Tickets for first-ever commercial electric flight in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark go on sale tomorrow........

Scandinavian Airline System is set to open reservations tomorrow for the first-ever commercial electric flight in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

On 2 June at 12:00 CEST SAS will open reservations for those very first commercial electric flights with 30 seats available on each of the three inaugural flights - one in each country. These special flights are expected to take place during the course of 2028. 

The ticket price for the inaugural flight will be SEK 1946 – a tribute to the year when SAS first started flying.   So for around £144 you can be one of the first people to travel on an electrically powered aircraft in Scandinavia. Of course, at this stage, you won't know how long the flight is, or where it will go or indeed how far. As electric aviation technology is constantly evolving at an ever-increasing speed, SAS say it will advise on destination and duration much closer to the flight date sometime in 2028.

A start-up that also marks the beginning of SAS’ innovative nature, with then-founder Wallenberg stating that “Moving from the old to the new is the only tradition worth preserving”.  SAS' goal is net-zero emissions by 2050. An important part of achieving this goal is to develop and use technological innovations such as electric aircraft on shorter trips.  

For more info, visit the special SAS electric page. 

SAS haven't confirmed what type of aircraft it will be as they say they have a number of ongoing projects, however,  it is very likely to be the Heart Aerospace ES-30 as illustrated in the images. 

ES-30 Tech Specs from Heart Aerospace. 

Capacity                   30 passengers (typical)

Range                       200 km all electric

                                 400 km electric+hybrid

                                 800 km electric+hybrid 25pax

Propulsion               4 electric motors

Energy source          Batteries (primary)   Reserve-Hybrid Turbogenerators

Max altitude             20,000 ft

Runway length        1,100 m

Turn around time    30 min (fast charge)

Enter into service  2028

Videos from Heart Aerospace. 

SAS Traffic figures – March 2023

The number of passengers travelling with SAS amounted to 1.9 million in March, an increase by 33 percent compared to the same period last year. SAS’ passenger demand continued its positive trend with RPK increasing by 38 percent while capacity increased by 25 percent, compared to the same period last year. The flown load factor for March was 76 percent, an improvement by 7 percentage points compared to March last year.

“Passenger demand continues its positive trend. In March, 1.9 million passengers traveled with us, up 33 percent compared to the same month last year. Our flown load factor continues to improve and reached 76 percent in March. During the month, we added ten additional routes and more frequencies for the upcoming summer and autumn. We are preparing for a busy summer season with in total 30 new routes added to the summer traffic program,” says Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS.

Vaasa Airport celebrates the return of SAS as weekly flights to Stockholm resumed

Scandinavian Airlines has reinstated a flight connection between Vaasa and Stockholm after a break of three years. 

SAS resumed its regular scheduled flights early last week from Vaasa Airport to Stockholm Arlanda Airport. The airline operates three flights a week from Vaasa to Stockholm at the moment and will increase to five weekly flights later. 

“We are very happy that the route from Vaasa to Stockholm has been reopened. The connection between these two Nordic cities is an important part of Finavia airports’ growing route network,” says Petri Vuori , Finavia's Senior Vice President, Sales and Route Development.

The long-awaited first flight was celebrated at Vaasa Airport in sunny weather. In addition to Finavia's representatives, the opening was witnessed by Tomas Häyry, Mayor of Vaasa, and Niko Ek, SAS's Head of Sales Europe, among others.  “Good to be back! SAS has returned to Vaasa after a three-year wait. This is a great day and the welcome has been very warm. The return of the route is truly the result of co-operation. There is a very strong demand for the Vaasa–Stockholm route, and it enables good connections from around the world to Vaasa and from Vaasa to the world,” Niko Ek said in his opening speech.

The Stockholm route provides passengers with a number of smooth connections to Scandinavia and around Europe.

SAS operates the Vaasa–Stockholm connection with its CRJ-900 jet aircraft, which can accommodate 90 passengers. The estimated flight time is 45 minutes.

SAS makes it easier to select biofuel tickets......

On April 3rd, SAS, Scandinavia’s leading airline, with main hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm launched two ticket types that include biofuel. These will be available on all SAS domestic, Scandinavian and European flights.   

