SAS EuroBonus - SAS Intercontinental routes from spring 2010

Hello everyone!

This is my first post here!
I have been thinking about SAS and their intercontinental routes. SAS is today only flying from Copenhagen to Chicago, New York, Washington, Dubai, Bangkok, Beijing and Tokyo; from Stockholm to Chicago and New York; and Oslo doesn’t have any intercontinental traffic flown by SAS.

What are your suggestions? What intercontinental routes do you want to see being flown from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm? Write a list (or just single suggestions) and add a motivation.

There is of course no need to take the number of available aircrafts in to account for this, but realistic suggestions with the demand in mind are preferred.

I personally would like to see San Francisco as a new SAS destination (it was planned to start this fall but the route was cancelled) but it is up to you frequent flyers to make the decisions!
(Motivation: SFO attracts both business and pleasure travelers and it is United Airlines largest hub on the west cost to connections would be available.)

Please add your own thoughts!

// MrAirmax

Hello everyone!

This is my first post here!Welcome to FlyerTalk, MrAirmax.

I'm sorry to say that you're dreaming. Look at the last year of SAS operations and you see that they have been cutting routes and frequencies. Tommy777 and others have been leading campaigns to pressurise SAS to 'hold the line' on various aspects of EuroBonus, etc., with only limited impact. Everyone is feeling quite gloomy, in fact. Now might not be the best time to be wishing on a star. :(

cheers,

Henry

Thank you henry999!

I wouldn’t call it dreaming with SFO as destination, as a matter of fact if the economy turns now I believe it would be a potential route for SAS (if not next spring hopefully in the future), this is just what I am looking or here – potential routes. I am well aware of the fact that SAS have cut routes and this is why the question above interests me. Hopefully it interests others too.

Hopefully one of the Scandinavian capitals to Hong Kong. Hong Kong is really lacking a direct Star carrier to northern Europe, all travel is basically dominated by Finnair. Only option is Air China:td: via Beijing or expensive (and no miles) Singapore Airlines via Singapore.:td:

I wouldn’t call it dreaming with SFO as destination, as a matter of fact if the economy turns now I believe it would be a potential route for SAS (if not next spring hopefully in the future)...After they just cut the well-established and highly popular SEA route? Not a prayer.

cheers,

Henry

Hopefully one of the Scandinavian capitals to Hong Kong. Hong Kong is really lacking a direct Star carrier to northern Europe, all travel is basically dominated by Finnair. Only option is Air China:td: via Beijing or expensive (and no miles) Singapore Airlines via Singapore.:td:

Or Lufthansa via Frankfurt or SAS/Thai via Bangkok. Yes I know it is not direct, but I would prefer this routes than flying via Singapore.

Or Lufthansa via Frankfurt or SAS/Thai via Bangkok. Yes I know it is not direct, but I would prefer this routes than flying via Singapore.

OR: LX via ZRH^

The question should be:

"Which one of the existing routes would you rather not see killed?"

:(

There is unfortunately no hope that SAS will have the economy it requires to launch a new intercont route. A new route - no matter how popular it is destined to become - will mean huge losses for some time for any operator. SAS will just not be able to justify it right now.

Yes - it would definitely be the right thing to do - especially with two new competitors launching services from OSL both east and west in the coming year. But risk isn´t what SAS is prepared to take these days. The closure of one route after another is a clear proof of that.

After they just cut the well-established and highly popular SEA route? Not a prayer.

cheers,

Henry

Isn't Dubai canceled from next spring as well? Or is it a seasonal route?

I vote for SFO too, but I'm not holding my breath.

Also keep in mind that SAS has an excellent track record for predicting recessions/market crashes. As soon as they announced a new flight from CPH-SFO, the economy tanked within 12 months, as happened in 2000 and 2007.

So in the (unlikely) event they launch new IC routes, everyone should look out.

MrAirmax,

I guess that all the posts here are going to be pretty gloomy about the chances of SAS doing more Intercontinental. I believe that it is just a matter of time before SAS divest their Int business and becomes only a European Airline.

Residing in SFO myself and see no chance of SAS coming here again after having let go of the SEA route. Poor SAS management has for many years let go of great opportunities and new airlines are jumping at the opportunity.

Soon there will be 2 1/2 airlines (US Air only summer) doing OSL-NYC. This route is apparently making good money (sources from Continental). The Thai OSL- BKK route is also proof of opportunities foregone by SAS.

I have said this before, but the CPH hub idea of SAS is not working and they need to offer more direct flights from other cities, especially OSL.
BDA

Also keep in mind that SAS has an excellent track record for predicting recessions/market crashes. As soon as they announced a new flight from CPH-SFO, the economy tanked within 12 months, as happened in 2000 and 2007.


