Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and Braathens Regional Airways (BRA) have announced a long-term partnership to bolster domestic air travel within Sweden, with the latter operating domestic flights on behalf of the latter.
Building connections in Stockholm
On September 17, SAS announced that it has reached a long-term wet lease partnership agreement with BRA, which will provide capacity on key domestic routes in Sweden.
In addition, the agreement will result in additional capacity feeding into SAS’ hub at Copenhagen Airport (CPH).
According to SAS, the partnership with the Swedish carrier will ensure its ability to meet domestic demand while also optimizing operations and improving regional air services across Scandinavia.
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On the same day, SAS announced that it would launch flights from CPH to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in May 2025.
The five weekly itineraries to SEA would be underpinned by feeder services through the Danish capital’s airport, with SAS stating that flight schedules from/to SEA have been designed to maximize connectivity with the rest of its network.
Strengthening Stockholm’s positions
Nevertheless, Anko van der Werff, the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of SAS, remarked that the partnership was a testament to the airline’s commitment to Sweden.
“By integrating BRA’s expertise and fleet, we are not only enhancing Swedish infrastructure but also positioning Arlanda as a stronger central hub for domestic and international travel.”
Van der Werff added that the two carriers’ agreement will significantly improve connectivity and allow SAS to offer more seamless and frequent services between major and regional cities.
The CEO expressed hope that, as a result, Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) will become a stronger international hub that would support business and leisure travelers with more convenient travel options.
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Per Braathen, the chairman of BRA, highlighted the regional airline’s experience and modern fleet, which should allow BRA to contribute to securing domestic air connectivity in Sweden, something that was critical to the country’s economic growth.
To note, the Swedish government recently removed taxes ranging from SEK76 ($7.46) to SEK504 ($49.48). The move, effective July 1, 2025, was welcomed by industry stakeholders, including the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
In a statement on September 3, Rafael Schvartzman, the regional vice president for Europe of IATA, said that it was “excellent news” that the Swedish government decided to scrap the tax, which was “counterproductive economically and ineffective environmentally.”
SAS has already outlined its plans to grow at ARN, saying that it would increase frequencies from/to seven domestic destinations in 2025. Furthermore, the airline said that its domestic network from ARN will number 14 routes as it expands domestic operations in the Swedish capital.
Wet lease operations
Wet leasing aircraft would not be a new development for SAS, which already wet leases a significant number of aircraft from several providers. This includes Ireland’s CityJet, Denmark-based Jettime, and the subsidiary of Estonia’s Nordica, Xfly.
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In total, the trio wet leases 37 aircraft to SAS: seven ATR 72-600, two Boeing 737-800, and 28 Mitsubishi CRJ900s, which operate regional routes on behalf of the Scandinavian airline.
Data from the aviation analytics company Cirium showed that the three airlines have been scheduled to operate 1,139 weekly flights on behalf of SAS in September.