So a final synopsis of the SAS strike experience.
The intended flight was 17.30 Thursday, LHR - Oslo
Wednesday lunchtime - I spot ono the SAS website that my flight is not amongst those slated to operate irrespective of the strike
Cue 45 minutes on hold to SAS customer services to be assured that it WOULD operate
22.00 Wednesday - text received from SAS, after their customer service line was closed for the night, advising that they were working on a re-booking as my flgith was now cancelled after all -so their website had been right all along
10.00 Thursday morning - text received to say I was rebooked on the 19.30 flight
12.40 Thursday morning, on the train to London - a further text received to say that it wasn't possible to rebook me after all, and I should book with another carrier and seek reimbursement. The dilemma now was that other carriers were in "gouge" mode and charging upward of £400 for a single ticket
Cue another 45 minutes on hold, after which I was told to ignore most recent text and I was indeed rebooked on the 19.30. Question is, what if I had followed instructions from previous text and blown nearly £1000 on two tickets for my old mum and me, ignorant of the fact that I was actually booked on an operating SAS flight
So overall, a hugely frustrating, sometimes panic inducing experience that leaves me finished with SAS. When it all blows up you can't email them, you can't talk to them in a realistic timescale, they certainly don't want to talk to you, and all the messages I got from them contradicted each other leaving my brain scramlbed. If you wanted a case study as to how NOT to do customer communications, look no further- these guys are experts !