Business class on the way out? SAS drops it to compete with low cost carriers

SAS Group, the largest Nordic airline, became the first major European network carrier to scrap its business class in favor of a model positioning it closer to discount operators such as Ryanair Holdings Plc. SAS will eliminate its business cabin, in which the middle seat of three was left empty to give more room and passengers were served a three-course meal, in favor of a uniform seating plan and a trolley-based food service. People will be able to pay extra for faster airport transit and an extra checked bag. “We’ve torn everything up and started from scratch,” SAS spokeswoman Elisabeth Manzi said by telephone. “Business class was the right thing in the 1980s, when we helped