SAS to link the UAE to Northern Europe

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Engström: the Dubai-Copenhagen service will provide convenient links to Scandinavia and Northern and Central Europe.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is set to launch its inaugural Dubai-Copenhagen (Denmark) flight on October 31.

The three times weekly service (Monday, Thursday and Sunday), operated by an Airbus A340, will not only provide convenient links to Scandinavia, but also to Northern and Central Europe. On the flip side the airline's general manager for the UAE, Magnus Engström, said there was strong leisure demand for Dubai in Northern Europe.

"There is increased awareness of what Dubai has to offer and it's an alternative to the popular tourist destinations such as Thailand and Gran Canaria," he explained.

"We feel Dubai could be a new winter destination for Scandinavians," he added.

Engström said he expected strong volumes of two-way business traffic considering the growing number of large reputable Scandinavian companies establishing their presence in the Middle East - Volvo, Tetrapak, Saab and Arla, to name but a few.

"I also believe there will be strong traffic flying via Dubai to other places in the GCC, as well as to India, Pakistan and Iran ," Engström added.

Since Scandinavia is a holiday destination that most Middle East travellers are yet to discover, SAS will test the market with some introductory holiday packages to coincide with the launch of the inaugural flight.

Trips to Lapland - home of reindeers and the Ice Hotel - will appeal to the family market, he said, while Sweden and Norway offer attractive winter ski alternatives to the Alps.

Engström said connections to Scandinavia, Baltic cities and North Europe were one of SAS's key selling points over other European airlines serving Dubai.

"We also have good connections to Boston and Seattle (in the US), with connection times of around one hour 30 minutes," he said.

Engström also highlighted the A340's ‘economy extra' cabin - comparable to premium economy on Virgin Atlantic and World Traveller Plus on British Airways - as another of the carrier's USPs.

Cabin features include seats with a 38-inch pitch (compared to 32-inch in economy), a three-course menu, and a personal entertainment system with video on demand.

SAS also allows passengers to combine different cabin classes - for example, they may opt to travel in economy extra for a day flight, and then in business class for a night flight, allowing them to sleep.

Introductory return airfares from Dubai to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki will lead in at around AED 2200 (US $599) plus taxes.

SAS has appointed Dnata as its GSA in the UAE.

Travel agent and tour operator fam trips to Scandinavia are planned.

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