SAS aims to use fossil-free aviation fuel equivalent of all our domestic flights by 2030, a journey we make together with our passengers. We are, therefore, making it even easier for our travellers to be part of the journey toward more sustainable air travel by launching tickets that include the maximum allowed amount of biofuel.

Travellers buying Go Smart or Plus Pro tickets will be able to purchase these tickets with approximately 50%* of biofuel included to lower the CO₂ emission of their SAS flight.

Aviation Capital Group delivers a new Airbus A320neo to SAS

Aircraft leasing giant - Aviation Capital Group has confirmed the delivery of one new Airbus A320neo aircraft on long-term lease to SAS Scandinavian Airlines. This aircraft is powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines and is the second of ten aircraft scheduled to deliver to the airline as part of a multiple-aircraft sale-leaseback transaction between ACG and SAS.

Aviation Capital Group was founded in 1989 and is one of the world’s premier full-service aircraft asset managers with approximately 470 owned, managed and committed aircraft as of December 31, 2022, which are leased to approximately 95 airlines in approximately 45 countries. ACG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Century Corporation.

With summer just around the corner, SAS continues to ramp up by offering customers an additional 10 European routes as well as adding frequencies to popular Mediterranean destinations such as Alicante, Malaga, Mallorca, Split and Sicily. These additional destinations come on top of 20 new, previously announced routes.

SAS continues to plan for a busy summer to Italy with up to seven daily flights from Scandinavia to Milan and more flights from Copenhagen to Florence and Naples. SAS is adding more domestic flights from Oslo to Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim and Ålesund as well as more flights from Copenhagen to Ålesund. More seats and flights are also offered between Stockholm and Helsinki.

“We are delighted to welcome our passengers back and seeing the desire to travel continuing to rise. SAS is increasing capacity this summer, adding more routes and additional flights to popular destinations. We are also glad to return to beautiful Tokyo with three weekly flights in June and to launch our new routes to Newark,” says Erik Westman, EVP Network and Revenue Management.

Source  Business Wire / SAS

SAS files monthly operating reports with U.S. court and announces certain financial information for the Group

As part of its voluntary chapter 11 process in the U.S. SAS is required to release monthly reports containing certain financial information for the period of November 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023.

In connection with these Court filings, SAS announces the following information.  

Financial Information, SAS Group million SEK (million USD)1)

November 1, 2022 – February 28, 2023

Revenue 10,372 (998)

Net income for the period -3,601 (-347)

As of February 28, 2023

Total assets 55,472 (5,339)

Total liabilities 58,858 (5,665)

Cash and cash equivalents 5,311 (511)

1) Amounts in SEK have been recalculated to USD based on the Swedish Riksbank’s SEK/USD exchange rate of 10.3904 as of February 28, 2023.

SAS adding 10 more routes....

To meet the increasing demand for travel, SAS adds yet another 10 routes and more frequencies for the upcoming summer and autumn. Starting in June, SAS also resumes traffic to Tokyo.

With summer just around the corner, SAS continues to ramp up by offering customers an additional 10 European routes as well as adding frequencies to popular Mediterranean destinations such as Alicante, Malaga, Mallorca, Split and Sicily. These additional destinations come on top of 20 new, previously announced routes.

SAS continues to plan for a busy summer to Italy with up to seven daily flights from Scandinavia to Milan and more flights from Copenhagen to Florence and Naples. SAS is adding more domestic flights from Oslo to Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim and Ålesund as well as more flights from Copenhagen to Ålesund. More seats and flights are also offered between Stockholm and Helsinki.

“We are delighted to welcome our passengers back and seeing the desire to travel continuing to rise. SAS is increasing capacity this summer, adding more routes and additional flights to popular destinations. We are also glad to return to beautiful Tokyo with three weekly flights in June and to launch our new routes to Newark,” says Erik Westman, EVP Network and Revenue Management.

Continuing to grow presence in the US, SAS starts operating flights from Gothenburg and Aalborg to Newark, New York with an Airbus A321LR.

As of June, SAS resumes traffic to Haneda, Tokyo three times a week. Prior to that SAS will operate several flights to Tokyo in April to accommodate for the high demand around Easter. The route will be operated by Airbus A350 aircraft.

During spring, SAS also adds a third weekly service on Copenhagen-Shanghai. 

