Blue1 to be converted to a “production company”, SAS to take over airline operations in Finland
Blue1 (Helsinki) after November 1 will operate under the SAS brand in the Finnish market.
SAS issued the following statement this morning:
From November 1, SAS will be taking over responsibility for commercial operations in Finland. This is taking place in line with SAS’s 4Excellence strategy and strengthens SAS’s position on the Finnish market. Finnish subsidiary Blue1 is being converted to a production company, with the primary task of delivering operational flight services to meet SAS’s route network needs.
“Finland is our fourth Nordic home market and we have been restructuring our route network in Finland since the beginning of the year. We now fly nonstop between several regions in Finland and Scandinavia, as a complement to the worldwide route network of SAS and the Star Alliance. We are now using the SAS brand to demonstrate our strong offering and our unique customer benefits on the Finnish market as well,” says Joakim Landholm, Executive Vice President Commercial at SAS.
“As a production company, Blue1 will be focusing on its operational strengths and continuing to operate its current routes for SAS. Our punctuality is the best in Europe and our focus on high-class service is greater than ever,” says Janne Hattula, Managing Director and COO of Blue1 since July 2012.
In other news, Blue1 will open a new nonstop route from Helsinki to Geneva. The route will be operated from January 12 to March 23, 2013 on Saturdays. The route will provide a new option to fly direct from Helsinki to Geneva, close to many popular winter resorts in the Swiss, French and Italian Alps.
Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl. With this announcement the unique Blue1 brand will disappear. Blue1 will operate for its parent under the SAS name. Boeing 717-23S OH-BLM (msn 55066) climbs away from Zurich.
Blue1: 
Route Map:
Please click on the map for the full size view.
SAS becomes the world’s most punctual airline in April
Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) was once again the world’s most punctual airline, this time for the month of April. SAS was the only major airline worldwide to achieve a punctuality higher than 90% last month, with the airline scoring 90.78%. For the past three years, SAS has also been named Europe’s most punctual airline.
In April, 17,782 flights out of 19,701 arrived on time. SAS Group subsidiaries Widerøe and Blue1 were also amongst Europe’s best performers with 91.95% and 90.17%, respectively. Widerøe is featured in the Regional airlines category, while SAS is in the Major airlines category.
All data is provided by the independent source Flightstats. Flightstats track the performance of over 150,000 flights per day, archive the data for analysis and publication, and provide real time flight status to millions of travelers worldwide each day. For more information about Flightstats, please visit www.flightstats.com. SAS is included in the category Major airlines.
Unfortunately for the company, being on-time did not translate well to the financial side. SAS posted a loss of 729 million kronor ($108 million) in the first three months of the year, a significant increase from 373 million kronor reported loss in the same quarter in 2011 according to the Seattle Times.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Top Copyright Photo: Ariel Shocron.
SAS Slide Show: CLICK HERE
Blue1 Slide Show: CLICK HERE
Wideroe Slide Show: CLICK HERE
Middle Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner.
Bottom Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems.
Blue1 to launch four new routes on March 25
Blue1 Boeing 717-2CM OH-BLI (msn 55061) ZRH (Rolf Wallner), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Blue1 (Helsinki) as previously reported is redrawing its route map by withdrawing from long-range routes and concentrating on routes in the Baltic and Scandinavian area. The company is adding four new routes on March 25 per Airline Route: Copenhagen-Oulu (717) and Stockholm (Arlanda) to Kokkola (via Golden Air SAAB 2000), Oulu (717) and Pori (Golden Air SAAB 2000).
Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner.
Blue1 Slide Show: CLICK HERE
Blue1 to drop Brussels and Zurich
Blue1 Boeing 717-23S OH-BLJ (msn 55065) LHR (Richard Vandervord), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Blue1 (Helsinki) will drop Brussels on January 31 and Zurich on March 25. In addition, Berlin (Tegel) will not be renewed on April 30 per Airline Route.
As previously reported, Blue1 is withdrawing and concentrating on its Baltic and Scandinavian routes.
Copyright Photo: Richard Vandervord.
Blue1 Slide Show: CLICK HERE
Blue1 to drop the Helsinki-London Heathrow route on October 30
Blue1 Boeing 717-23S OH-BLJ (msn 55065) LHR (Richard Vandervord), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Blue1 (Helsinki) is dropping the Helsinki-London (Heathrow) route effective October 30 per a report by Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Richard Vandervord.
Blue1 Slide Show: CLICK HERE
Blue1 European Route Route Map:
Blue1 to phase out its five BAe RJ85s and reduce its route structure
Blue1 BAe RJ185 OH-SAJ (msn E2388) ZRH (Rolf Wallner) (to be phased out), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Blue1 (Helsinki) will start to phase out its five BAe RJ85s staring in August 2011. The company will also now concentrate on its routes in Finland and Nordic regions, reducing its European network.
Blue1 Slide Show: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner. Please click on the photo for additional information.
Route Map:
Blue1 and Finnair are facing a strike today
Blue1 Boeing 717-23S OH-BLJ (msn 55065) LHR (Richard Vandervord), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Blue1 (Helsinki), Finnair (Helsinki), Finncomm Airlines and other Finnish airlines are facing a strike today.
Read the full report by Reuters:
Copyright Photo: Richard Vandervord. Please click on the photo for additional details.
SAS to lease the eight Blue1 MD-90s to an unidentified U.S. airline
Blue1 (blue1.com) McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 OH-BLC (msn 53459) LHR (Antony J. Best) (to be phased out), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is planning to lease its eight McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30s to an unidentified U.S. carrier (Delta?). The aircraft are currently being operated by subsidiary Blue1 (Helsinki) but are being replaced by newer Boeing 717-200s.
Read the report from Reuters:
Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. Blue1′s McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 OH-BLC (msn 53459) at London (Heathrow).
The first Boeing 717 is painted for Blue1
Blue1 Boeing 717-23S OH-BLM (msn 55066) MIA (Eddy Gual) (new type, new livery), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Blue1 (blue1.com) (Helsinki) will soon take delivery of its first Boeing 717. The new induction is also triggering a new livery. Each aircraft will have an unique design.
Copyright Photo: Eddy Gual. The first is 717-23S OH-BLM (msn 55066) which was painted at Miami.
Blue1 to add the Boeing 717
Image: Blue1 via Allan Huse.
Blue1 (Helsinki) will invest in 120-seat Boeing 717-200 aircraft for its fleet to meet the needs of its rapidly expanding route network and increasing operations.
Blue1 is focusing more and more on becoming a business travelers’ airline, with a strong emphasis on both the number of routes and operations. The contents of the service product are also being renewed to respond to the new needs of the Finnish business traveler. The Boeing 717 has an important role in the company’s route strategy and the growth of operations, as well as the service experience for our customers.
The first Boeing 717 aircraft will join the Blue1 fleet in the autumn of 2010. The total number of aircraft in the fleet will be nine within six months. With the acquisition of the Boeing 717, Blue1’s aim is to double its fleet in a couple of years and to transfer to a fleet of just one type of aircraft.
As part of this new introduction, Blue1 will also introduce an unique and different blue color scheme for each aircraft.
Blue1 adds extra capacity to Oulu, Stockholm and Copenhagen
Please click on AG icon for link to Blue1 photo gallery.
Blue1 (blue1.com) (Helsinki) has added extra capacity to Oulu, Stockholm and Copenhagen due to the Finnair strike.
Press release:
