FT Guest xyzpdq

Just spend some time trying to map out historical SK IC routes. Thought it might be interesting for other FT’ers as well.

I was struck by how innovative SAS was in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. Quite an extensive route network a various points of time. Imagine travelling to TYO with 7 stops - a trip of almost 40 hours. Or a “run” to JNB with just five stops.

Below please find a list of what I have been able to identify. I have mainly used www.sasgroup.net and www.sasflightops.com and http://www.travelmarket.dk/business/...arMonth=200811 as sources. I have focused on IC destinations only and I have not included cargo only routes.

I have tried to apply the final destination as the reference point, and thus not considered more technical stops in eg. SFJ and YWG on the SEA and LAX routes as destinations in their own right. Although this can be argued. Further several of the earlier IC routes had connections in Scandinavia before heading out to concur the world.

I likely do not have all routes and variations and inaugural years have way easier to find than termination year. Please do not hesitate to add and comment. To my knowledge destinations such as Toronto and Santiago de Chile have also been served, but I could not find the facts

Bold indicates current route.

Updated to post 20

Enjoy

FT Guest xyzpdq

NORTH AMERICA

CPH-LAX (1952-1994)
Initially CPH-THU-YEG-LAX.
From 1954 on the Polar Route CPH-SFJ-YWG-LAX.
Also served via SEA as CPH-SEA-LAX and as CPH-BGO-SEA-LAX.
Direct service introduced in the early 70s

CPH-NYC (1946-

STO-NYC (1947-
For a period served via BGO and SVG, as STO-BGO-NYC and STO-SVG-NYC. See below

CPH-YUL (1963-?)

CPH-ORD (1964-
Initially served as an extension to the CPH-YUL route.
Direct service introduced in ?

CPH-SEA (1966-2009)
Initially CPH-SFJ-YWG-SEA. Also served via BGO for some time. Direct service introduced in the early 70s

CPH-BGI-POS (1969-?)
Bridgetown and Port of Spain.
Via ZRH

ARN-GOT-NYC (1977-?)

ARN-GEN-NYC (?-?)

GOT-GEN-NYC (?-?)

OSL-NYC (1978-2004, 2011- )
The route was suspended from 2004 to 2011 (March)

ARN-ORD (1998-

CPH-IAD (2001-

CPH-SFO (2013-

SVG-IAH (2014-
Business class only

SAS has operated on all three NYC airports. Initially on LGA, then on JFK and from 1989 on EWR.

FT Guest xyzpdq

ASIA

CPH-BKK (1949- 2013)
Initially CPH-ZRH-FCO-DAM-BSR-KHI-CCU-BKK.
From 1967 on the Trans Asian Express CPH-TAS-BKK.
Later on served one different routes: In 1979 there was three routes to BKK: One via DEL (SK971), one via KHI (SK973) and one via ATH and KWI (SK983).
Direct service introduced ??
Seasonal (winter) only as of 2011/12 - suspended completely in 2013

CPH-TYO (1951-
Initially on CPH-ZRH-FCO-DAM-BSR-KHI-CCU-BKK-TYO.
From 1957 on the Trans Polar Route CPH-ANC-TYO (SK989) (1951-1957?).
From 1971 also serviced via CPH-SVO-TYO (SK981) Service still existed in 1979.
TYO alose serviced as an extentension on the CPH-ATH-KWI-(CCU)-BKK-MNL-TYO run (SK983)
Direct service was introduced in ??

CPH-CCU (1951-?)
Serviced via ATH, and KWI on SK938
Service still in place in 1979

CPH-CCU (1951-?)
Part of the BKK and TYO runs
Service still in place in 1979

CPH-JKT (1958-?).
Technical stops must have been required. Initial route not known. From 1967 JKT must likely have been added to the Trans Asian Express?

CPH-SIN (1968-
Initially on the Trans Asian Express CPH-TAS-BKK-SIN.
From 1990-199? with a direct service
From 199? to 200? as an extension on CPH-BKK-SIN

CPH-DEL (1973-19??, 1995-19??, 200?-2009)

CPH-SFJ (? - March 2003, 2007-2009)
2007-2009 it was operated with an A319.