SAS’ aircraft fleet includes some of the most environmentally friendly aircraft on the market with significantly lower emissions and less noise than previous-generation aircraft – as demonstrated by both the Airbus A350 and A321LR on long-haul routes, and Airbus A320neo on short-haul where emissions are reduced between 15% and 30%.

Aviation Capital Group Announces Delivery of One A320neo to SAS

Aviation Capital Group announced the delivery of one new Airbus A320neo aircraft on long-term lease to Scandinavian Airlines. Featuring CFM International LEAP-1A engines, this is the first of ten aircraft scheduled to deliver to the airline as part of a multiple-aircraft sale-leaseback transaction between ACG and SAS.

“ACG is honoured to welcome SAS as a renewed strategic partner. We are delighted to support the SAS FORWARD transformation plan with this sale-leaseback transaction for this latest technology and fuel-efficient aircraft,” said Tom Baker, CEO and President of ACG.

“We continue to make progress with our transformation plan and these new sale-leaseback agreements are an important part of that – securing competitive financing for our renewed fleet of modern and fuel-efficient aircraft. We are pleased to renew our long-term strategic partnership with ACG, one of the world’s leading aircraft financing partners,” said Anko van der Werff, President and CEO of SAS.

1.4 million people flew with SAS in January

Financially troubled Scandinavian airline SAS saw passenger numbers jump 89% during January according to the latest results released by the carrier.   The total number of passengers was 1.4 million as travel demand increased massively although the load factor was just 68%.  

“January traffic came in at 1.4 million passengers, an 89 percent increase compared to January 2022. It is a healthy figure during the winter season when we, due to our usual seasonality, see lower passenger numbers. Our flown load factor of 68 percent exceeds the pre-pandemic level of 65 percent in January 2019. We continue to make progress with SAS FORWARD and our chapter 11 process in the U.S. We recently concluded our aircraft lessor negotiations, and we expect to achieve our targeted cost reductions related to annual aircraft lease and financing costs,” says Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS.

One and a half million passengers travelled with SAS during December

In December almost one and a half million passengers flew with SAS, an increase of 50% compared to the same month last year. SAS’ capacity increased by 13% versus the same period last year. In comparison with last month, the total number of passengers decreased with 12% and capacity was decreased by 7%. The flown load factor for December was 72%, an improvement of 15 percentage points compared to December last year.

“Continuing the positive trend observed during autumn, December traffic came in 1.5 million passengers, an almost 50% increase compared to December 2021. We are concentrating on ramping up ahead of the expected busy summer season. During the month we released our extended summer program, with 20 new routes and more than 5000 weekly flights to more than 100 destinations," says Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS.

SAS launches two new routes from Aalborg and Gothenburg to New Jersey, starting April 2023.

Following this route expansion, residents in Aalborg and Gothenburg will be able to fly directly to New York three times weekly with SAS’ latest addition to their fleet - the Airbus A321 Long Range.

“As part of SAS’ strategy to strengthen the regional offering in Scandinavia, we are pleased to add intercontinental routes from Gothenburg and Aalborg. We see a demand from secondary cities and are delighted to connect even more parts of the world. The Airbus A321 Long Range is a slightly smaller long-distance aircraft and perfect in size for servicing the regional markets. Having a comfortable way of travelling with fewer stops to exciting cities such as New York, is something we believe will be highly valued by our travellers,” says Erik Westman, EVP & CCO, Network and Revenue management.  

Gothenburg and Aalborg with its surrounding regions offer a range of activities for leisure travellers as well as being home to many companies with international touchpoints, making the new routes relevant for both business and leisure travellers.

The new routes complement SAS' other four routes to New York and SAS will offer a total of five daily departures from Scandinavia to New York.

Gothenburg - New York  Newark

Frequency: 3x weekly

Outbound Wed/Fri/Sun

inbound Tue/Thu/Sat

starting 27 April

Aalborg - New York Newark 

Frequency: 3x weekly

Outbound Mon/Thu/Sat

Inbound Wed/Fri/Sun

starting 27 April

The flights will operate throughout the summer 2023 season and will return for the summer 2024 program.

Facts about Airbus A321 Long Range (A321LR)

The Airbus A321 Long Range is part of the latest generation of aircraft and is expected to reduce climate-impacting emissions by 15-18 percent compared to similar previous-generation aircraft. This latest addition to the fleet means travellers get access to more intercontinental routes with fewer stopovers, and shorter travel times to and from Scandinavia.