I'll keep that in mind, next time SK announces international expansion I am getting out of the stock market :D

Everybody wants direct IC route from thier "home" airport to the favorite destination - but that ain't going to happen!

When SK killed the SEA route this summer I was confused... The few times I have been on that route, it had been completely full and overbooked, but that might only counts for the summer, since lot of Scandinavians are going on vacation on the US west coast, and that was a time saving route for them! And I have once been living around SEA for a year, so I have a part of my heart there... :confused:

But hope for a route to SFO is most likely not going to happend soon... :rolleyes:

AFAIK SK still pays office etc. rent in SEA, just to keep the door open to relaunch the route at anytime within a limited timeframe, should the economy dare to rise!

I'm continuing my campaign for Charlotte/CLT. Otherwise I'd say Orlando/MCO but alas no Star hub there. The southern States are rather strong both for business and leisure travel. And CLT is quite pleasant for transfers as well.

The question should be:

"Which one of the existing routes would you rather not see killed?"



Exactly - and my bet for the two next routes to be cut are CPH-DXB from winter 2010/11 and CPH-BKK :rolleyes:

The fact that SAS cut SEA - one of the most well established routes on their network is in my book proof that there will be not SK IC expansion anytime sonn - if at all. Rather the opposite.

I too find that the SAS IC hub strategy is not working. But I believe that SAS should have established one hub, rather than 2-3 and then focused on establishing as many destiantions with a high frequency from that hub. With several hubs in place you need to maintain feeder networks, crew bases, support functions etc. there.

This one hub approach is what CO is doing in Scandinavia - putting in smaller aircrafts to feed their hub in EWR. And also what many european carriers is doing in BOS and SEA for that matter. Both are not established hubs by any of the US based carriers - but traffic can be generated from those cities to one hub. Right now SAS is applying a two hub strategy with just 9 (IIRC) IC planes to only 6(7) destinations :confused:

Hey!

For SFO, if you're travelling to the states - say midwest/west coast, flying to SFO will involve an amount of backtracking - that's a transfer in SFO, clearing customs there, taking out baggage and drop them then board that UA plane.

How is this better than flying for less hours by doing the same thing at IAD/ORD? The same procedurem, same amount of flights, with 3-4 hours less flying time.

SFO itself is a big market, but how many ppl actually fly directly to OSL/ARN?

If going further east, say Japan, then the SK983 is already perfect (and a classic route for SK). Maybe OSL-NRT during summer time as Japanese leisure pax loves Norway?

PVG could be a natual choice - connecting to some awkward cities in south China, even southeast asia, or that FM cross-strait to TPE. (if FM stays in *).

SIN and HKG - since SK left, the direct routes are left to SQ/CX - is this good?

The geographical location of Scandinavia is strategic for flying to the northern hemisphere from Europe - this should be leveraged - as the PEK NRT IAD flights.

Hey!
If going further east, say Japan, then the SK983 is already perfect (and a classic route for SK). Maybe OSL-NRT during summer time as Japanese leisure pax loves Norway?


SK flies BGO - NRT in the summer from early June to late September. I believe they use one of the 340`s.

Exactly - and my bet for the two next routes to be cut are CPH-DXB from winter 2010/11 and CPH-BKK :rolleyes:


My guess is that in the next step they move all IC business to CPH.

I don´t think they will cancel DXB but they must change the A/C type. As of next season they will compete wing on wing with DY on CPH-DXB (DY flies this route from OSL as well today and will expand it to CPH) with a new 738. They won´t be able to compete with a thirsty wide-body Airbus unless they manage to fly with a full business cabin. (Since this route is mostly leisure I don´t think that ever happens.)

Some of you have made some interesting suggestions and comments, keep them coming!

Personally I don't see why SAS should have IC routes at all? AFAIK they are doing a better result on their short-haul flights and don't really have many profitable IC routes. So why throw money away? I'd rather have smooth connections to FRA/LHR/MUC/VIE or some other *A hub from where I can fly onwards with a proper full-service airline. Read between the lines that I am not looking forward to my CPH-EWR in SK Economy tomorrow...

In my opinion TAP has made an excellent move to have flights from all Nordic capitals to LIS to feed their connections to Africa and South America. I think these are growing markets and SAS has made a big mistake not to have better connections to this growing *A hub.

Just my 2 cents...

I don´t think they will cancel DXB but they must change the A/C type. As of next season they will compete wing on wing with DY on CPH-DXB (DY flies this route from OSL as well today and will expand it to CPH) with a new 738. They won´t be able to compete with a thirsty wide-body Airbus unless they manage to fly with a full business cabin. (Since this route is mostly leisure I don´t think that ever happens.)

