Tag Archives: SAS

Blue1 to cut four Boeing 717s and up to 160 jobs

Blue1 (SAS Finland) (Helsinki) will see its nine Boeing 717s reduced by four aircraft according to the CEO Mikael Wångdahl as reported by Taloussanomat. The subsidiary of SAS may also be forced to eliminate up to 160 jobs (one half of its workforce). The cuts are being driven by lower demand and the mounting financial losses of parent Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm). The cuts will start at the beginning of the winter season in November.

Copyright Photo: SM Fitzwilliams Collection/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 717-2CM OH-BLI (msn 55061) prepares to depart from Dublin bound for Helsinki.

Blue1:

SAS to cut 300 additional jobs as its losses widen

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is again back in a financial crisis mode. After reporting a net loss of over $120 million in its fiscal second quarter ending on April 30, the airline has announced it is again tightening its efforts to reduce costs. This time it will include another 300 jobs being axed. The airline is coming under intense pressure from lower cost airlines like Norwegian and Ryanair.

Read the full report from the company: CLICK HERE

Read the analysis from the Wall Street Journal: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-783 LN-RNU (msn 34548) arrives back at the Stockholm (Arlanda) hub.

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

SAS unveils its new long-haul upgraded cabins

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is updating the interiors of its long haul fleet with new seats, new entertainment system and WiFi access. SAS has now released the first images of the new cabin.

According to the carrier, “seven SAS Airbus A330/A340s are having cabin upgrades. The interior design is ultra modern with greater cabin comfort in the shape of new seats in all classes. To make flights even more comfortable, a new on-demand entertainment system with HD large screens is being installed along with WiFi access”.

The airline continues:

“The materials and color scheme in the new cabins have been chosen to create a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. The seating in SAS Go and SAS Plus is designed with good storage to create extra space. All seats in SAS Business have direct access to aisles and can be folded flat for maximum comfort. The bedding comes from Hästens, the oldest bed manufacturer in Sweden, to ensure that passengers enjoy a high class sleeping experience.

The first plane with the new cabin is expected to go into service in early 2015 and the majority of the SAS long haul fleet will have the new interior within 12 months. SAS currently flies long haul to New York, Chicago (O’Hare), Washington (Dulles), San Francisco, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo (Narita) and Houston (from August 2014).

In June 2013, SAS announced that its entire long haul fleet would be renewed in the next few years. Certain aircraft in the current fleet would be upgraded and joined by new aircraft that would come into service from fall 2015. The changes are as follows:

– Cabin upgrade on seven Airbus A330/A340s
– Four new Airbus A330-300s to be delivered in 2015 and 2016
– Eight Airbus A350-900s to be delivered from 2018 onwards with an option on an additional six

About the new cabins:

WiFi access available in all classes.

The SAS Go Cabin

SAS Go (above)

Seat configuration: 2-4-2
Pitch: 31″/32″
On-demand entertainment system with 9″ HD screens
One power outlet per pair of seats plus individual USB port.

The SAS Go seat (above)

SAS Plus seat (above)

Seat configuration: 2-3-2
Pitch: 37″/38″
On-demand entertainment system with 12″ HD screens
Individual power outlet and USB port.

SAS Business cabin (above)

SAS Business

Seat configuration: 1-2-1
Direct access to aisle from all seats
Fully flat seats minimum 196 cm length
Massage seats
On-demand entertainment system with 15″ HD screens
Individual power outlet and USB port.

SAS Business seat (above)

SAS Business seat as a sleeper (above)

Top Copyright Photos: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by SAS). Airbus A330-343X LN-RKH (msn 497) lands at the Stockholm (Arlanda) hub.

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

SAS to launch seven new winter routes, will continue other summer routes into the winter

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) for the winter season is launching seven new routes, with four routes going to holiday destinations in Spain. At the same time, twenty summer routes will continue during the winter timetable. SAS has launched a total of 53 new routes in 2014. This winter, SAS
passengers can enjoy flying direct on the following routes: Copenhagen-Las Palmas, Aalborg-Malaga, Billund-Malaga, Gothenburg-Geneva, Bergen-Las Palmas, Oslo-Hamburg and Oslo-Vilnius.

SAS is continuing to expand its range of direct routes from Scandinavian airports to popular Spanish holiday destinations throughout the winter. Four of the new winter routes go to Malaga, capital of the Costa del Sol, and Las Palmas, capital of Gran Canaria.

SAS will be operating a total of 34 routes from Scandinavia to seven destinations in Spain.

Geneva, Vilnius and Hamburg

The winter timetable also offers other new routes. During the skiing season, passengers from Gothenburg can visit the Swiss Alps with a new direct flight to Geneva, while SAS passengers from Oslo can fly to Vilnius over the Christmas period. In addition to this comes the launch of the Oslo-Hamburg route, which is attractive both for business and weekend travelers.

Selected summer routes continue in winter

As well as launching the new winter routes, SAS will continue operating twenty routes from the summer timetable during the winter – either as year-round routes or as additional routes during the Christmas holidays. So passengers from the SAS hubs of Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen can take a city break in Barcelona over Christmas and New Year, for example.

More frequencies on routes to the US

In the winter timetable SAS adds several departures to US destinations. SAS increases from five to six weekly departures from Stockholm to New York and Chicago and also increases with two more departures each week from Oslo to New York.

New routes from Denmark

Copenhagen-Las Palmas: November 1, 2014 to March 28, 2015, departure on Saturday
Aalborg-Malaga: December 20, 2014 to January 3, 2015 and February 7 to March 28,
2015, departure on Saturday
Billund-Malaga: December 20, 2014 to January 3, 2015 and February 7 to March 28,
2015, departure on Saturday

New routes from Norway

Oslo-Hamburg: From October 26, departing on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
Oslo-Vilnius: Departure December 19, 2014, December 21, 2014, December 26, 2014,
December 28, 2014, January 4, 2015, and January 5, 2015
Bergen-Las Palmas: November 1, 2014 to January 3, 2015 and February 21, 2015 to
March 28, 2015, departure on Saturday

New routes from Sweden

Gothenburg-Geneva: January 31, 2015 to March 21, 2015, departure on Saturday

Year-round routes

Copenhagen-Alanya, Copenhagen-Leeds, Copenhagen-Linköping, Oslo-Alanya, Oslo
-Aberdeen, Oslo-Aalborg, Stavanger-Tromsø, Stavanger-Houston, Stockholm-Nice,
Stockholm-Thessaloniki, Stockholm-Tel Aviv, Stockholm-Edinburgh, Stockholm
-Visby, Stockholm-Alicante, Stockholm-Hamburg.

During the Christmas holidays

Copenhagen-Barcelona, Copenhagen-Thessaloniki, Oslo-Barcelona, Stockholm
-Barcelona and Stockholm- Pristina.

Intercontinental routes

Oslo-New York: Daily departures except Saturday (Tuesday and Wednesday are new)
Stockholm-New York: Daily departures except Monday (Friday is new)
Stockholm-Chicago: Daily departures except Sunday (Thursday is new)

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-232 OY-KAP (msn 3086) prepares to land at the Stockholm (Arlanda) hub.

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

SAS expands flights to the U.S. as it celebrates 50 years of flying between Copenhagen and Chicago

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is celebrating 50 years of flying to Chicago with increased service to the United States. The airline issued this statement:

SAS was the first airline to fly over the North Pole to the U.S. West Coast in 1954. Ten years later, SAS also began flying to the U.S. Midwest and is now celebrating 50 years of service between Copenhagen and Chicago. In 2014, SAS is continuing to increase its traffic, adding five weekly departures and a new route to the USA. In doing so, SAS is cementing its position as Scandinavia’s biggest and most capable airline for travel to the United States.

On April 2, 1964, SAS launched the route to Chicago (O’Hare) with the maiden flight from Copenhagen. Captain Jens Mueller flew passengers and crew in a Douglas DC-8-33 to Chicago via Montreal, sowing the seeds for a successful route, which has since been operated by aircraft including the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, Boeing 767 and Airbus A330and A340. More than 3 million people have flown this route with SAS, and today the airline flies directly from Copenhagen and Stockholm to Chicago.

SAS operates a nonstop route between Copenhagen and Chicago (O’Hare) with one flight a day every day of the week. This will now also apply to the route to San Francisco, which is getting an extra departure on Tuesday, making it a daily service as of June 10.

SAS currently flies from Stockholm to Chicago every day in the summer and five times a week in winter. SAS is adding another winter departure to Chicago (O’Hare) from Stockholm, which will also be getting an extra flight to New York (JFK). SAS is also adding two more departures a week on the Oslo-New York (JFK) route in winter. Oslo-New York (JFK) operates daily in the summer.

SAS has also just announced the opening of a new route between Stavanger and Houston (Bush Intercontinental) (please see our previous report).

Details of the expansion of U.S. services:

· Copenhagen-San Francisco: From June 10 to October 25, 7 departures per week (Tuesday has been added)
· Stockholm Chicago: Daily departures in the summer. On the winter timetable (from end of October) 6 departures per week (Thursday has been added)
· Stockholm-New York: Daily departures in the summer. On the winter timetable (from end of October) 6 departures per week (Friday has been added)
· Oslo-New York: Daily departures in the summer. On the winter timetable (from end of October) 6 departures per week (Tuesday and Wednesday have been added)
· Stavanger-Houston: From 20 August with 6 departures per week (except Saturday)

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus Airbus A340-313X OY-KBM (msn 450) in the Star Alliance motif departs the runway at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport (ARN).

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

SAS to connect the oil region of Norway with Houston, Texas

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is launching services between Stavanger, Norway and Houston (Bush Intercontinental) on August 20. This fulfils the wishes of leading players in the oil industry for better connections between Norway, and the rest of Scandinavia, and Houston, Texas.

The route will be operated by a business version of the Boeing 737-700 and will have an SAS Long Haul Business Class concept on board, with just 44 comfortable business seats, along with a modern inflight entertainment system and full-service meals and service.

SAS has entered into a wet lease agreement with PrivatAir (Geneva) , which has this special version of the Boeing 737-700. The aircraft will carry SAS’s distinctive colors and logo.

The route will launch on August 20, just ahead of the major oil exhibition in Stavanger, Offshore Northern Seas (ONS). Tickets for route, which will operate daily except Saturdays, go on sale on April 29.

Read the article by Bloomberg Businessweek: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Ariel Shocron/AirlinersGallery.com. SAS’ Boeing 737-783 LN-RRB (msn 32276) approaches the runway at Madrid (Barajas).

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

PrivatAir:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. PrivatAir’s Boeing 737-7AK HB-JJA (34303) arrives in Amsterdam.

Scandinavian Airlines improves its inflight food service with two new levels

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is improving its inflight food service and has issued this translated statement today:

As a part of the continuous development of SAS’ service concept, SAS has developed the onboard food and beverage offering to improve the customer experience. The adjustments follow a broad customer survey and are introduced from beginning of March.

In June 2013, SAS launched the new service concept called “SAS Go & Plus” which has been overall well-received by SAS customers. A customer survey, with more than 4500 respondents, shows that the customers appreciate SAS Go & Plus for its
simplicity and 85% of the customers are positive or neutral to the concept.

There are three main initiatives in the development of SAS Go & Plus:

1. Improvements of the food and beverage offering; adjustments of onboard concept and clarification of the difference between SAS Go & SAS Plus.

2. We introduced SAS Go & Plus to make travel easier for our customers. By clarifying and improving our on board offering we want to ensure a pleasant and joyful overall experience for customers when they choose SAS says Snorre Andresen, Vice President Product Management and Development at SAS.

The first changes to the onboard concept come into effect on March 1 and again on March 20. The improvements of meals are ongoing.

Facts about improvements and adjustments:

SAS improves food experience on board

SAS customers appreciate proper meals on longer flights, and snacks and beverages on shorter flights.

SAS reduces the number of menu variants and introduces a clearer concept for flights within Europe: one for the Nordic region and one for flights to Europe.