The aircraft has 22 Business, 12 Plus and 123 Go seats, meaning a total of 157 seats in a single-aisle aircraft. The seats are specially chosen for the A321LR to optimize comfort in all three travel classes. Seats in SAS Business are fully flat seat beds and there are different mood light scenarios in the cabins, as well as hi-speed WiFi. Every seat is equipped with IFE screens, PC power and/or hi-power USB. The reduced noise level inside the cabin will further enhance the travel experience on board. The A321LR is part of SAS’ ongoing fleet renewal and will reduce climate-impacting emissions compared to previous generations of similar aircraft.

Simon Pauck Hansen leaves SAS

Simon Pauck Hansen, the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the troubled Scandinavian carrier SAS has confirmed he is leaving the airline, handing over the reins to Mikael Wångdahl, currently VP SAS Link and External Production, with the changeover to be completed by the middle of January. 

SAS said that the pandemic’s impact on the aviation market has demanded significant changes for SAS and Simon Pauck Hansen has played a key role in the process of taking SAS through the largest crisis ever experienced by the aviation industry and in preparing SAS for a competitive future facing the new market reality. Simon has been instrumental in implementing the SAS Forward Plan and the main components under Simon’s responsibility are now realized or planned as SAS is entering the next phase of the business transformation plan.

 “Simon Pauck Hansen has made significant contributions to SAS during his many years of dedicated service. We are very sad that he has chosen to leave SAS, and I would like to personally thank Simon for our close cooperation and his dedication to the company during my time as CEO”, says Anko van der Werff, SAS President & CEO.

“I started in SAS as a trainee 26 years ago, and I am truly grateful for all the experiences and opportunities offered to me during this time. It has been a great journey to be part of this company and navigating through the ups and downs of this highly dynamic industry. The last three years have required significant sacrifices by everyone in SAS, but I am confident that a brighter future now lies ahead. The time has, however, come for me to hand over the reins. SAS will always hold a special place in my heart, and it has been a very difficult decision for me to make,” says Simon Pauck Hansen, SAS Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer.

SAS expands schedule for next summer......carrier opens 20 new routes which means more than 5000 weekly flights to over 100 destinations.

SAS opens 20 new routes in the summer of 2023 which means more than 5000 weekly flights to over 100 destinations.

The new summer program includes more than 200 routes, and the number of flights will continue to rise on major domestic, Scandinavian and international routes as demand for travel is expected to continue to increase.

In light of strong customer demand for particularly popular destinations, SAS’ overall capacity to the Mediterranean is set to exceed pre-pandemic levels. SAS is adding flights to long-time favourites in Spain from all three Scandinavian capitals as well as a fourth destination in Croatia with the start of a Copenhagen-Zadar service.

The summer traffic program includes a major capacity expansion to Italy. SAS will have up to 156 weekly flights on sale between Scandinavia and Italy with the new service from Oslo to Catania, Florence and Venice as well as from Bergen to Milan. In addition, SAS is adding flights to existing destinations such as Milan, Bologna and Rome. Milan will be served up to three times daily from Copenhagen, up to twice daily from Stockholm, and daily from Oslo. The expansion to Italy also includes more flights from Copenhagen to Florence as well as to Catania and Palermo on Sicily.

SAS offers nine new European destinations and one new domestic route in Norway this summer. SAS is flying from Oslo to Antalya, Florence, Catania, Venice, Larnaca and Stuttgart, and from Bergen to Milan and Nice. Additional new routes from Haugesund-Trondheim and Haugesund-Copenhagen is also introduced, as well as increased frequency between Ålesund and Copenhagen – in total providing even better connections in the western part of Norway.

More flights to Shanghai from Copenhagen

SAS is now adding a second departure to Shanghai making it two weekly departures from Copenhagen.

Starting December 16th, SAS offers more frequent departures between Copenhagen Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport. After operating the second weekly flight for the first time on the 16th of December, SAS will fly from January 6th from Copenhagen to Shanghai every Tuesday and Friday and from Shanghai to Copenhagen every Thursday and Sunday, throughout the winter season.

The flights are conveniently timed with late evening departures from Copenhagen and early morning arrivals back in Copenhagen to ensure full connectivity for passengers and air cargo with the SAS network.

