Summary
- Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is gradually phasing out its Boeing 737 fleet as part of its cost optimization measures and transition to a more streamlined aircraft fleet.
- The final commercial flight of the airline’s Boeing 737 nicknamed Dag Viking, will take place on November 19, 2023.
- SAS has successfully posted a quarterly profit for the first time since 2019, signaling progress on its path to financial recovery.
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) continues to bid farewell to its fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, gradually marking the end of the era of Boeing 737 operations and furthering its transition to a more streamlined aircraft fleet.
The airline’s Boeing 737, registered as LN-RRB and nicknamed Dag Viking, will make its final commercial service bearing the SAS livery on November 19, 2023. For those who wish to be part of this event, tickets for the SK737 flight are available on the SAS website.
Coming to the end of the era
The post-pandemic years have proven to be challenging for SAS due to financial difficulties. The airline, currently undergoing a restructuring process, has been on a mission to reduce the size of its fleet as a cost optimization measure.
Although Scandinavian Airlines had plans to become an all-Airbus operator before the global COVID-19 pandemic, the transition happened earlier than initially anticipated due to the pandemic’s impact.
As of now, the airline’s fleet consists of 94 aircraft, as per Planespotters.net. The majority of these aircraft are narrowbodies or regional jets, primarily serving the extensive European network.
While the Boeing 737 family used to play a vital role in this aspect of its operations, recent years have witnessed its significance diminish in favor of the Airbus A320 aircraft. The fleet includes 47 Airbus A320s, 17 Bombardier CRJ-900s, seven ATR 72s, seven Airbus A330s, five Boeing 737s, four Airbus A319s, four Airbus A350s, and three Airbus A321s.
Photo: Skycolors/Shutterstock
The five remaining Boeing 737-700s are among the oldest aircraft in the SAS fleet, with an average age of 18.9 years. Historically, the airline had a total of 116 Boeing 737 family aircraft in its fleet. According to ch-aviation.com, SAS has operated aircraft from five different Boeing 737 family variants, spanning from the 737-400 to the 737-800.
Progressing on the path to financial recovery
For the first time since 2019, SAS has posted a quarterly profit, showing the company’s recovery from the global health crises. The third quarter passenger numbers were also the highest since 2019. Commenting on the news, Anko van der Werff, the chief executive at SAS, said:
“We still have a lot of work ahead of us with our transformation to secure long-term competitiveness, but I consider this a clear sign that we are on the right track and that our efforts are paying off. “
Photo: Henrik A. Jonsson/Shutterstock
According to SAS, almost seven million passengers traveled with the airline during the period between May and July 2023. The airline also came out of the red by posting a net income of SEK461 million ($42 million).
What do you make of the situation with Scandinavian Airlines’ Boeing 737 fleet? Have you flown on its 737 aircraft? Let us know in the comments section below.
Sources: Planespotters.net, ch-aviation.com