SAS Group (Scandinavian Airlines-SAS) (Stockholm) at its annual meeting discussed its financial results for its fiscal year 2013-2014 and also issued its annual report. The group fell back into a net loss of 719 million SEK ($88.4 million) for the year.
The group is coming under continued pressure from lower cost carriers in its markets (especially from Norwegian Air Shuttle) and also from the major European carriers, such as British Airways-Iberia, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM, shifting its European operations to its lower cost subsidiaries such as Vueling Airlines, Germanwings, Transavia Airlines and Hop!
SAS Group’s share of the Scandinavian market:
The group summarized its fiscal year:
“The results for the 2013/2014 fiscal year reflect a year characterized by substantial overcapacity and pressure on yield and unit revenue, and in which market conditions stabilized slightly toward the end of the year.”
The group also issued this outlook for 2015:
“SAS is continuing the intensive efforts to strengthen competitiveness. The potential exists for SAS to post a positive EBT before tax and nonrecurring items in the 2014/2015 fiscal year. This is provided that the economy does not weaken, that the trend continues in terms of reduced capacity and lower jet fuel prices, is maintained, that exchange rates are not subject to further deterioration and that no unexpected events occur.”
Fleet streamling:
In the 2013/2014 fiscal year, SAS phased in one long-haul aircraft and five medium-haul aircraft with modern cabins, in parallel with phasing out the last two Boeing 737 Classics. SAS also returned 11 MD-80s and seven Boeing 737 Classics that were taken out of service in the 2013 calendar year. With the phasing out of the MD-80 fleet and Boeing 737 Classics, SAS achieved an in-service aircraft fleet comprising only Next Generation aircraft in 2013/2014. SAS now has only one type of medium-haul aircraft per base, which provides a more stable and more efficient operational and technical plat- form. In addition, SAS plans to further streamline regional aircraft operations by phasing out Boeing 717s in 2015. SAS intends to transfer the CRJ900s to Cimber.
In addition, SAS has placed orders for four Airbus A330Es and eight Airbus A350s with delivery from 2015 to 2021, as well as 30 Airbus A320neo with delivery from 2016 to 2019. The first long-haul aircraft are expected to be in-service in autumn 2015. The introduction of long and medium-haul aircraft means SAS will be able to offer fre- quent travelers a world-class customer experience in parallel with lowering fuel and maintenance costs.
SAS Group’s strategy:
Read the full yearly financial report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. The SAS Group still operates both the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 Next-Generation family of aircraft in a very mixed short haul fleet. With the new A320neo aircraft being added the Boeing 737 fleet will be gradually reduced. Airbus A320-232 OY-KAP (msn 3086) arrives in London (Heathrow).
SAS aircraft slide show:
