SAS and SIA to Increase Flights, Operate Jointly between Singapore and Scandinavia

Singapore Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines have agreed to boost services between Singapore and destinations in Scandinavia – with Sweden’s capital Stockholm potentially among the cities to be served non-stop from the Asian hub.

Under a memorandum of understanding signed on January 12, the two Star Alliance partners plan to co-operate on existing and new flights.

Subject to regulatory approval, SAS and SIA plan to conduct joint operations between Scandinavia and Singapore, coordinating their flight schedules and joint sales activities. The carriers say joint operations would enhance efficiency and would offer travelers greater choice and flexibility.

Scandinavian Airlines primarily operates Airbus A340-300s on its long-haul service between Scandinavia and Asia

SIA currently operates three weekly flights between Singapore and Denmark’s capital Copenhagen. The carriers expect the partnership to lead to growth in services between Singapore and Scandinavia, and, depending on market conditions, pave the way for a new route between Singapore and Stockholm. No airline currently operates non-stop flights between the two cities.

“We are extremely pleased to have reached this breakthrough agreement,” says Mak Swee Wah, Singapore Airlines’  executive vice president commercial. “SIA and SAS share a common desire to provide more travel choices to our customers, and through our partnership we can jointly offer more flights between our home markets, which would otherwise be difficult to provide on our own.”

Singapore Airlines has been codesharing on SAS-operated flights beyond Copenhagen to Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm since December 2010.

Scandinavian Airlines has in turn been codesharing on SIA-operated flights between Copenhagen and Singapore as well as on selected flights between Singapore and Bangkok.

In May 2011, the airlines signed a letter of intent to explore ways to develop their partnership further. The memorandum of understanding signed on January 12 is a major step forward in this process, say the two carriers.