Julian Moxon/PARIS
SAS says it could decide "by the end of the year" on its next airliner purchases, following the September delivery of its first Next Generation Boeing 737.
The Scandinavian airline is looking at replacing its 14 200-seat Boeing 767-300ERs with the Boeing 777 or a mix of Airbus A330s and A340s, providing it with badly needed extra capacity for North Atlantic routes. "We have load factors of around 90% on the 767s and, if we don't grow, we'll be teaching our passengers to fly with the competition," says an airline source.
A further decision will see Airbus A321s or Boeing 757s entering the fleet. SAS is "thinking of taking around 10 aircraft", the source says, adding that the number may be increased. "We need them to provide extra capacity on intra-Scandinavian routes and for eastern Europe destinations," it says.
SAS is revamping its image as part of an effort to compete with the growing number of airlines entering its traditional markets. It says around 80% of this is now under direct attack from carriers such as Norway's Braathens (in which KLM has a 30% stake and is allied with Transwede and Malm¿ Aviation) and Maersk Air, which, with Finnair and British Airways, have strengthened competition on the local regional market.
Source: Flight International
