SAS CEO eyes new era of transatlantic collaboration

Scandinavian Airlines’ (SAS) switch to SkyTeam and eventual entry to the Air France-KLM transatlantic joint venture (JV) will unlock a new era of collaboration for the carrier, according to CEO and President Anko van der Werff. Van der Werff, speaking during a keynote interview at Routes Europe 2024, highlighted the move as an opportunity to tap into partnerships that were previously out of reach during SAS' 27-year tenure in the Star Alliance, which it co-founded with Air Canada, Lufthansa, Thai Airways and United Airlines in 1997. “We want to get to a new level of partnerships,” van der Werff said. “I am a firm believer that what we're have right now within Star is setting us back in time. Airline partnerships have evolved. A codeshare cooperation is nice—and we’re definitely going to [codeshare] with our SkyTeam partners—but I think the real benefit is in joint bottom-line management in one way or another.” SAS' restructuring plan, which received U.S. court approval in March, is expected to conclude by the end of the first half of 2024, enabling the airline to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As part of the reorganization, SAS has secured investment from a consortium including Air France-KLM and the Danish state, leading to its departure from the Star Alliance on Aug. 31 and the initiation of the process to join SkyTeam. SAS is currently in "advanced negotiations" with SkyTeam and its members to develop and expand extensive commercial relationships.<br/>