‍Dallas – SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK) is experiencing a revolution, with the aim of redefining and sharpening its competitive advantage to maintain and improve its position in the global panorama.

2024 and 25 are demonstrating to be defined by the time for them. SK has announced 28 new routes and updates of its products on board and passengers. Perhaps the most significant, they are joining Skyteam Alliance and serving with their new shareholders, Air France-KLM (AF-KL).

It is no secret that SK has fought financially in recent years, succumbing to the pressures of low -cost carriers, high operating costs and a work environment that changes rapidly. SK has made significant changes and improvements, such as simplifying its fleet removing its Boeing 737NG plane and replacing them, along with its oldest airbus fleet, with the Airbus A320neo, as well as the A321LR and the A350-900.

However, SK is far from finishing there.

SAS executive class in 2025

2025 is expected to be one of the most significant years and change the SK game. A remarkable improvement is the introduction of the short -distance executive class. This product has not yet been launched to the public and is scheduled to enter the service in October; however, Airways He was invited to join SK in his “test flight” of executive class. This flight took place on April 10 and marked its inaugural service from Copenhagen (CPH) to Madrid (Mad), Spain.

The short -distance executive class is a market that SK has missed for many years, instead of using its “Economy Plus” product. Economy Plus is essentially an economic class with a complementary meal. Apart from that, there is little to distinguish this product from the standard economic class. However, with its executive class, a much clearer distinction is expected, and is designed to raise the SK to industry standards.

In its new business class, which is said to be approximately 90% complete from this flight, the cabin will be divided first from the rest of the cabin with the use of a curtain. The medium seat will be blocked, allowing passengers additional storage, space and space for the legs, and food on board represents a marked improvement on that of the economy more.

As a reference, Economy Plus food is served in a cardboard box with wooden cutlery and is wrapped in plastic. The food itself is certainly better than many other economic class meals, but does not meet executive class standards.

On the contrary, executive class food served us on the way to Madrid represented a significant step in quality and presentation, with metal cutlery, ceramic plates and a considerable improvement in food itself. During the flight, they offered us a portion of mother dough with peppers, ham and salad, in addition to a breakfast based on eggs.

A vegetarian option was also available.

THE SAS OF THE FUTURE

On board this flight there were many members of the press, as well as the SK senior management, including EVP and CCO, Paul Verhagen and the head of Public Relations of SK in Denmark, Alexandra Lindgren, among others.

I had the opportunity to interview Cco Verhagen, who joined SK in August 2023, and has almost 20 years of experience in the industry in his belt.

Verhagen certainly showed a high level of optimism on this flight, which indicates that he really believes that the airline is on the right path and is doing everything possible for himself and his clients.

With respect to the new executive class of the airline, Verhagen and the airline decided to implement it based on several factors, including interviews in person with passengers and market changes.

While declared that the introduction of the economy was “Absolutely the right thing do At the time,“He acknowledged that the market has changed, especially from Covid, with a change towards more premium businesses and Leisure trips. He also mentioned that implementing a short distance executive class “It also does It is easier to be aligned with Some of our other aerial partners offering this product“As Air France and Klm.

So what can passengers expect from the SK executive class in the coming months and years? Well, access to the living room is a priority that SK and CCO Verhagen want to emphasize, especially in the so -called “stations outside the airlines”, airports that are not their centers (Copenhagen (CPH), Oslo (OSL), Stockholm (RNA)), such as Madrid or other airports where SK does not have a lunge. In addition, the Economy Plus product of the airline also does not offer access to the living room; Therefore, the addition of access to the living room is something that SK does not want to underestimate.

Verhagen especially emphasized that the executive class experience should begin before addressing the plane, including aspects such as access to the living room. In addition, other services, such as priority shipment, improved restoration, a central blocked seat and a welcome drink (depending on the duration of the flight), they are also details that they hope to present with their finished executive class product.

Improvements will also be made to the wider experience. In the Economy Class, SK will implement a purchase coffee in very widely expanded from April 15 and will present Starlink at high speed Internet to its entire fleet, from the end of 2025. This service is planned to be free for the members of Eurobonus of the airline, regardless of its state.

Broader issues

SAS has largely completed its Star Alliance to Skyteam transition. After joining Skyteam on September 1, 2024, the transition has not been easy, but it has been remarkably soft in general. The biggest challenge was to integrate and transform the airline’s IT system to meet Skyteam standards, after it had intertwined with Star Alliance systems for 25 years.

Now that SK has joined Skyteam, the airline intends to operate in a complementary role to the other 19 airlines of the alliance, which serves as a so -called “network bearer” and improves connectivity through its three Scandinavian centers.

An anomaly in the SK fleet is its three Airbus A321Lrs. Originally introduced at the end of March 2022 to connect smaller Scandinavian cities, such as Bergen (BGO) and Gothenburg (GOT), with larger American destinations, since then they have been integrated into the main services of the SK centers, complementing their wide body operations.

However, Cco Verhagen certainly does not see them as simple force multipliers after their original use became redundant. Instead, he sees them as vital assets to test new market routes. He cited the SK example starting the service to Boston (BOS) in September 2021, and now operate their A350-900 badge. Regarding their future use, Verhagen sees them as able to connect SK centers with US secondary cities and integrate them into the Skyteam Partner Delta Air Lines (DL) colleagues network.

Concluding our interview, Verhagen described its three main objectives for the next five years in SK: establish SK as a premium airline, develop it in a network carrier and, most importantly, to ensure that it is profitable and sustainable.

The new SAS routes

As stated, SK’s place for its executive class test was also its inaugural flight from Copenhagen to Madrid, using an Airbus A320neo. The flight was SK581, leaving at 8:50 am and arriving just before noon. This is one of the 28 new routes that SK will launch this year from its three centers to 17 different countries.

There are a handful of unexpected destinations, such as Beirut (Bey) and Seoul (ICN), as well as routes that SK has previously neglected, including a connection with Greenland. SK will begin operations to the new Nuuk (GOH) airport from June 27 to August 29, competing with the Greenland, Air Groenland (GL) carrier.

The SK summer season reflects the desire of the airline to improve connectivity in Scandinavia and demonstrate its value for the Skyteam alliance.

Conclusion

SAS Scandinavian Airlines is not an airline that is content to stay on the road. He has also been honest about his defects and is willing to collaborate with new partners to achieve his objectives. They are not afraid to put aside the feeling, but prefer to make the intelligent decision instead of the emotional.

SAS has made the game with the situations they face, being proactive and conducting their research to ensure that they execute their goals correctly. They have an enthusiastic attitude; However, this is based on research instead of the ego.

This new and something optimistic nature can encourage them to become an indispensable member of the Skyteam Alliance and give new life to what has been missing for many years.

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