SKT-DK

The new A330E is due to be delivered in Q2 this year.

kharte

OK - thanks. Where have you seen this, or how do you know it??

highupinthesky

It's frame number 1928 (SE-REH ) on this list. https://aibfamily.flights/production-list/A330/0,100 Frame number 1925 was spottet in primer on March 5, and frame 1937 was spottet in primer today, so the new lady must be close. I heard rumor about delivery in May.

kharte

Thkx a lot.

SKT-DK

Well, for a starter the official SAS press release (can be found on sasgroup.net) says "delivery in spring 2019", so that is a good place to start
In general every report about it says "Q2" or "spring", which is echoed by people internally in SAS.

SK AAR

My prediction is that as long as it still makes (economical) sense to fly LN-RKP it will not be sold, redelivered or scrapped. Most likely it will be used to expand the SAS network when the new birds arrive.

highupinthesky

They might keep it around as a true spare plane until the first A350 arrives in November, but I doubt they will keep it in order to expand the network. It's too old, and if what I was told about a month ago is true, it's up for heavy maintenance sometime next year, depending how busy they keep her.

CPH-Flyer

They might as well keep it around until a heavy maintenance becomes due. It has virtually zero cost in doing so, and it is not like they reduce the residual value by waiting 6 to 12 months from now.. Residual value is close to nothing already.

highupinthesky

Parking an aircraft in CPH, ARN or OSL isn't cheap, and they need it in one of those airports if they want to keep it as a spare bird. But it still make sense to keep her until one of the younger A340 is made redundant by the A350's, which also make sense when you look at the numbers. SK is going to get 8 A350's and they have 8 A340's incl the old lady.

CPH-Flyer

True there is parking, but they might get a good deal with CPH?

I hope the exercise some options, otherwise the A350 will not really give room for route expansion if the A340 goes away with the same speed as the A350 comes in

highupinthesky

I doubt this. Both CPH and ARN airport are lacking physical space for gates and parking planes. I don't know about OSL.

I guess the long haul expansion will be through the A321LR's over the next couple of years. SK's A340's will turn 20 when the last A350 arrive, so I doubt they will keep them around for long. I know Swiss is refurbishing their A340's at the moment, but they are about 3 years younger than the SK's, so they still have 5 years left before they turn 20. The SK A340's were around 15 years old when they refurbished them.

My best guess is we will see a new SK order for long haul flights in 1-2 years time. They will need some replacements for the 4 old A330's before they become too old. We might see a fleet expansion as part of this order. But it's purely speculations based on the data I can see in planesportters etc.