CPH-KWI (1977-?)
Part of the BKK run via ATH (SK983)
Service still in place in 1979

CPH-MNL (?-?)
Serviced via ATH, KWI, CCU and BKK on SK938

CPH-JED (SK787) (1978-)
Via ATH or CAI

CPH-BEY (SK 783) (?-?)
Via ATH
Service in place in 1979

CPH-BGW (SK 783) (?-?)
Via ATH and BGW and DAM
Service in place in 1979

CPH-DAM (SK 783) (?-?)
Via ATH and BGW
Service in place in 1979

CPH-CAI (SK785 + SK787) (?-?)
Service in place in 1979

CPH-THR (SK791) (?-?)
Service in place in 1979

ARN-BKK (1985-2009)

CPH-PEK (1998-

CPH-HKG (1992-1999)

ARN-HKG (2015-)

CPH-KIX (1994-1996/7)

CPH-PVG (2005-2007, 2012 -
The route was suspended from 2007 to 2012

ARN-PEK (2007-2009)

CPH-DXB (2007-2011)
Seasonal (winter) only

NRT-BGO (??-
Summer only 4-6 flights each summer

FT Guest xyzpdq

AFRICA

STO-CPH-KRT/NBO (1951-1953)
Initially via ZRH, FCO and ATH.

STO-CPH-KRT-NBO-JNB (1953-1968)
Initially via ZRH, FCO and ATH

CPH-KRT-NBO-DAR-JNB (1968-?)
Dar-Es-Salaam added to the African Route
Later on KRT was eliminated as a stop over.
In 1979 one weekly flight was via ZRH to NBO (SK963), and one weekly via VIE, NBO and DAR to JNB (SK961)

STO-CPH-LOS (1976-?)
Via DUS

FT Guest xyzpdq

SOUTH AMERICA

CPH-GIG-MVD (1947-1992). Discontinued when code share with Varig is introduced?
Initially via LIS and GRU. From 1988 direct

Cupart

I did the CPH-JNB segment (in a DC10 I believe) around Aug/Sep in 1985 and the route was chopped very soon after that. SAS had a Swedish woman in charge of the Ground Handling at Jan Smuts International Airport.

Never got to fly back to CPH on SK metal after that and came back to Europe on home leave in 1987 on other carriers via ZRH, FRA, LIS, ROM etc...

My mother was a SAS airhostess in the late 60's to the mid 70's (the light blue uniforms with big gold buttons and the little felt hat with the SAS wings) and have told me that in those days being a CC was the high life, but hard work. It was not unusual to have 5 days stop over in Los Angeles or Anchorage and only working the LAX-ANC segment for a week or so... Strange to hear her talk about SAS with enthusiasm when we know what it's like these days. I guess the unions have done what they could to bring the airline down (IMHO)...

Will try and get more info out of her and post it here...

Hagbard Viking

LAX ended in 1994. There was direct service CPH-LAX and CPH-SEA-LAX already with DC-8 in the early 1970's, perhaps already late 60's. There was also a once weekly CPH-BGO-SEA-LAX for some years.

For several years this was routed ARN-BGO-JFK, there was also JFK-SVG-ARN a few days a week.

There was also (alternate days) CPH-YUL-ORD and CPH-BGO-YUL-ORD.

see above

see above

Routings were: ARN-GOT-NYC, ARN-GEN-NYC, GOT-GEN-NYC

Started 1998.

FT Guest xyzpdq

Updated with input from Hagbard Viking and Cupart. Thanks

coastdk

Makes me feel so sad at what SAS has now become

BSJ

SAS to more than 30 intercontinental destinations - a retrospect. (In Danish)

http://www.travelmarket.dk/business/...arMonth=200811

Cupart

Forgot to say that we had a few hours stop over in NBO before continuing to JNB. Maybe you want to add this as well.

Some PAX got off here, some joined but everyone had to disembark for cleaning...

Robbiedeluxe

I remember flying SK to South America when I was about 4 years old, in 1989. My dad used to work overseas and I even remember people playing instruments on a flight back to Europe(!).

I also recall flying to Rio de Janeiro and Santiago de Chile. I believe those flights were operated by a 747, because I can actually remember the shape of the plane. I definitely also remember the stripes on the lower part of the fuselage.

Fun trivia: Outside the intl' terminal in Sao Paulo, there is today still a Scandinavian Airlines Systems sign for SK flights. I saw it last year and felt incredibly melancholic... Heh.

Edit: Do you all remember the old school pneumatic headphones? God, I hated them as a kid!

Cupart

OMG. I had luckily forgotten everything about those. Who came up with that instrument of torture? Your ears hurt after 15 min, but you just couldn't let go, watching the projected movie and kept being interrupted by PAX standing in the aisle, smoking and chit chatting

Now THAT's IC flying

Gnopps

There was also the SK flights BGO (?) to NRT or KIX recently. If I remember correctly they were charter but could be booked regularly as well.

oliver2002

Try searchin ebay for old SAS adverts, which have the route map from that era. I nearly bought an ad aimed at the NYC market with the tiger hunting in Delhi for tommy777