SAS operates the Shanghai route with the Airbus A350. Apart from offering passengers a unique travel experience, this aircraft has a much lower fuel consumption and up to 30 percent lower CO2 emissions than previous comparable aircraft.

SAS, Scandinavia’s leading airline, with main hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, flies to destinations in Europe, USA and Asia. Spurred by a Scandinavian heritage and sustainability values, SAS aims to be the global leader in sustainable aviation. We will reduce total carbon emissions 25 percent by 2025, by using more sustainable aviation fuel and our modern fleet with fuel-efficient aircraft.

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SAS opens 20 new routes the summer of 2023 which means more than 5000 weekly flights to over 100 destinations.

The new summer program includes more than 200 routes, and the number of flights will continue to rise on major domestic, Scandinavian and international routes as demand for travel is expected to continue to increase.

In light of strong customer demand for particularly popular destinations, SAS’ overall capacity to the Mediterranean is set to exceed pre-pandemic levels. SAS is adding flights to long-time favourites in Spain from all three Scandinavian capitals as well as a fourth destination in Croatia with the start of a Copenhagen-Zadar service.

The summer traffic program includes a major capacity expansion to Italy. SAS will have up to 156 weekly flights on sale between Scandinavia and Italy with the new service from Oslo to Catania, Florence and Venice as well as from Bergen to Milan. In addition, SAS is adding flights to existing destinations such as Milan, Bologna and Rome. Milan will be served up to three times daily from Copenhagen, up to twice daily from Stockholm, and daily from Oslo. The expansion to Italy also includes more flights from Copenhagen to Florence as well as to Catania and Palermo on Sicily.

SAS offers nine new European destinations and one new domestic route in Norway this summer. SAS is flying from Oslo to Antalya, Florence, Catania, Venice, Larnaca and Stuttgart, and from Bergen to Milan and Nice. Additional new routes from Haugesund-Trondheim and Haugesund-Copenhagen is also introduced, as well as increased frequency between Ålesund and Copenhagen – in total providing even better connections in the western part of Norway.

Adding to an already extensive international network of both intercontinental and European destinations out of Copenhagen, SAS offers seven new routes this summer by flying from Copenhagen to Porto, Larnaca, Antalya, Haugesund, Newquay/Cornwall and Zadar as well as JFK in New York.

SAS also has a continuous focus on domestic routes in Denmark and Sweden with the aim to provide better connections between the Danish and Swedish airports and European destinations. The summer program includes additional morning departures from Aalborg to Copenhagen, adding up to eight daily. SAS will serve Aarhus-Copenhagen with up to five daily flights. SAS is increasing the number of departures between Stockholm and the largest domestic destinations in Sweden, such as Luleå, Gothenburg and Umeå. In addition, SAS offers four new routes from Stockholm to Antalya, Ibiza, Montpellier and Vaasa.

During the summer there will be a continuous increase in flights to major European capitals in order to provide travellers with the best connectivity.

We are pleased to present our program for this summer, and we are delighted to see a continuous increase in demand for travel. The summer offering includes several new destinations as well as expanded capacity to already existing popular summer destinations. SAS will continue to add to our already extensive network during the coming months with several exciting new destinations. We look forward to a busy summer and to welcoming our passengers onboard,” says Erik Westman, EVP & CCO, Network and Revenue management.

SAS to start new service between Copenhagen Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York

On February 9, SAS will launch its new route between Copenhagen Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The new route enables SAS customers to travel easily from both the West and East side of New York as SAS continues to offer departures from Scandinavia to Newark.

Through the launch of its new route to JFK in New York, SAS will offer its customers frequent departures to this convenient and efficient airport with easy access to and from New York as well as many connecting flights to choose from.

JFK service begins with five weekly flights from Copenhagen, ramping up with daily flights for the summer schedule. SAS will be operating into terminal 7 at JFK.

“We are very pleased to launch our new route to JFK. SAS offers a solid product to Newark Airport from Scandinavia, and we believe that this addition to JFK from Copenhagen will strengthen the New York offer to our customers. The US is a strategic market for SAS, and we will continue to develop new routes and destinations whenever the right opportunity presents itself,” says Erik Westman, EVP & CCO, Network and Revenue management.

US destinations continue to generate demand for more and frequent departures. SAS will offer about 130 departures per week on a total of 12 routes this winter. The airline has scheduled the flights with Airbus A321neo aircraft. 

