Category Archives: Cimber Air

SAS to complete the acquisition of Cimber on March 1, will transfer the CRJ900s

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) has announced it has received approval from the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority to finish the acquisition of Cimber (Sonderborg). SAS will complete the acquisition and will transfer its 12 Bombardier CRJ900s to Cimber. The airline issued this statement:

SAS is completing the acquisition of Cimber after meeting all of the terms of the transaction, including approval from the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority. SAS has appointed Kent Hansen as the new president of the airline. He will succeed the current president on March 1, 2015.

On December 8, 2014, SAS announced that it had agreed to acquire 100% of the shares in Cimber, that the value of the transaction was MDKK 20 and that the transaction was subject to customary terms including receiving approval from the Danish competition authority.

The Danish Competition and Consumer Authority has notified its approval of SAS’s acquisition of Cimber. In parallel, the remaining terms of the agreement have been met and, accordingly, SAS’s acquisition of Cimber can now be completed.

As previously announced, the acquisition means an opportunity for SAS to transfer production by its 12 Bombardier CRJ900s to Cimber, thereby, allowing more focused and flexible production to be achieved.

The transfer is planned to be completed on March 1, 2015.

Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier CRJ900 (CL-600-2D24) OY-KFI (msn 15242) of SAS taxies at Zurich.

SAS aircraft slide show:

SAS Group to phase out the remaining five Blue1 Boeing 717s in 2015, reports a full-year net loss of $92.4 million

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) issued its year-end financial report for the period ending on October 30, 2014. The company continues to reduce its losses. The Group report a SEK (Swedish Krona) 719 million ($92.4 million) full-year net loss.

The comments by the CEO:

“SAS has delivered the promised efficiency measures, with declining unit costs as a consequence. In parallel, passenger growth was strong and the load factor posted a year-on-year improvement for the eighth successive month. However, earnings were impacted by intense com- petition and strong price pressure. This trend is expected to continue. External production models, proprietary low cost carriers and the use of staffing agencies are increasingly becoming the established indus- try norm and are changing competitive conditions for European avia- tion from the ground up.

To meet these challenges and strengthen competitiveness, we are implementing additional long-term cost-saving measures that spans the entire business and together generates an earnings impact of SEK 2.1 billion with full effect in 2017. Measures include our continued opti- mization of production and streamlining the aircraft fleet. On December 8, 2014, the Danish airline Cimber was acquired as part of this strategy and SAS intends to transfer regional CRJ900 production to Cimber in 2015. We are also enhancing our offering to our frequent travelers. For example, in 2015, the first of the new Airbus A330 Enhanced long-haul aircraft will be delivered to SAS and, in Septem- ber, a new direct route from Stockholm to Asia will be opened.”

Rickard Gustafson, SAS President and CEO.

As part of its cost reduction plan, SAS stated the following in its financial report about Blue1 (Helsinki):

“During the year, SAS has reduced capacity at Blue1 by about 40% as a result of the decision to divest four Boeing 717s. The five remaining Boeing 717s will be phased out in 2015. As a consequence, the SAS aircraft fleet will only comprise four aircraft types compared with nine types in 2012. SAS has also transformed Blue1 into a competitive production company and future production is currently being evaluated.”

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. SAS’ Boeing 737-7BX SE-RER (msn 30736) arrives in London (Heathrow).

SAS aircraft slide show:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 717-2K9 OH-BLO (msn 55056) taxies from the gate at Amsterdam.

Blue1 aircraft slide show:

SAS acquires Cimber, Cimber to receive 12 Bombardier CRJ900s from SAS

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) has acquired Cimber A/S (Sonderborg and Copenhagen). SAS issued this statement this morning:

SAS has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Cimber A/S.

Since 2004, SAS has had a wet lease agreement (aircraft and crew) with Cimber A/S (Cimber) that has a cost efficient production platform for regional jet operation. The acquisition provides SAS with an opportunity to transfer production with smaller aircraft to Cimber, consisting of 12 Bombardier CRJ900s with a base in Copenhagen. As a result, a more focused and flexible production can be achieved.

The acquisition of Cimber, will give SAS access to a specialist within regional flights with a very competitive production platform that complements SAS’ production of larger Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Due to expected synergies, the acquisition of Cimber can also provide opportunities for SAS to maintain and develop regional routes within the network for the benefit of SAS customers, says Rickard Gustafson, SAS President & CEO.

The acquisition, includes Cimber’s option to receive CO2emission rights for the years 2015-2020. The nominal value of these rights currently amount to approximately MDKK 35 subject to the EU Commission’s approval of the Danish allocation plan for European Aviation Allowances (EUAA) for 2015-2020.

The discontinuation of Cimber’s current fleet of Bombardier CRJ200s and ATR 72s will be implemented as already communicated and decided by Cimber.

The value of the transaction is MDKK 20 with final payment in April 2015. The transaction must be approved by relevant Competition Authorities, and is subject to other customary conditions.

Copyright Photo: Pedro Baptista/AirlinersGallery.com. As previously reported, Cimber is retiring its CRJ200s. CRJ200 (CL-200-2B19) OY-RJB (msn 7419) arrives in Lisbon with “Flying for Scandinavian Airlines” and SAS titles.

SAS aircraft slide show:

Cimber Air to shut down in April when it loses its SAS contract

Cimber Air (2nd) (Sønderborg, Denmark) is losing its contract with Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm). The contract to operate four Bombardier CRJ200s for SAS will end in April 2015 according to Denmark’s The Local. 130 employees will be released at the end of the contract.

Cimber A/S was established on May 15, 2012 following Cimber Sterling’s bankruptcy on May 3, 2012 through a business transfer of the CRJ200 activity which Cimber Sterling had been flying for SAS since 2004. 114 employees followed the business transfer, together with four CRJ200s that started flights on May 17, 2012.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. Cimber Air’s Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) OY-MBT (msn 7617) wears “Flying fo Scandinavian Airlines” fuselage titles and the SAS box logo on the tail.

Cimber Air (2nd):