SAS Plus includes a new evening meal and drinks served in classic Orreforsglass

Warm bread with the meal.

The cafe offers a selection of fresh food, such as sandwiches salads and hot wraps.

The cafe menu is continually updated with seasonal additions.

The dining experience will be enhanced on intercontinental flights for SAS Go & Plus and Business.

All meals will be renewed or enhanced and the food presentation improved with new design and packaging.

Along with other treats, pre-departure champagne will be re-introduced in Business. SAS Go includes pre-departure water and one non-alcoholic drink together with meals. Alcoholic beverages are included in SAS Business and Plus, and are for sale in SAS Go.

SAS clarifies the difference between SAS Go and Plus:

SAS Plus includes everything, also food and drinks onboard, and with SAS Go food and drinks are for purchase.

Breakfast included in SAS Plus and available for purchase in SAS Go. It is possible to buy breakfast with EuroBonus points.

Coffee, tea and newspaper are as always included for all SAS passengers.

Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-883 LN-RCY (msn 28324) in the special “Disney Planes” motif taxies at Munich, Germany.

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

SAS to reinstate the Stockholm-Hamburg route starting on April 22

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) announced it will launch a new nonstop route between Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport and Hamburg Airport with two return flights every weekday and one return flight on Sundays starting on April 22. Today, over 100,000 passengers fly between Stockholm Arlanda and Hamburg every year. Hamburg is one of Germany’s largest cities. The last time SAS operated this route was 2009, but it is now being reopened in order to meet SAS passengers’ needs for direct routes within Europe.

The route will be operated by a Boeing 737-600 (pictured) with capacity for 120 passengers and a Boeing 717 with capacity for 115 passengers. The flight time is 1 hour 30 minutes.

Germany is a large market for SAS, and the airline has several daily direct departures from Stockholm Arlanda to the three German destinations of Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Berlin. In total, SAS operates around 500 flights a week between Scandinavia and Germany.

Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-683 LN-RPY (msn 28292) waits for runway clearance at Manchester.

Scandinavian Airlines:

SAS Group posts its first full-year net profit since 2007

SAS Group (Scandinavian Airlines-SAS) (Stockholm) after fighting to stay out of bankruptcy, has posted its first full year net profit since 2007.

After making massive cuts to positions and salaries, the company reported a net profit of $27.3 million for its fiscal year ending on October 31. The company still remains a high cost airline and it expects weaker conditions to continue.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Read the analysis from the WSJ: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Scandinavian Airlines’ Boeing 737-883 LN-RCY (msn 28324) in the special “Disney Planes – See the Movie” motif arrives at the Stockholm (Arlanda) hub.

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

SAS announces seven new routes for the summer season 2014

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) today announced the first seven new routes for the 2014 timetable. From the end of March 2014, SAS will be opening Stockholm (Arlanda)-Visby, Stavanger-Edinburgh, Oslo-Edinburgh, Oslo-Aalborg, Oslo-Aberdeen and Oslo-Chania, as well as Copenhagen-Leeds/Bradford. These launches reflect increased customer demand for new nonstop services.

Earlier this fall, SAS opened two new year-round routes, Copenhagen-Bremen and Copenhagen-Humberside, and announced two routes for the winter season 2013: Oslo-Sochi and Copenhagen-Salzburg. In 2013, SAS launched more than 50 new domestic and European routes, as well as the popular Copenhagen-San Francisco route.

The new routes will go on sale gradually from November 21, 2013. SAS will launch the peak summer timetable on Monday, November 25.

New routes from Sweden
Stockholm to: Visby (starts March 30)

New routes from Norway
Oslo to: Edinburgh (April 10-October 11), Aalborg (starts March 30), Aberdeen (starts March 31), Chania (April 12-October 11)
Stavanger to: Edinburgh (April 10-October 11)

New routes from Denmark
Copenhagen to: Leeds/Bradford (starts March 31)
Aalborg to: Oslo (starts March 30)

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-7BX SE-RES (msn 30737) lands at the Stockholm (Arlanda) hub.

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS: