<a href="https://www.norwegian.com/es/">Norwegian</a> returns for another season to Aarhus, Denmark, with the same services to Southern Europe that the airline began operating from East Jutland Airport in the spring of 2024. 
In 2025, the routes will resume before the Easter travel season, thus catering to the vacation demand of the East Jutland region. Alicante is a new destination from Aarhus Airport, and services will commence on April 4. The flight to Málaga will start on April 5, and the route to Palma de Mallorca will begin on June 26.
«We are very happy to continue offering these three routes in next year’s summer program, providing the residents of Aarhus and the entire East Jutland region with direct routes to some of their favorite destinations. Norwegian wants to be the airline of choice for Danes, which is why we must, of course, also be well-represented at Aarhus Airport, which, among other things, serves Denmark’s second-largest city. We believe there is great potential here and look forward to welcoming the people of East Jutland onboard,» said Sara Westphal Emborg Neergaard, Norwegian’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs in Denmark.
«We are very pleased that Norwegian is once again prioritizing Aarhus Airport in 2025. Spain tops the list of the most popular tourist countries for Danes, and this is reflected in the travel patterns of people from East Jutland. As a new destination, Alicante was very well received by travelers, and Norwegian’s departures to Málaga and Palma de Mallorca were a strong addition to our already existing routes. This year, we have experienced a monthly increase of over 75 percent in travelers to Spain and growing demand specifically for the three destinations that attract guests from all over Jutland,» added Lotta Sandsgaard, Director of Aarhus Airport.
According to Denmark’s official statistics, 18% of Danish travelers chose Spain as a destination, leading the list as the most popular vacation spot in 2023. Italy is the second most popular country, while Greece, Germany, and France share third place.
The Alicante route will operate on Fridays from April 4 to October 24. The Málaga service will operate on Saturdays from April 5 to October 25. And the connection to Palma de Mallorca will depart on Thursdays, scheduled from June 26 to August 14. Tickets are already available for purchase on the airline’s website and regular channels.
See also: <a style="color: #ffcc00" href="https://aviacionline.com/2024/11/sweden-eliminates-aviation-tax-norwegian-announces-arlanda-pilot-base-reopening/">Norwegian reopens its pilot base at Stockholm-Arlanda</a>

Norwegian Announces New Alicante Route and Summer Services from Aarhus

<article>
<header>November 15, 2024, marks the 70th anniversary of a historic moment in aviation: the first commercial flight over the North Pole, operated by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). This pioneering flight connected Copenhagen with Los Angeles in 1954, significantly reducing travel time and fuel consumption, while establishing an efficient link between Europe and the United States.</header>
<header></header>
<section>The inaugural flight not only positioned SAS as a symbol of Scandinavian innovation but also transformed the way North America connects with Scandinavia, Europe, and beyond. Copenhagen became a strategic hub in the airline&#8217;s global network. The polar route reduced the flight distance by thousands of kilometers, achieving a considerable decrease in fuel consumption. Today, SAS associates this efficiency with its commitment to sustainability, highlighting its leadership in transforming the aviation industry toward a more environmentally friendly future.</section>
<section></section>
<section>SAS President and CEO Anko van der Werff stated: “The introduction of the Polar Route marked a pivotal moment in global travel, enhancing economic ties, tourism, and cultural exchange by making the world more accessible. This legacy endures as SAS continues to drive innovation and connect people worldwide, with Copenhagen still at the heart of our global network.” The success of the flight required four years of preparation and innovative work. To ensure passenger safety in the Arctic&#8217;s extreme conditions, thermal suits and a survival manual were provided.</section>
<section></section>
<section>To celebrate this historic date, the SAS flight between Copenhagen and Los Angeles operated on Friday the 15th featured special details commemorating the experience of the 1954 journey, taking passengers back to the origins of SAS&#8217;s Polar Route.</section>
</article>

SAS Celebrates 70 Years Since the First Commercial Flight Over the North Pole

A SAS A330 flying from Stockholm (ESSA|ARN) to Miami (KMIA|MIA) encountered severe turbulence off the east coast of Greenland, which caused one of the aircraft&#8217;s engines to shut down automatically.
The pilots were able to restart the affected engine and safely divert to Copenhagen, according to a report from <a href="https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/sas-severe-turbulence-engine-shutdown/?utm_campaign=website&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=sendgrid.com">Flightradar</a>.
The turbulence occurred just east of Greenland and lasted a very short time. Fortunately, none of the 254 passengers or crew members on board sustained serious injuries.
<h5>Incident details</h5>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-344972 size-full" src="http://aviacionline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SK957_Turbulence-991x1024-1.jpg" alt="" width="991" height="1024" srcset="https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_Turbulence-991x1024-1.jpg 991w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_Turbulence-991x1024-1-290x300.jpg 290w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_Turbulence-991x1024-1-871x900.jpg 871w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_Turbulence-991x1024-1-768x794.jpg 768w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_Turbulence-991x1024-1-150x155.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 991px) 100vw, 991px" />
In the data shown below, it is possible to see the effects of the turbulence as well as the pilots&#8217; response to the engine shutdown, initiating a descent to the operational altitude with one engine.
The climb back to 36,000 feet demonstrates how the crew managed to restart the engine.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-344973 size-full" src="http://aviacionline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SK957TurbulenceAltitudeVerticalSpeed-1024x576-1.jpeg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957TurbulenceAltitudeVerticalSpeed-1024x576-1.jpeg 1024w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957TurbulenceAltitudeVerticalSpeed-1024x576-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957TurbulenceAltitudeVerticalSpeed-1024x576-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957TurbulenceAltitudeVerticalSpeed-1024x576-1-150x84.jpeg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
According to SAS, due to the severe turbulence, an inspection of the aircraft was necessary. Since the airline does not have the facilities or personnel required for such a detailed inspection in Miami, it was decided to divert the flight to Copenhagen. The aircraft landed safely in Copenhagen after 10 hours and 6 minutes in the air.
<h5>Full flight path of SK957 on November 14, 2024</h5>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-344974 size-full" src="http://aviacionline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SK957_fullflight-1024x662-1.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="662" srcset="https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_fullflight-1024x662-1.jpg 1024w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_fullflight-1024x662-1-300x194.jpg 300w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_fullflight-1024x662-1-768x497.jpg 768w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2024/11/SK957_fullflight-1024x662-1-150x97.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Flight SK957 was operated by an A330-343 registered as LN-RKS (MSN 1665). The aircraft was delivered new to SAS in September 2015. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 772B-60 engines.

Severe Turbulence Forces SAS A330 Engine Shutdown En Route to Miami

Emirates has increased its capacity in Denmark by more than 40% with the reintroduction of the Airbus A380 to its services in Copenhagen. The Gulf carrier operated the superjumbo continuously to the Danish capital from December 2015 to March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From 1 January 2025, the A380 will replace the current operation of the 428-seat Boeing 777-300ER, bringing the number of European destinations served by the superjumbo to 20. Emirates is the only airline to offer services on this double-decker aircraft in Denmark.
The Gulf carrier will use the high-density A380 on this route with 615 seats in two classes: 58 Business Class and 557 Economy.
<h3>Dubai (DXB) to Copenhagen (CPH) flight schedule</h3>
<ul>
<li>Flight EK 151: DXB 08:20 &#8211; CPH 13:15 daily flights.</li>
<li>Flight EK 152: CPH 15:35 &#8211; DXB 23:45 daily flights.</li>
</ul>
In Europe, Emirates also operates the A380 to Amsterdam, Barcelona, ​​Birmingham, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Moscow-Domodedovo, Dusseldorf, Rome-Fiumicino, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Istanbul, London-Heathrow, London-Gatwick, Madrid, Manchester, Munich, Milan-Malpensa, Nice, Vienna and Zurich.

Emirates resumes Airbus A380 operations to Denmark

Delta and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) have signed a codeshare agreement that will be available from September 25, 2024. This agreement follows the introduction of SAS to the Skyteam alliance on September 1, 2024, after it left Star Alliance following the purchase of almost 20% of the Scandinavian airline by the Air France-KLM Group.
The codeshare agreement optimizes connection options for customers flying between North America and Scandinavia, in addition to other benefits in the frequent flyer programs of both airlines such as earning and accumulating Skymiles or SAS EuroBonus.
Delta and SAS customers will have greater travel options within their networks in Europe and North America. Delta customers traveling from North America will be able to access 50 destinations in northern Europe beyond SAS hubs in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo. SAS customers will also have access to more than 150 destinations in North America via Delta’s hubs in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New York-JFK and Seattle-Tacoma.
This year, SAS began nonstop flights between Copenhagen and Atlanta, one of Skyteam’s largest hubs, and is adding more capacity at Delta’s hubs for the winter season. In 2025, the Scandinavian carrier will resume service between the Danish capital and Seattle-Tacoma (starting May 21) and will begin seasonal service between Oslo and New York-JFK (starting March 30).
“As part of Delta’s mission to connect people around the world, our new partnership with SAS will strengthen our presence in Northern Europe by offering customers better access to destinations across Scandinavia and a better overall flight experience,” said Perry Cantarutti, Delta’s Senior Vice President of Alliances.
“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Delta through this new codeshare agreement, enhancing travel options between Scandinavia and North America. With our new direct route from Copenhagen to Seattle, we are strengthening connections to the Pacific Northwest by offering more travel options to our passengers. As a proud new member of the SkyTeam alliance, this collaboration offers great opportunities to provide seamless connectivity and benefits across our global network. We are excited about the possibilities and committed to delivering an elevated travel experience to our customers,” said Paul Verhagen, Chief Commercial Officer at SAS.
See also: <a style="color: #ffcc00;" href="https://aviacionline.com/2024/06/scandinavian-airlines-launches-flights-to-atlanta-its-ninth-u-s-destination/">Scandinavian Airlines launches flights to Atlanta, its ninth U.S. destination</a>

Delta and SAS enter into codeshare partnership

<div>Scandinavian Airlines SAS continues expanding its U.S. operations by launching non-stop flights between Copenhagen and Atlanta, bringing its network to 10 destinations in North America and providing customers greater access to their U.S. travel.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Flight Sk 929 was operated by an Airbus A330 registered as LN-RKS and christened «Frithiof Viking,» which took off from Copenhagen Airport at 13:25 local time on June 17 and on the same day landed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at 16:30, after nine hours and five minutes.</div>
<div></div>
<div>«SAS is pleased to expand its business and leisure travelers offering. Leisure travelers can explore Atlanta and several new destinations in the U.S., all conveniently accessible from Atlanta. Atlanta is a major hub for business travelers, home to numerous Fortune 500 companies, making it a lucrative and essential destination,» said Paul Verhagen, SAS Chief Commercial Officer.</div>
<div></div>
<h3>Flight schedule</h3>
<ul>
<li>Copenhagen &#8211; Atlanta Flight SK 929 CPH 13:10 &#8211; ATL 17:10 daily flights.</li>
<li>Atlanta &#8211; Copenhagen Flight SK 930 ATL 19:00 &#8211; CPH 10:20+1 daily flights.</li>
</ul>
<div>Flights during the summer season are operated on Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 262/266 seats in total: 32 Business Class, 56 Premium Economy, and 174/178 Economy. In the winter, the aircraft will be replaced by the Airbus A350-900 with 300 seats in three classes: 40 Business Class, 32 Premium Economy, and 228 in Economy, with a schedule of five flights per week.</div>
<div></div>
<div>On September 1, 2024, SAS will join the Skyteam alliance. As Atlanta is the main hub for Skyteam member Delta Air Lines, SAS customers will benefit from greater access to the Skyteam network. This network includes 1,060 destinations among all member airlines.</div>
<div></div>
<div>SAS&#8217; North American network also has year-round flights to Newark, Boston, Chicago O&#8217;Hare, Washington-Dulles, New York JFK, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and seasonal services to Miami and Toronto-Pearson.</div>
<div></div>
<div>«Working closely with SAS will further strengthen Delta&#8217;s presence in Northern Europe, offering our customers better access to destinations,» said Alain Bellemare, Delta&#8217;s Executive Vice President.</div>
<div></div>
<div>See also: <a style="color: #ffcc00;" href="http://aviacionline.com2024/01/scandinavian-airlines-set-to-fly-to-40-countries-for-the-summer-season/">Scandinavian Airlines set to fly to 40 countries for the summer season</a></div>

Scandinavian Airlines launches flights to Atlanta, its ninth U.S. destination

As part of its restructuring, Scandinavian Airlines SAS is leaving the Star Alliance alliance on August 31, 2024, and customers will benefit from Skyteam airline benefits as of September 1, 2024.
Following this change, as of September 1, 2024, SAS EuroBonus members will receive loyalty benefits similar to those currently offered by Star Alliance carriers with most SkyTeam airlines.
SAS is discussing with Skyteam and other airlines in the alliance to develop and grow broad commercial relationships such as codeshare agreements and Joint Ventures. The Scandinavian airline operator expects to provide access to 19 new airlines and 1,600 destinations worldwide. Customers will have access to popular destinations with more travel options.
For this summer and winter season, SAS has added more capacity on routes to New York JFK, Boston, and Los Angeles, as well as new service to Atlanta, all Delta Air Lines hubs, a founding Skyteam member.
SAS was a founding member of the Star Alliance in 1997, along with Air Canada. Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and United, making it the world&#8217;s first airline alliance. Due to its financial restructuring and the acquisition of nearly 20% by Air France-KLM, the airline has changed its business model by partnering with Skyteam airlines.
«We are delighted to move forward with the transition process of our alliance and pave the way for new attractive destinations and loyalty program benefits worldwide. Our focus now is to guide customers and our EuroBonus members through every step of this transition. We look forward to sharing more details as our journey progresses, with the goal of creating a smooth transition to an exciting travel future with us,» said Paul Verhagen, Chief Commercial Officer, SAS.
SAS continues to work with Star Alliance and, as with Skyteam over the past six months, to ensure a smooth transition for all EuroBonus customers and members. All Star Alliance customer benefits, including earning and using EuroBonus points, lounge access, and other benefits, will continue until August 31, 2024.
See also: <a style="color: #ffcc00;" href="http://aviacionline.com/2024/03/sas-performed-component-inspections-on-eighteen-airbus-a320-neos/">SAS performed component inspections on eighteen Airbus A320 NEOs</a>

SAS leaves Star Alliance

<a href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/05/tbt-scandinavian-airlines-system-sas-flights-to-south-america-in-1987/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SAS Scandinavian Airlines</a> grounded eighteen Airbus A320neo aircraft. The Scandinavian airline conducted a routine inspection of pressure regulator transmitters over the weekend.
Between March 23rd and 24th, SAS reduced its schedule of regular flights operated with Airbus A320neo aircraft. The airline notified its customers in advance through its communication channels to reschedule purchased flights.
The grounding of eighteen A320neo aircraft affected the company&#8217;s schedule by 7%. Various flights to European destinations were canceled, including London, Heathrow, Zurich, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife Sur.
«The need to inspect a component on some of our aircraft requires pausing operations with these aircraft, causing traffic interruptions in parts of our network,» communicated SAS to its customers via social media X.
<h2>Inspected Component</h2>
SAS had to conduct an inspection on the pressure regulator transmitters of eighteen Airbus A320neo aircraft. The airline has a fleet of 67 aircraft of this model.
The pressure regulator transmitter constantly monitors the air pressure inside the cabin and adjusts it as necessary to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for passengers and crew.
When an aircraft reaches cruising altitudes, the air pressure outside the aircraft decreases significantly, which can cause a considerable pressure difference between the interior and exterior of the cabin.
To counteract this, a pressurization system is used to maintain the pressure inside the cabin at a safe and comfortable level, generally equivalent to the pressure experienced at lower altitudes.
The pressure regulator transmitter continuously monitors the air pressure inside the cabin and adjusts the valves and gates of the pressurization system to keep it within safe limits.
This ensures that passengers and crew do not experience discomfort due to sudden pressure changes and that an appropriate environment is maintained throughout the flight.

SAS performed component inspections on eighteen Airbus A320 NEOs

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) will launch its ninth destination in North America this Summer with a new route connecting Copenhagen to Atlanta, the company announced this Tuesday (16).
Flights are to be operated daily with the airline&#8217;s Airbus A330-300 from June 17: the two are currently not connected by nonstop operations. During the Winter season, according to the airline, the route will be ran five times a week with the Airbus A350-900.
This can be seen as one of the first measures following the investment in SAS by Air France-KLM, as the airline refinances its business to emerge out of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The investment, <a href="https://www.sasgroup.net/newsroom/press-releases/2023/sas-receives-court-approval-to-enter-into-investment-agreement-in-its-exit-financing-solicitation-process/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved by the Bankruptcy Court in November</a>, has the French-Dutch group holding a 19.9% stake in SAS.
«Through an agreement with Delta Air Lines, passengers can continue their journey on other Delta-served destinations out of Atlanta», stated SAS&#8217; President and CEO, Anko van der Werff, <a href="https://www.sasgroup.net/newsroom/press-releases/2024/sas-expands-its-summer-program-to-include-atlanta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a press release</a>.
«This development means an expanded offering for SAS passengers, who can look forward to reaching several new and exciting destinations across the Southern USA, Caribbean, and Latin America, all conveniently accessible from Atlanta».
SAS is currently a member of Star Alliance, <a href="https://www.flysas.com/en/customer-service/traffic-information/refund-reimbursements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">but it will eventually leave the alliance to join SkyTeam,</a> of which Air France-KLM &#8212; and Delta Air Lines &#8212; are members.
Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines are close partners. As of June 2023, <a href="https://www.airfranceklm.com/en/newsroom/air-france-klm-delta-and-virgin-atlantic-launch-worlds-leading-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Delta held 2,9% of the European group&#8217;s capital</a>. Additionally, the two are members of a <a href="https://www.airfranceklm.com/en/newsroom/air-france-klm-delta-and-virgin-atlantic-launch-worlds-leading-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">major Transatlantic joint venture</a>.
While no announcement in this direction has been announced as of yet, Air France-KLM&#8217;s CEO Ben Smith said, in the group&#8217;s earnings call for the third quarter of 2023, that Scandinavian Airlines joining the joint venture of which fellow SkyTeam member Virgin Atlantic is also a member would be the <a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/air-france-klm-foresees-biggest-benefits-from-sas-joining-transatlantic-jv/155575.article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">«biggest benefit we see in SAS»</a>. That would be subject to regulatory approval.
In the press release announcing the new route to Atlanta, SAS also remarked the increase of frequencies in already-existing routes for the next Summer season. Copenhagen-New York/JFK would be increased to «up to two daily flights» (<a href="http://cirium.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the latest schedules on Cirium&#8217;s Diio Mi application</a>, 13 weekly frequencies), up from a daily flight last year.
Copenhagen-Boston will see an additional frequency versus last Summer to become a daily operation, while weekly frequencies between Copenhagen and Toronto will increase from three to four.

SAS launches flights to Atlanta

Thai Airways continues to expand its global network with the restart of its non-stop flights between Oslo and Bangkok after four years. For the summer season, the carrier will once again operate to the three Scandinavian capitals.
The airline will offer 4,872 seats per week between Thailand and Norway, competing in this segment with Norse Atlantic Airways. Thai abandoned Gardermoen airport as a result of the outbreak of the pandemic and the company&#8217;s financial problems, now resolved, the company is rebuilding its global network.
Along with service to Oslo, it is reactivating other destinations such as from Bangkok to Milan, Perth, Colombo and increasing operations to Sydney, Manila, Taipei and Tokyo Narita.
«This is a very popular route, not only for Norwegian travelers to Thailand and beyond, but also for many travelers from Southeast Asia and Oceania, who find Norway an attractive and exotic destination,» said Ulv Elbirk, Head of Traffic Development for Asia and the Americas.
<h3>Flight schedule between Oslo and Bangkok</h3>
Starts July 1, 2024
<ul>
<li>Bangkok &#8211; Oslo Flight TG 954 BKK 00:55 &#8211; OSL 07:25 daily flights.</li>
<li>Oslo &#8211; Bangkok Flight TG 955 OSL 14:15 &#8211; BKK 06:15+1 daily flights.</li>
</ul>
The flights will be operated on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with 348 seats in two classes (42 Business Class/306 Economy Class).
For the upcoming summer season, Thai Airways&#8217; European network will have services to Stockholm, Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Istanbul, London-Heathrow, Munich, Milan, Oslo and Zurich.
See also: <a style="color: #ffcc00;" href="http://aviacionline.com/2024/01/thai-airways-resumes-flights-to-perth/">Thai Airways resumes flights to Perth after a four-year hiatus</a>

Thai Airways flies to Oslo again

The Norwegian Competition Authority (NCA) has officially approved the acquisition of Widerøe by Norwegian. For Norwegian, this approval signifies the opportunity to integrate complementary routes into its operations.
«The air travel market holds significant importance for Norwegian consumers. Effective competition is crucial to ensure travelers can access the best possible deals at competitive prices,» emphasized NCA Director Gjermund Nese at that time.
The business had been proposed to the government agency last July. In September, the NCA stated that it needed to extend the deadline to address the proposal as it could have a detrimental impact on competition within the market. Finally, on December 21, the business was approved, allowing the integration to proceed.
In light of this development, Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian, expressed satisfaction with the NCA&#8217;s decision. «We are very pleased. The acquisition will significantly enhance route options for our customers, both domestic and international. This will not only provide more choices but also facilitate expanding our route network. We anticipate a more efficient operation that will ensure a robust aviation sector in Norway,» stated the executive.
<h4>Of Interest: <a style="color: #ff9900" href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/09/norwegian-and-its-acquisition-of-wideroe-competition-concerns-and-regulatory-scrutiny/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The government could block the acquisition of Widerøe by Norwegian</a></h4>
On a similar note, Stein Nilsen, CEO of Widerøe, echoed the sentiments of his counterpart, stating, «The NCA recognized our contribution and decided to grant approval for this transaction. This case has been demanding for both parties, with extensive documentation. Looking ahead, we are eager to collaborate with Norwegian to offer better and more competitive travel options.»
Widerøe&#8217;s business model is quite straightforward: the airline operates a fleet primarily composed of Dash 8 turboprops serving regional destinations in Norway. Norwegian believes that integrating this capacity into its system will have a positive impact on the rest of its network.

Norwegian gets the greenlight and will acquire Widerøe

Scandinavian Airlines presents its schedule for the 2024 summer season with a network of 130 destinations in 40 countries.
SAS is also adding new routes, from Copenhagen to Ibiza (Spain), Salzburg (Austria), Genoa (Italy), Tromso (Norway) and Dalaman (Turkey). In Bergen, there will be non-stop flights to London and from Oslo there will be services to Geneva (Switzerland), Milan (Italy) and Tivat (Montenegro).
«In addition to seamless connectivity to major cities and capitals, our summer traffic programme offers new holiday destinations such as Ibiza, Genoa and Tivat. For those looking for familiar destinations, we have increased capacity to destinations such as Malaga, Florence, Palma and Alicante,» said Erik Westman, Chief Revenue Officer of SAS.
<h4>Southern European holiday destinations</h4>
SAS is adding additional capacity on the most popular destinations in Spain and Italy from all three Scandinavian destinations. From Stockholm and Copenhagen there will be 20 flights a week to Malaga and from Oslo there will be 17 flights a week to Alicante. In Italy, from Copenhagen there will be four daily flights to Milan and three daily flights to Florence. In France, from the Danish capital there will be 25 flights a week to Nice.
Oslo will have 14 weekly flights to Split (Croatia), Stockholm will have a schedule to Paris and Milan with two daily flights. Services from the Norwegian capital and Copenhagen to Gran Canaria will be available all year round.
<h4>Northern Europe</h4>
From Copenhagen, there will be five daily flights to Dusseldorf, four daily flights to Brussels and Gdansk, and three daily flights to Warsaw and Vilnius. From Stockholm, SAS will fly six times a week to Tallinn and three times a week to Vilnius. In addition, from the Swedish capital the service to Berlin will be increased to two daily flights, six daily flights to Helsinki and increased frequencies to Turku and Vaasa.
<h4>Domestic and Nordic routes</h4>
SAS is expanding its schedule in the domestic market by increasing the number of flights to Stockholm and Visby, Kiruna, Skellefteå and Östersund. For the summer season Copenhagen will have seven daily flights to Billund, while Oslo will have two daily flights and four weekly flights to Billund, and will increase its presence in northern Norway.
See also: <a style="color: #ffcc00;" href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/12/sas-expands-flights-from-copenhagen-to-north-america-and-asia-for-summer-2024/">SAS Expands Flights from Copenhagen to North America and Asia for Summer 2024</a>

Scandinavian Airlines set to fly to 40 countries for the summer season

Norwegian and TUI have agreed to continue their cooperation agreement, under which the former operates charter flights on behalf of the German company. Thus, during the upcoming winter and summer seasons, Norwegian will operate flights on behalf of TUI from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark to various destinations across Europe.
Magnus Thome Maursund, CCO of Norwegian, commented on the matter: «We enjoy an excellent cooperation with TUI. We and are delighted to extend it to the upcoming winter and summer seasons. As we continue to modernize our fleet, we look forward to welcoming many new passengers on board and ensuring they have a brilliant start to their holidays.»
<h4>Related Content: <a style="color: #ff9900" href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/09/norwegian-and-its-acquisition-of-wideroe-competition-concerns-and-regulatory-scrutiny/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norwegian and its Acquisition of Widerøe: Competition Concerns and Regulatory Scrutiny</a></h4>
TUI is Norwegian&#8217;s primary charter flight customer. The newly signed agreement is valid for the upcoming winter and summer seasons. When fully operational, Norwegian will manage 70% of TUI&#8217;s charter flight operations in the Norwegian market.
«We are delighted to renew our partnership with Norwegian. Air transport plays a crucial role in the overall travel experience and is of high priority for us at TUI. Customer survey feedback consistently indicates that Norwegian is doing an excellent job,» noted Tommy Serban, CCO of TUI Nordic.
Norwegian will conduct charter flights for TUI from various airports, both regional and international, in Norway, Sweden, and from Copenhagen, Denmark. In early July 2023, the airline announced its intention to acquire the regional airline Widerøe. If allowed to go through the process, currently under review by the authorities, Norwegian would solidify its position as the largest airline in Norway and one of the leading low-cost carriers in Europe.

Norwegian will operate flights for TUI during the next peak season

Etihad Airways and San Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have signed a codeshare partnership, strengthening connectivity between Europe and the Middle East. Earlier in October, Etihad began a service between Abu Dhabi and Copenhagen: the new agreement will allow connections to other Scandinavian cities such as Oslo, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Bergen.
SAS passengers will be able to access holiday destinations on Etihad&#8217;s network such as India, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Johannesburg. Customers will now be able to book a single ticket and will only have to check in once, with their checked baggage being handled to the final destination.
«Our strategic bilateral agreement with SAS, which follows the start of our flights to Copenhagen, allows our Northern European customers to enjoy Abu Dhabi and connect to our growing global network, including our expanding destinations in the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, the Middle East and Africa,» said Arik De, Etihad&#8217;s Chief Revenue Officer.
Members of the Etihad Guest and SAS Eurobonus frequent flyer programs will be able to earn miles and access other benefits. The codeshare will be available by the end of December 2023, customers will be able to book through both airlines&#8217; regular channels.
This agreement comes after Air France-KLM acquired a nearly 20% stake in SAS as part of its financial restructuring under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Act. The Franco-Dutch group currently has a codeshare partnership with Etihad Airways.
The SAS and Etihad deal follows the dynamics of the Qatar Airways and Finnair partnership to increase connectivity between the Nordic region and the Middle East.
«This partnership expands the options available to SAS customers for travel to Abu Dhabi and beyond, with connections to India, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka and more. We will continue to enhance international connectivity and remain committed to delivering seamless travel experiences to our customers,» said Paul Verhagen, SAS Executive, Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.
See also: <a style="color: #ffcc00;" href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/10/etihad-airways-resumes-787-deliveries-after-three-years/">Etihad Airways resumes 787 deliveries after three years</a>

Etihad Airways and SAS begin codeshare partnership

The competition authority of Norway has stated that it requires a more detailed analysis of the acquisition proposal of Widerøe by Norwegian. According to the government, «competition in the Norwegian air travel market could face challenges if Norwegian is allowed to acquire the company».
In early July 2023, Norwegian announced its acquisition intention of the regional airline Widerøe. As part of this process, the Norwegian regulatory competition authority has meticulously gathered and examined information from the involved parties and other stakeholders in the same market.
In their preliminary assessment, the office suggests that there could be a detrimental impact on competition within the air travel market. If such an impact results in an increase in fares and a reduction in the range of Norwegian air services, the government has the authority to halt the acquisition.
<h4>Related content: <a style="color: #ff9900" href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/09/norwegian-launches-ticket-sales-for-summer-2024-season/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norwegian launches ticket sales for Summer 2024 season</a></h4>
<a href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/07/analysis-why-norwegians-wideroe-acquisition-makes-sense/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As previously noted</a>, Widerøe&#8217;s business model is rather straightforward. The airline operates a fleet primarily composed of Dash 8 turboprops serving regional destinations in Norway. Norwegian believes that incorporating Widerøe&#8217;s capacity into its system will have a positive effect on the rest of its network. For example, a passenger from Brønnøysund can depart on a Dash 8 and connect on one of their 737s to other destinations.
«The air travel market is substantial and holds great importance for Norwegian consumers. Effective competition is essential to ensure that Norwegian air travelers can access the best possible deals at competitive prices. Further analysis is required to understand how Norwegian&#8217;s acquisition of Widerøe will influence competition in this market.» These words are from Gjermund Nese, the Director of the Competition Authority of Norway.
On the other hand, project manager Katrine Amdam stated that «our preliminary assessment suggests there is cause for concern regarding the potential negative impact on Norwegian air passengers as a result of this acquisition. In the future, the Authority will conduct a more thorough examination to determine if the acquisition should be prohibited».
According to the law, the government must now publish a new assessment before November 17. At that point, it will have two options: approve the acquisition, or state that there are grounds for its prohibition.

Norwegian and its Acquisition of Widerøe: Competition Concerns and Regulatory Scrutiny

American Airlines will fly for the first time to Denmark with a nonstop service between Philadelphia and Copenhagen, as part of the carrier&#8217;s transatlantic expansion for the 2024 summer season. This new route also marks the carrier&#8217;s return to Scandinavia.
«We look forward to welcoming American Airlines to Copenhagen Airport. It is fantastic news that American Airlines has chosen Copenhagen as a new destination. I hope we will see even more American tourists, as this will have a great impact on hotels and tourism in the Copenhagen metropolitan area and the rest of Denmark,» said Peter Krogsgaard, Commercial Director of Copenhagen Airport.
<h3>American Airlines flight schedule to Copenhagen</h3>
Starts June 6, 2024.
Philadelphia &#8211; Copenhagen AA Flight 744 PHL 21:10 &#8211; CPH 11:10+1 daily flights. 
Copenhagen &#8211; Philadelphia AA Flight 745 CPH 14:00 &#8211; PHL 16:40 daily flights.
<h5>Route details</h5>
<ul>
<li>The service operates seasonally and ends in early October 2024.</li>
</ul>
The route will be operated on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with a capacity of 285 seats in four classes (30 Business/21 Premium Economy/34 Main Extra Cabin/200 Economy) and promotional fares are available from $1,411 roundtrip. American Airlines&#8217; extensive network of destinations in Philadelphia will give travelers the ability to connect to multiple destinations in the United States and Canada, enhancing Copenhagen&#8217;s transatlantic connectivity.
The 2024 summer season, Copenhagen Airport will have nonstop service to New York JFK, Newark, Washington &#8211; Dulles, Chicago O&#8217;Hare, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Toronto &#8211; Pearson, Montreal and soon Philadelphia.
«It is a large and important operator that now flies direct from Copenhagen. This will benefit many passengers. Philadelphia is a fantastic city, but it is also a major hub in the U.S. and American Airlines has more than 70 routes from Philadelphia to most of North America, so this will benefit many Danish travelers,» added Krogsgaard.
Philadelphia is American Airlines&#8217; main transatlantic hub and by next summer it will make its largest expansion since 2019, the airline will have a network of European destinations to London Heathrow, Paris, Madrid, Dublin, Rome, Rome, Barcelona, Athens, Lisbon, Zurich, Amsterdam, Venice, Copenhagen, Naples and Nice.
Ver también: <a style="color: #ffcc00;" href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/08/major-transatlantic-expansion-of-american-airlines-with-three-new-european-destinations/">Major Transatlantic Expansion of American Airlines with Three New European Destinations</a>