DY will fly 1x weekly from CPH.....in a cramped 737-800:td:

DY will fly 1x weekly from CPH.....in a cramped 737-800:td:

True, but they fly 3 times a week from OSL and ARN so you are quite well covered. Especially if you come from NO or SE to start with.

(And it´s actually not that cramped. They can´t fly with a full 738 on this route so all middle seats are blocked.)

Perhaps a bit OT but anyhow...

How much business did SK actually miss when concentrating IC to CPH. I can only speak for me, my colleagues and friends when I say that when from Stockholm, CPH feels just about as relative as any of the DE, CH, UK and NL hubs.

When not having the main objective of scoring points I see less and less reason supporting. And I am sad to say so.

Dear Mr Toyotaboy95,
I am happy about your interest in a direct flight from Hong Kong to Copenhagen. It was suspended for economical reasons in 1999. We were then operating with an aircraft that was not optimal for this route. Since then it has always been the plan to start operating to Hong Kong again but as we have a limited fleet of large aircraft we have to prioritize and have not choosen to open direct flights yet. In the current economical climate and with the ongoing cost savings, expansion is not the plan at the moment. When the economic situation is better we hope to see the return of the non stop Hong Kong to Copenhagen flight. In the mean time we offer a convenient connection via Bangkok and Bangkok. No other airline operate directly to Copenhagen from Hong kong either. We look forward to serving you well now and in the future.

Yours Sincerely
XXX
Account Executive – Corporate Sales

(And it´s actually not that cramped. They can´t fly with a full 738 on this route so all middle seats are blocked.)

Is this really true?
What is the seat pitch on a norwegian 737-800?

If decent one could likely stand it for the 6½ hours CPH-DXB. While the timing of the flights suck the price of DKK 9,500 for 2 adults and 2 children does not.

(And it´s actually not that cramped. They can´t fly with a full 738 on this route so all middle seats are blocked.)

Not all, but about the first 20 rows

Speaking about DXB:

It seems that Tim Clark, president of Emirates, has aired that they will open the much discusses DXB-CPH routes "within the next 12-24 months) according to aftenposten.no, and cited among other places here:
http://www.takeoff.dk/news.cfm?nNewsWeekly=0&nNewsId=22172

That would good news for connections to destinations beyond DXB, eg. SYD.

Hello everyone!
I personally would like to see San Francisco as a new SAS destination (it was planned to start this fall but the route was cancelled) but it is up to you frequent flyers to make the decisions!
(Motivation: SFO attracts both business and pleasure travelers and it is United Airlines largest hub on the west cost to connections would be available.)
// MrAirmax

Now that SAS is in *Alliance with CO it makes sense to cut EWR-ARN since CO flys the same route at nearly the same time. This should be replaced with a SFO-ARN. SEA does not make as much sense as SFO because UA has SO many flights a day to SFO intra-California and all other west coast cities. If one is on the East Coast fly via CPH or IAD. If one is mid-west ORD and all Nordic traffic from west coast via SFO. I am sure that flight would be support itself and be quite popular.

Plus a west coast connection makes more sense from the midwest than NYC because time is on your side. The flight would nee to arrive in the morning, but this would offer the attractive possible of flight leaving ARN late in the day TATL, once again.

In fact, I propose a one-stop ARN-SFO-SAN. :p SAN has not had a TATL flight since BA left after 9/11. When it launched, it made a quick stopover in PHX and later was non-stop. The San Diego Port Authority would probably offer all kinds of concessions to get a TATL flight back in SAN. The SK crew would love to stay in SAN especially, well most of the year, Fall-Winter-Spring. Our airport is conveniently located downtown and near the cruise ship terminal to Mexico.

It is good to have a dream

Hope DEL comes back.

Now that SAS is in *Alliance with CO it makes sense to cut EWR-ARN since CO flys the same route at nearly the same time. This should be replaced with a SFO-ARN. SEA does not make as much sense as SFO because UA has SO many flights a day to SFO intra-California and all other west coast cities. If one is on the East Coast fly via CPH or IAD. If one is mid-west ORD and all Nordic traffic from west coast via SFO. I am sure that flight would be support itself and be quite popular.

Brialliant idea ^


It is good to have a dream

Yep, I´m afraid that´s all it is but let´s keep up the hope that SAS once again will get offensive. With DY launching Scandinavia-BKK and Scandinavia-New York in 2011 SAS is getting even more pressure on the "business sense no brainer routes".