SAS and Apollo Sign Summer Charter Flight Agreement

SAS and Apollo have signed a summer 2022 charter agreement worth just over SEK 1.0 billion (US $103.5 million). Flights will depart from approximately 20 points in Sweden, Norway and Denmark to around 30 destinations in Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Albania and Turkey.

SAS Airbus A320neo - Courtesy SAS/Cision

On Thursday (March 10, 2022), SAS announced that they have signed a summer 2022 charter agreement with Apollo valued at just over SEK 1.o billion (US $103.5 million). Under the agreement, SAS will offer charter flights from around 20 locations in Sweden, Norway and Denmark to approximately 30 Mediterranean destinations in Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Albania and Turkey. The latest agreement is part of a three-year collaboration between SAS and Apollo and will provide a total capacity for around 150,000 passengers.

Including the new contract, the collaboration with Apollo is SAS’ largest agreement with a charter operator, representing a total value of around SEK 3.4 billion (US $352 million) over the first three years. SAS continues to phase in new fuel-efficient aircraft and now operates one of Europe’s youngest fleets. The charter flights will be operated with new Airbus a320neos, offering guests a more comfortable and sustainable travel experience.

Update: March 11, 2022

In a separate press release on Friday (March 11, 2022), SAS announced that Kammarkollegiet, the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency, has decided to extend their domestic services agreement with SAS through May 2023. The decision was based on environmental criteria such as average age of aircraft fleet, efforts being made to increase proportions of SAF, and a commitment to next generation carbon neutral aircraft powered by electricity and/or hybrid technology.

In Friday’s announcment, SAS’ Chief Commercial Officer, Karl Sandlund, said,

“We are proud and very pleased that Kammarkollegiet has decided to extend the agreement with SAS. This is the result of SAS’s long-term and ambitious sustainability work aimed at reducing emissions by 25 percent by 2025. We are continuing to phase in new fuel-efficient aircraft, and as a result, we now have one of Europe’s most modern aircraft fleets. The new aircraft will give our customers a more comfortable and sustainable way to travel.”

SAS is the leading airline in Scandinavia, normally carrying over 30 million passengers annually from its main hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm to 125 destinations in Europe, the US and Asia (pre-pandemic figures). The company has targeted a reduction in carbon emissions by 25 percent by 2025, compared to 2005 levels, and hopes to transition to 100% biofuel for domestic flights by 2030. SAS also offers ground handling services, technical maintenance and cargo services. The carrier is a founding member of the Star Alliance, which offers an extensive global network.

Source: SAS/Cision