Summary
- SAS is planning to expand its services to North America and Asia in 2024 to satisfy the growing demand for travel through summer.
- Capability on a variety of existing routes will see a big increase, while services to Bangkok might be prolonged until April 20.
- The airline is predicted to go away Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection through the first half of 2024 following a recent take care of Air France-KLM.
SAS is about to bolster services to North America and Asia in 2024 to satisfy the recent growth in demand for travel during summer.
Expanded schedule
From March 31, 2024, the Scandinavian flag carrier will add a variety of latest destinations and boost capability on existing routes across america and Canada. Services on its schedule through 2024 include Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Los Angeles International Airport (ALX), Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).
At Copenhagen Airport (CPH), SAS will nearly double its frequencies on Airbus A321LR flights to Recent York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). At the identical time, services to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) will shift to every day operations, with SAS deploying its Airbus A350 widebody on the service to support freight movements. SAS may even add a fourth weekly frequency to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from Copenhagen, strengthening connectivity between Canada and Northern Europe.
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During April, flights to Asia will see a noted boost, with all routes to Shanghai and Tokyo increasing from three to 4 times per week, adding vital passenger and cargo capability. Following prolonged demand, services to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) might be prolonged past its seasonal cut-off, with flights now scheduled to run until April 20.
Shift in fortunes
In November, the airline announced it might finally leave Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection through the first half of 2024 following a big financial investment from a consortium of Air France-KLM, the Danish Government, and other backers.
The financial boost followed similar economic progress for the carrier. In September, SAS confirmed it had achieved its first quarterly profit since 2019, with pre-tax earnings totaling $42 million during Q3. Yr-on-year traffic growth has also seen significant improvements; in November, almost 2 million passengers traveled with SAS, a ten.4% increase in comparison with the identical period in 2022.
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SAS Posts First Profit And Has Highest Passenger Traffic Since 2019
Almost seven million passengers flew SAS last quarter, the very best figure the airline has seen since 2019.
All market sectors have seen continued traffic growth. SAS’ intercontinental network recorded a 22.2% year-on-year increase in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), while European services grew 20.5%. Domestic travel saw a smaller 3.7% RPK increase despite available seat kilometers (ASK) decreasing by 0.8%.
Despite the positive turn, the airline has remained cautiously optimistic, with CEO Anko van der Werff noting that further work can be required to make sure its long-term competitiveness. Speaking earlier this month during its monthly traffic results, van der Werff offered a more positive outlook amid its approved investment and increased operations,
Financials are expected to stay regular through the fourth quarter because the airline continues to see robust bookings for Q1 2024 onwards.
SAS Set To Leave Chapter 11 Bankruptcy After 1.5 Years
The Air France-KLM-backed rescue package stays subject to final approvals by US courts in early 2024.
Will you be traveling with SAS next 12 months? What other destinations would you wish to see the airline add? Tell us within the comments.