Schedules to and from JFK:

Winter 2022

Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

CPH-JFK: 18:25 - 21:30

JFK-CPH: 23:00 - 12:55

Summer 2023

Daily

CPH-JFK: 19:20 - 22:00

JFK-CPH: 23:55 - 13:45

For great value hotels in New York State please visit Radisson Hotels.  

Find out more and book your flight today on flysas.com.

Millennium Hotel Broadway Times SquareStay near Broadway at Millennium Hotel Broadway Times Square

Enjoy the best views of the Manhattan skyline from your room.....
While Broadway and Times Square are right outside your door in Midtown Manhattan, all the hustle and bustle of the city will be checked at the door once you arrive at Millennium Hotel Broadway Times Square. Instead, you’ll experience refreshingly friendly staff and a relaxing spot to unwind in the heart of the city.
With this incredible location, savvy travelers will love the value of our family-friendly, 4-star comfort hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Whatever you have planned for your next adventure in the ‘City that Never Sleeps’, we promise to keep it quiet.
 
Why you’ll love staying there:

Just a few steps away from world-renowned areas, Broadway and Times SquareA quiet escape in the New York’s buzzing Midtown ManhattanGreat value for money with boutique-style roomsCity and skyline views of New York City in every room through floor-to-ceiling windowsThere are only 4-7 rooms on each floor for added privacyHighly rated for fantastic service that includes multilingual staff membersA variety of meeting rooms to choose from, many with views of Manhattan

 M Social Hotel Times Square New York

The new M Social Hotel Times Square New York invites you to experience the electricity of Times Square. Surrounded by the bright lights and buzzing culture of NYC, you can explore the streets, then retreat to your own private oasis above the hustle and bustle. 

The distinctive, contemporary hotel rooms in Times Square are designed for all types of travellers to rest and re-energize in a unique style.

Signature restaurant Beast & Butterflies world cuisine keeps you charged up for all your Big Apple adventures. And when it’s time to get social with old friends and new, look no further than the Beast & butterflies bar.

Located in the heart of Manhattan, with Times Square view, the modern hotel is within walking distance to New York’s best attractions, including Broadway, the Theater district, Central Park, and Fifth Avenue.

Finnair carried 866,900 passengers in October......

Clear improvement in most passenger traffic figures year-on-year in October, slight decline month-on-month; cargo performance still strong

Photo Finnair

In October, Finnair carried 866,900 passengers, which was 100.1% more than in October 2021. The number of passengers in October 2022 was 2.6% less than in September 2022 (month-on-month figures are not fully comparable as there was one day less in September).

The COVID-19 impact, including the strict travel restrictions imposed by some countries, still affected passenger traffic figures, and it was particularly visible in the Asian figures. The Russian airspace closed at the end of February due to the counter-sanctions related to the war in Ukraine, which resulted in route and frequency cancellations in Asian traffic. Thanks to robust demand for cargo, Finnair, however, continued operating to most of its Asian destinations despite the longer routings. The negative impact of the airspace closure on Asian passenger traffic figures, which were already affected by the pandemic, was, nevertheless, visible in October. The distance-based reported traffic figures do not take into account longer routings caused by the airspace closure as they are based on Great-Circle distance.

The overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased in October by 71.2% year-on-year and by 3.6% month-on-month. Finnair operated, on average, 264 daily flights (cargo-only included), which was 52.6% more than in October 2021 but 1.5% less than in September 2022. The differences between capacity figures compared to October 2021 are explained by the longer average stage length of flights operated and by the larger gauge of aircraft operated. Finnair's traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), increased by 166.9% year-on-year but decreased by 0.6% month-on-month. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) increased by 26.1% points year-on-year but decreased by 3.0% points month-on-month to 72.6%.

The ASK increase in Asian traffic was 53.9% year-on-year. The North Atlantic capacity increased by 60.8%. In European traffic, the ASKs were up by 89.7%. The ASKs in domestic traffic increased by 49.6%.

RPKs increased in Asian traffic by 549.7%, in North Atlantic traffic by 521.1%, in European traffic by 86.1% and in domestic traffic by 49.1% year-on-year.

