Scandinavian Airlines System

Scandinavian Airlines System is a multi-national airline for Norway, Denmark and Sweden, and the leading carrier in the Nordic countries. Based in Stockholm, Sweden and owned by SAS AB it is a founding member of the Star Alliance. SAS operates out of two primary hubs, Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN), Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup (CPH) and SAS Braathens from its hub Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL). In 2005 Scandinavian Airlines (incl. SAS Braathens) had 27 million passengers.^*

History

The airline was founded on 1 August 1946 when the flag carriers of Denmark, Sweden and Norway formed a partnership to handle intercontinental traffic to Scandinavia. Operations started on 17 September 1946. The companies coordinated European operations in 1948 and finally merged to form the SAS Consortium in 1951. When established the airline was divided between SAS Danmark (28.6%), SAS Norge (28.6%) and SAS Sweden (42.8%), all owned 50% by private investors and 50% by their governments.

SAS gradually acquired control of the domestic markets in all three countries by acquiring full or partial control of local airlines. In May 1997 SAS formed the global Star Alliance network with Air Canada, Lufthansa, Thai Airways International and United Airlines. The ownership structure of SAS was changed in June 2001, with a holding company being created in which the holdings of the governments changed to: Sweden (21.4%), Norway (14.3%) and Denmark (14.3%) and the remaining 50% publicly held and traded on the stock market. SAS employs 9147 staff. In 2004 Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) was divided into 4 different companies SAS Scandinavian Airlines Sverige AB, SAS Scandinavian Airlines Danmark AS, SAS Braathens AS and SAS Scandinavian International AS.

Airlines in Scandinavian Airlines Businesses

Scandinavian Airlines International
Scandinavian Airlines Danmark
Scandinavian Airlines Sweden
SAS Braathens
SAS Business Opportunities

Destinations

Scandinavian Airlines serves 64 destinations from Copenhagen
- 3 Domestic destination
- 52 European destinations
- 9 Intercontinental destination

Scandinavian Airlines serves 45 destinations from Stockholm
- 13 Domestic destinations
- 30 European destinations
- 2 Intercontinental destinations

SAS Braathens serves 41 destinations from Oslo
- 16 Domestic destinations
- 25 European destinations

SAS Braathens serves 5 destinations from Trondheim
- 7 Domestic destination
- 6 European destinations

SAS Braathens serves 5 destinations from Stavanger
- 1 Domestic destination
- 4 European destinations

Scandinavian Airlines serves 4 destinations from Gothenburg (13 more on code-share)
- 1 Domestic destination
- 3 European destinations

Fleet

The Scandinavian Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft as of June 2006: (164 aircraft)

Type	Number	Seats
Airbus A340-300	7	261
Airbus A333-300	4	261
Airbus A321-200	8	184
Boeing 737-400	4	150
Boeing 737-500	14	120
Boeing 737-600	27	95-123
Boeing 737-700	15	134
Boeing 737-800	12	132-179
McDonnell Douglas MD-81	9	141-145
McDonnell Douglas MD-82	25	141-145
McDonnell Douglas MD-85	15	120
deHavilland Q400	24	58-72
Fokker F50	6	58

Note: Fleet from subsidiary airlines is not included.

The average age of the SAS fleet is 9.9 years at June 2006.

On order

Type	Number	Seats	Notes
Airbus A319-100	4	124	Delivery starting Aug-06

Airline Affinity Programs

Frequent flyer programs: SAS own program EuroBonus, you can also earn points on other Star Alliance Frequent flyer programs.
Membership clubs: Fly Home Club, for Scandinavians living abroad.

Services

Domestic
- One class: sandwiches and drinks are available for purchase, breakfast is free on Swedish domestic flights.

Intra-Scandinavia
- One class: sandwiches and cold drinks are available for purchase, breakfast, coffee and tea are free on intra-Scandinvaian flights.

Europe
- Economy Class: sandwiches and drinks are available for purchase.
- Economy Flex: three-course cold meal or cold breakfast (shorter flights two-course meal) (Fast-track at the Security at ARN and CPH)
- Business, three-course hot meal or hot breakfast (shorter flights cold three-course meal) (Fast-track at the Security at ARN and CPH and access to lounges)

Intercontinental
- Economy Class: cocktails before dinner, and a three-course dinner is served. Start with a salad, a hot meal and fresh bread and dessert. Coffee or tea and avec are also served. Between meals you can ask for juice, water, snacks and sandwiches depending on the length of the flight. Before landing on nighttime flights breakfast will be served before landing. On daytime flights a cold meal will be served. A children's meal can be bought.
- Economy Extra: juice upon boarding, cocktails and cold snacks is served before dinner, A three-course dinner is served. Start with a salad, choose between two hot main dishes and fresh bread and dessert. Coffee or tea with brandy (cognac/liquer) is also served. Between meals you can ask for juice, water, snacks and sandwiches depending on the length of the flight. A hot breakfast or lunch is served on Asian flights, while on US flights a snack or breakfast is served. (Fast-track at the Security at ARN and CPH)
- Business: upon boarding cocktails are served, cocktails and cold snacks will be served before dinner. A full three-course dinner. Mixed salad, first course and a choice of four different hot meals for your main course. There is always one vegetarian alternative. A selection of cheese and dessert is served together with coffee or tea with brandy (cognac/liquer). Alternatively, there is the option of a light cold meal on all night flights, served before the main dinner service. In between meals you can go to the buffet in the galley to serve yourself a wide range of coffee and sandwiches. On nighttime flights breakfast will be served before landing, with an option of choosing an express breakfast instead. On daytime flights a second meal will be served. (Fast-track at the Security at ARN and CPH and access to lounges)

Incidents and accidents

On January 30, 1973, a DC-9, SAS flight 370, Oslo-Alta via Tromsø. At 23:18 the crew was cleared for takeoff from runway 24. The takeoff run was normal and the DC-9 rotated at V_R (125kts). At that moment the stall warning system activated. Although the speed had increased to 140 knots, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. The remaining 1100m however was not enough to bring the aircraft to a halt. The reversers did not deploy completely and the aircraft overran the runway and onto the ice covered Oslofjord. The DC-9 came to rest 20m from the bank of the fjord. All passengers and crew evacuated before the plane broke through the ice and sank 20 minutes later.

On February 28, 1984, SAS Flight 901, a DC-10 named 'Haakon Viking' departed Stockholm for a flight to New York JFK. The aircraft touched down 1440m past the runway 4R threshold. The crew steered the plane to the right side off the runway to avoid approach lights. The DC-10 ended up in shallow water. All onboard the plane survived and were uninjured.

On December 27, 1991, SAS flight 751, a MD-81, crashed at Gottröra, Sweden. On initial climb both engines ingested ice and stalled, leaving the aircraft with no propulsion. The aircraft made a forced landing in a field and broke in three parts. No fire broke out and all aboard the plane survived.

The worst SAS accident occurred in 2001 in Milan, Italy, when an MD-87 collided with a small Cessna jet during take-off and left 114 people dead. It has been established that the cause of the accident was a misunderstanding between air traffic controllers and the Cessna jet, and that the SAS crew had no role in causing the accident.

External links

Company websites

Other websites

Scandinavian Airlines System | Airlines of Denmark | Airlines of Norway | Airlines of Sweden | SAS Group members

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