American Airlines set to fly to Denmark for the first time

Norwegian Air Shuttle made headlines this week as it announced the purchase of Widerøe, Norway&#8217;s third-largest airline by number of seats this year and the largest by number of departures.
While this name may not resound to the non-Norwegian ear, Widerøe is a household name nationally; it has been in the market for almost 90 years and is a lifeline for several communities far from the big centers, and for whom land transportation is most inconvenient or slow.
With that, Norwegian is offering NOK1.125 billion (EUR96.08 million as of July 9, 2023) for a controlling stake in the airline, which it claims values the company at NOK2 billion (EUR170.82 million). The price is still subject to change, <a href="https://media.uk.norwegian.com/pressreleases/norwegian-announces-agreement-to-acquire-wideroee-3263610" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the airline says in a press release</a>, according to Widerøe&#8217;s profitability this year.
But after a failed experience in going astray from its business model with long-haul operations and even a brief venture in Argentina, one might ask why would Norwegian try doing something else again. After all, its «back to basics» approach has seemingly been working, as it focuses on the Nordics with an all-737 fleet.
Norwegian, however, believes the deal &#8212; expected to be closed by the end of this year &#8212; will be beneficial to the group.
Widerøe&#8217;s approach is fairly straightforward; with a fleet mainly composed of Dash 8 turboprops, to serve regional destinations in Norway, while also taking some minor international opportunities.
The domestic network, <a href="https://www.norwegian.com/globalassets/ip/documents/about-us/company/investor-relations/reports-and-presentations/investor-presentations/norwegian-air-shuttle_investor-presentation_wideroe-acquisition.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to a presentation to investors published by Norwegian</a>, has an important share composed of Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights. While these only represent 34% of its passengers and 20% of its ASK output, it represents 49% of all departures.
With such an important reach, the airline has 20% of the Norwegian market, but it has the monopoly into small communities.
<figure id="attachment_208317" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-208317" style="width: 950px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-208317" src="http://aviacionline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/dd551167-a12c-49f2-9811-af2a64ee69ab.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="720" srcset="https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/dd551167-a12c-49f2-9811-af2a64ee69ab.jpg 960w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/dd551167-a12c-49f2-9811-af2a64ee69ab-300x225.jpg 300w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/dd551167-a12c-49f2-9811-af2a64ee69ab-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-208317" class="wp-caption-text">Photo: Magne Egil Heitmann/Widerøe</figcaption></figure>
Norwegian thus believes that adding Widerøe&#8217;s capacity into its system will have a positive effect into the rest of its network. In other words, a passenger departing from Brønnøysund will be able to depart in a Dash 8 and connect into one of its 737s into Southern Norway or other international destinations the low-cost carrier (LCC) serves.
Such type of sale already happens at Widerøe&#8217;s sales channels, in fact; it sells connections with both Norwegian and SAS. However, Norwegian does not yet sell, in its website, connections to the regional carrier&#8217;s flights.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-208324" src="http://aviacionline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-1024x465.png" alt="" width="696" height="316" srcset="https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-1024x465.png 1024w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-300x136.png 300w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-768x349.png 768w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-1536x698.png 1536w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-696x316.png 696w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-1068x485.png 1068w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-925x420.png 925w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892-150x68.png 150w, https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2023/07/imagine_2023-07-09_233715892.png 1799w" sizes="(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px" />
And according to Norwegian, given the very different natures of both airlines, this means that there is hardly any overlap between the two in terms of routes. According to the press release, out of the 107 domestic Norway routes both fly, there is overlap in five. Internationally, <a href="http://cirium.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to data by Cirium&#8217;s Diio Mi application</a>, there is overlap in four.
Another very important aspect from the perspective of Norwegian is the seasonality. The presentation claims that Widerøe&#8217;s seasonality &#8212; the «relative max-min deviation from yearly average passenger number» is a fifth of the observed at the low-cost airline.
So incorporating the regional carrier into its system would bring a more constant stream of revenue, particularly with the PSO contracts, which only require reliability. It does not matter if the flight will carry one or 40 passengers, the flight will depart and the airline will be paid for it.
Norwegian said in the presentation synergies would amount, annually, to NOK200 to 300 million (EUR17.08 to 25.62 million). Despite «one-off implementation costs», the transaction is expected to be «highly accretive to earnings capacity» from 2024.
Thus, while this may add complexity to Norwegian&#8217;s main business model, it believes it is an efficient investment as it may even add some efficiency to Widerøe&#8217;s proposition, in a context where the regional airline is already mildly profitable. That is to say, it is already profitable, but it can improve its numbers with Norwegian&#8217;s market power, all while sensibly improving Norwegian&#8217;s footprint in its home country.
And the investment does make sense when put forward in this regional context. Perhaps the major question now would be whether Widerøe&#8217;s small fleet of three Embraer 190 E2, of which it was the maiden operator in the world, would be worth maintaining.
The E2 may give Widerøe more capacity in select routes, but domestically, there are no routes where it operates the majority of the airline&#8217;s frequencies, according to Cirium. Meanwhile, in nine international routes, it has the majority of frequencies, and in three of these it faces competition with Norwegian.
Still, in the other six, with the technical exception of Bergen and Sandefjord to Florence, Norwegian could eventually swap the E2 by its larger 737. If the airline could fill these flights with 76 more seats is another question, but it seems unlikely that having an entire different fleet for only a few routes would make sense financially.
And because this acquisition does not seem to have the scope of wiping a competitor out of the market, given the very limited level of overlap between the two, it seems that this is a combination that can work very well for Norwegian. This time again with added complexity, but a manageable (and profitable) one.

Analysis: why Norwegian’s Widerøe acquisition makes sense

On July 6, an auction will take place for two Airbus A350 that were part of the fleet of the multinational carrier Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), according to Aero Telegraph.
In September 2022, it was announced that the airline would seek to return ten aircraft to the leasing companies that owned those planes. This measure would be part of SAS&#8217;s voluntary restructuring process under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States.
See also: <a href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/06/un-segundo-embraer-190-recibio-el-livery-de-aerolineas-argentinas-en-fadea/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SAS seeks to return ten aircraft as part of its restructuring process</a>
<h3>The two SAS Airbus A350 to be auctioned off</h3>
The published list included one Boeing 737-700, three Airbus A320neos, one A321, three A330-300, and the two aforementioned A350-900.
First of the two narrow-body aircraft to be auctioned was registered as SE-RSB (MSN 378) and was leased from FLIP No.247 Co. Ltd. It has been stored in Victorville, United States, since January 2023. It now carries the Irish registration EI-HJZ and is owned by Sparrow Aviation Holding, based in Dublin.
The second one is the A350-900 that operated for SAS with the registration SE-RSC (MSN 391). The airline had leased the aircraft from FS World Leasing Co. It has been stored in Tarbes, France, since November 2022.
The intention is to sell them to the highest bidder. All equipment, documents, and records related to the aircraft, as well as claims under the bankruptcy proceedings, will also be put up for sale.
See also: <a href="http://aviacionline.com/2023/05/scandinavian-airlines-returns-to-africa-after-17-years-launches-seasonal-flights-to-agadir-morocco/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scandinavian Airlines Returns to Africa after 17 Years: Launches Seasonal Flights to Agadir, Morocco</a>

Scandinavian