SAS Adds Winter Connections

Posted 27/05/2011

SAS Scandinavian Airlines is to introduce three new links this winter, using its Boeing 737-600s, the smallest member of the Next-Generation 737 family, to initially stimulate the market before it decides how to expand each of the routes.  Its expansion will take it into direct competition with low-fare carrier Norwegian on two routes from Oslo and as well as adding the only current connection from Stockholm to the Polish city of Gdansk, which it will serve four times weekly.

SAS will launch the first of these routes, including the flight from the Swedish capital, from the start of the Northern Winter 2011/2012 schedules at the end of October.  At the same time it will open a three times weekly link between Oslo and Palanga in Lithuania, a route Norwegian offers two flights a week albeit using larger 737 models.  An estimated 18,000 O&D passengers travelled between the two airports in the past year.

The third new service will be added on January 21, 2012 and will be a single weekly rotation between Oslo and Geneva with a schedule targeted at holidaymakers in the ski market.  Norwegian already serves this route on a three times weekly basis and transported around 30,000 O&D passengers over the past year, around two thirds of the total market.

SAS will hope to attract a greater yield on its new flights than its rival, which has a much lower cost structure and therefore can absorb cheaper ticket prices.  This will be a challenge for the carrier against a rival that has already established a strong position in these markets.

Schedule:

Oslo – Geneva
SK4631 OSL1325 – 1600GVA 736 6
SK4632 GVA1655 – 1930OSL 736 6

Oslo – Palanga
SK2742 OSL1130 – 1350PLQ 736 135
SK2743 PLQ1430 – 1450OSL 736 135

Stockholm – Gdansk
SK2759 ARN0900 – 1015GDN 736 7
SK2759 ARN1015 – 1130GDN 736 13
SK2759 ARN1300 – 1415GDN 736 5
SK2760 GDN1055 – 1210ARN 736 6
SK2760 GDN1210 – 1325ARN 736 13
SK2760 GDN1455 – 1610ARN 736 5

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