Close to 2 million passengers travelled with SAS in October..........SAS Traffic figures

Close to 2 million passengers travelled with SAS in October

Photo SAS

In October, 1.93 million passengers travelled with SAS, an increase of approximately 38% compared to the same month last year. SAS’ capacity increased by approximately 41% compared with the same period last year. In comparison with last month, the total number of passengers decreased by 3% and capacity was increased by 1%. The flown load factor for October was 75%, an improvement of 13 percentage points compared to October last year.

“We are pleased that we had almost 2 million passengers flying with us in October, a healthy number despite a challenging macroeconomic environment. We continue to make progress in our chapter 11-process in the U.S. We recently announced that we have reached agreements with additional lessors to amend existing aircraft and equipment lease agreements, which will result in cost-savings, and which represents another step towards reaching our targets in the SAS FORWARD plan”, says Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS.

SAS reaches further agreements with more aircraft lessors......

Photo SAS

SAS has said it has reached agreements with 2 additional lessors, representing in aggregate 7 aircraft, to amend the terms of existing aircraft and equipment lease agreements. Including SAS’ previously announced amended agreements with lessors on October 5, 2022, SAS has now reached agreements with in total 12 lessors, representing 43 aircraft, as part of the chapter 11 process. This constitutes an important step in reconfiguring the fleet and achieving the SEK 7.5 billion in annual cost savings under the SAS FORWARD plan. The new amended lease agreements are subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Court”), and to the plan of reorganization in the chapter 11 process becoming effective.

On October 5, 2022, SAS announced that it had reached agreements with 10 lessors, representing in aggregate 36 aircraft, to amend the terms of existing aircraft and equipment lease agreements. These agreements were approved by the Court on October 14, 2022. Today, SAS announces that agreements have been reached with 2 additional lessors – Carlyle and SMBC – representing in aggregate 7 narrow body aircraft, as well as certain equipment related thereto.

Through the amended lease agreements, SAS is well on track in achieving the targeted annual cost savings of at least SEK 850 million to 1.0 billion in reduced aircraft lease and capital costs, which constitutes an important step in achieving the SEK 7.5 billion in annual cost savings by fiscal year 2026 under the SAS FORWARD plan. The Company intends to continue negotiations with certain other of its lessors to achieve further amendments in existing lease agreements.

SAS defers the interest payments due October 24 and 26, 2022

Image SAS

The financially stretched Scandinavian airline SAS has confirmed it will defer the interest payments due October 24 and 26, 2022, respectively, on its perpetual capital securities, as part of the Company’s SAS FORWARD plan and voluntary chapter 11 process in the U.S. The deferral of interest payment is made in accordance with the terms and conditions for the respective capital securities.

This means that SAS defers the approximately SEK 192.8 million semi-annual interest payment due on the 24th and 26th of this month on outstanding debts of around SEK 7,615 million.  The carrier is part way through its reorganization and cost-cutting programme as it seeks to return to profitability and emerge from chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. 

Nearly 2 million people flew with SAS in September as the airline cuts discount deals with aircraft leasing firms

SAS saw a massive rise in passenger numbers in September when compared to the same month last year. The financially troubled airline carried 1.98 million people, up 72% while capacity increased by approximately 53%.

The firm reported that its planes were 78% full during the month, up around 24% from last year's figures

 

SAS, Scandinavia’s leading airline, with main hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, flies to destinations in Europe, USA and Asia. The carrier has a rich Scandinavian heritage however is in the grip of a financial crisis which has seen it file for chapter11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. and is trying to cut costs dramatically in order to continue in its current form.  

Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS said:  "We are pleased to see passenger numbers increasing again in September, to the highest numbers seen since the outbreak of the pandemic." 

Part of the SAS cost-cutting programme has seen it make deals with 10 aircraft leasing firms to amend the terms and costs of leases on 36 aircraft. The airline says these deals will save it around SEK 1 billion a year, although they are subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. SAS is looking to save around SEK7.5 billion a year as part of its SAS FORWARD campaign and expects to do more deals with leasing companies on its remaining aircraft. 

Anko van der Werff said "We continue making SAS a financially stable airline as the transformation plan SAS FORWARD progresses. During the month we have been able to reach agreements on a large number of aircraft and equipment lease agreements, and we are grateful to those lessors who are working constructively with us. We are continuing to pursue additional lease amendments to achieve our targets."