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An SQTalker's biased guide to *A travel within Europe
For all y'all who need to use *A partners when you travel within Europe, I thought I'd begin a thread for what to expect and what to steel yourself against. Caveat emptor: the views expressed below reflect my prejudices, preferences, and experiences. OK? 
Oh one more thing: the comments below are mainly about business class travel.
Best hub:
Toss up between CPH and ZRH. CPH has warm wood furnishings, and quite comprehensive eating options in case you need to have a real meal, instead of the options at a lounge. ZRH is a lot more modern and spacious, but the best eating option, IMO, is before you get to passport control (up the stairs after you check in at the LX counters: it's a Thai restaurant).
For shopping, CPH has a Georg Jensen boutique as well as a Tumi+Samsonite mini-store. ZRH has fantastic watch stores.
Best *G lounge:
SK's in LHR and in CPH. I have to admit, I haven't been to the LH SEN lounges in MUC, so my sample may not be complete. SEN lounges in FRA: fuhgeddaboutit. I like the potato salad, but that's it.
Sorry, SQfg, I know you like the long bar at ZRH, but the smoky smell turns me off. 
I've also tended to be there in the afternoon rush hours, when it has been difficult to find a seat far away from the maddening crowds.
Best fast track:
If you have a C or F BP, you can go up the stairs at ZRH from the LX checkin desks and enjoy a shorter time in the queue. Plus, you end up at the same level as the LX lounge.
At CPH, they've improved the security procedures so the lines tend to be shorter now than they were a month ago. There's a fast track lane if you hold a C BP from SK to the left of the main security lines, and I've been able to use them with a *G card (my QPP card), but a friend tells me they've restricted access to Eurobonus *G whenever he has tried to use it (he's AC *G). YMMV, perhaps.
FRA: nothing struck me as special. Maybe I've just been grumpiest when I have to fly through FRA.
Best onboard service and meals:
The meals award definitely does not go to LH with the stingy cold cuts served at the dinner flights I've been on. SK serves a proper hot entree, but the taste is so variable, it's hard for me to give an unqualified recommendation. Make sure to know that the first time they ask you for your drinks, they mean the drinks you'll have with the dinner as well.
LX crews have been my favorite. Very friendly, and willing to banter. LH and SK crews have been friendly as well, but I seem to relate to the Swiss better. Why that is, will be a topic for my future therapist to explore.
Best onboard hardware:
SK feels like the most rundown of the lot. I actually like LH's cabins. The light gray leather is very soothing, and they've tended not to feel roughed up like many of BA's cabins. LX can be more hit-or-miss. This past week, I got a plane with dark brown leather seats. Very very nice.
My very biased conclusion:
My favorite carrier is LX, because their service and their airport move me. They just need SK to teach them about how to create lounges.
And their checkin agents could be a bit more friendly.
LH I like because of their efficiency and good standard of onboard service. But for intra-Europe, they haven't been able to make me remember a stellar flight.
SK, they're coasting on the basis of their lounges and outstanding hub airport. I hope they can begin focusing on the onboard experience again. They have a lot of potential.
Oh one more thing: the comments below are mainly about business class travel.Best hub:
Toss up between CPH and ZRH. CPH has warm wood furnishings, and quite comprehensive eating options in case you need to have a real meal, instead of the options at a lounge. ZRH is a lot more modern and spacious, but the best eating option, IMO, is before you get to passport control (up the stairs after you check in at the LX counters: it's a Thai restaurant).
For shopping, CPH has a Georg Jensen boutique as well as a Tumi+Samsonite mini-store. ZRH has fantastic watch stores.
Best *G lounge:
SK's in LHR and in CPH. I have to admit, I haven't been to the LH SEN lounges in MUC, so my sample may not be complete. SEN lounges in FRA: fuhgeddaboutit. I like the potato salad, but that's it.
Sorry, SQfg, I know you like the long bar at ZRH, but the smoky smell turns me off. I've also tended to be there in the afternoon rush hours, when it has been difficult to find a seat far away from the maddening crowds.Best fast track:
If you have a C or F BP, you can go up the stairs at ZRH from the LX checkin desks and enjoy a shorter time in the queue. Plus, you end up at the same level as the LX lounge.
At CPH, they've improved the security procedures so the lines tend to be shorter now than they were a month ago. There's a fast track lane if you hold a C BP from SK to the left of the main security lines, and I've been able to use them with a *G card (my QPP card), but a friend tells me they've restricted access to Eurobonus *G whenever he has tried to use it (he's AC *G). YMMV, perhaps.
FRA: nothing struck me as special. Maybe I've just been grumpiest when I have to fly through FRA.
Best onboard service and meals:
The meals award definitely does not go to LH with the stingy cold cuts served at the dinner flights I've been on. SK serves a proper hot entree, but the taste is so variable, it's hard for me to give an unqualified recommendation. Make sure to know that the first time they ask you for your drinks, they mean the drinks you'll have with the dinner as well.
LX crews have been my favorite. Very friendly, and willing to banter. LH and SK crews have been friendly as well, but I seem to relate to the Swiss better. Why that is, will be a topic for my future therapist to explore.
Best onboard hardware:
SK feels like the most rundown of the lot. I actually like LH's cabins. The light gray leather is very soothing, and they've tended not to feel roughed up like many of BA's cabins. LX can be more hit-or-miss. This past week, I got a plane with dark brown leather seats. Very very nice.
My very biased conclusion:
My favorite carrier is LX, because their service and their airport move me. They just need SK to teach them about how to create lounges.
And their checkin agents could be a bit more friendly.LH I like because of their efficiency and good standard of onboard service. But for intra-Europe, they haven't been able to make me remember a stellar flight.
SK, they're coasting on the basis of their lounges and outstanding hub airport. I hope they can begin focusing on the onboard experience again. They have a lot of potential.
) or at the Moevenpick (nice restaurants, in fact better than the Hilton's; to get miles, though, you need to be a Miles&More or Flying Blue member).
The food selection in the CPH SAS Scandinavia Lounge has a lot of room for improvement; what's with the cold cuts, cheap cheese and creamy glops of mayonnaise?
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