk away.

Copenhagen Airport offers a good selection of cafés, restaurants and shops along the way, making the connection relatively easy. Passport control was also moving reasonably quickly, and I was through in approximately 20 minutes.

I had planned to visit the SAS Lounge before the long-haul flight. Unfortunately, I completely missed the fact that the SAS Lounge is located before passport control. By the time I realised, I had already passed through passport control and could not return to the lounge. With around an hour before boarding, I instead spent some time around the gates and did some planespotting.

Leg 2: Copenhagen – Mumbai

As I walked towards the gate, what awaited me at the gate was LN-RKR, the Airbus A330-300 sporting SAS' special 80th anniversary livery. I had previously seen the aircraft only through pictures and videos, so seeing it in person, and knowing that I would be flying it to Mumbai, made the moment particularly special.

Also, there were enough waiting spaces near the gate and I waited there till the boarding started promptly. My seat for the next eight hours was 8H, the last row of the Business Class cabin. SAS' A330 Business Class cabin consists of 32 Thompson Aero Vantage XL seats arranged in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration.

At the seat were a blanket, pillow, bottle of water, noise-cancelling headphones and an amenity kit. The amenity kit featured the special 80th anniversary design and included a dental kit, lip balm, cleansing gel, earplugs and an eyeshade. The eyeshade was particularly good and among the more comfortable ones I have used on an aircraft.

There was also a reasonable amount of storage around the seat, along with a universal power outlet. The seat controls are located in two places: one next to the storage area and another beside the seat. The second set is particularly useful when the seat is converted into its fully flat position.

Once I was settled in, the crew offered a welcome drink before we pushed back on time.

SAS offers a decent selection of movies and television programmes through its inflight entertainment system. The library may not be among the largest in the industry, but there was a good selection of recent movies.

The system also includes games, audio content, a live flight-status map and aircraft cameras. Although there was a noticeable delay between the actual view and what appeared on the screen.

The crew started serving drinks and snacks after around 30 minutes from departure. I had an Italian wine and nuts as the aperitif. The menu itself had also received an 80th anniversary makeover, with a great variety of drinks and foods.

For the starter, I chose smoked tofu with sous-vide leeks, creamy parsley and pumpkin-seed pesto. This was followed by grilled chicken breast with biryani sauce, rice pilaf and potatoes. Moreover, the food was great and it has been the thing throughout the day from Milan. I finished off my meal with a milk chocolate ice cream for dessert.

As I had a couple of less sleep nights, I drifted off to sleep after the meal. A couple of hours later, I woke up and requested a coffee. The crew arrived promptly and also pointed out the light buffet available in the galley. SAS offers a selection of light snacks and drinks in the galley throughout the flight.

After returning to my seat, the crew began preparing for the pre-landing meal. With around an hour remaining, I was served noodles with soy-ginger soup, mushrooms and spring onions. I followed it with another cup of coffee, much needed especially at around 03:30 in the morning.

The crew then prepared the cabin for arrival. I was flying an inaugural flight for the first time, and it was a sweet moment, as the outskirts of Mumbai started appearing out my window. We landed on Runway 27 and taxied towards the terminal. As we disembarked, passengers were welcomed with a small bunch of flowers.

Final Thoughts

SAS has been through both highs and lows in recent years, so seeing the airline introduce new routes, invest in its fleet and expand its network is encouraging. The crew throughout the flight were some of the most professional, friendly and attended the cabin with care.

The Mumbai route is also an interesting addition to SAS' network. For passengers travelling from Mumbai to Europe, Copenhagen provides another one-stop option, while SAS' network from the Danish capital also makes it possible to continue onwards to destinations across North America.

From a passenger perspective, the Copenhagen - Mumbai service offers a comfortable Business Class product, good food, strong connectivity through Copenhagen and, with Starlink now available on the A320 fleet.

Pricing is also another factor worth considering. When I checked fares around a month before the trip, the Milan - Mumbai via Copenhagen was cheaper than some competing options for the same period.

The Mumbai arrival time is also useful for onward travel within India, particularly for passengers connecting beyond Mumbai. For my journey, it made it relatively straightforward to continue towards southern India after arriving from Copenhagen.