SAS Scandinavian Plans Significant Expansion of Regional Jet Fleet Through SAS Link Subsidiary

SAS Scandinavian Airlines is setting the stage for a substantial expansion of its regional jet operations, specifically through its SAS Link subsidiary, which currently operates Embraer E195 aircraft. This was disclosed by Henrik Winell, Vice-President (Network) at SAS, during the Routes Europe conference as covered by Aviation Week.

The airline, headquartered in Copenhagen, is actively exploring strategies to increase the number of E195 jets within its regional fleet while considering how to effectively integrate these with its smaller, wet-leased regional aircraft. “We see massive potential in the Link fleet and are considering how to incorporate additional smaller-gauge aircraft into our operations, potentially through wet-leasing,” Winell commented.

Currently, SAS Link operates a fleet of ten E195s, and while specific numbers for the intended growth were not disclosed, it’s clear that the expansion would not surpass the size of SAS’s narrowbody fleet, which includes 90 aircraft like the A321-200NX(LR) for less dense long-haul routes.

Additionally, Winell mentioned that if SAS were to introduce another fleet type, it would likely continue using a wet-lease arrangement but did not foresee SAS Link operating ATR or CRJ aircraft directly. SAS currently wet-leases several regional aircraft, including six ATR72-600s and a combination of CRJ900s from Xfly and CityJet, totaling 22 aircraft.

In parallel, Anko van der Werff, CEO of SAS, highlighted a strategic shift in the airline’s North American operations at the same conference. Following a 19.9% investment by Air France-KLM, SAS is transitioning its alliance focus from Star Alliance to Skyteam, which will influence its route network in North America. The airline is set to prioritize Skyteam hubs, moving its New York operations from Newark to JFK and replacing Chicago O’Hare with Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson as a key hub.

These developments underline SAS’s commitment to both expanding its regional operations and refining its international route strategy in alignment with its new alliance partnership, positioning itself for growth and greater efficiency in its fleet operations and global network.