SCANDINAVIAN Airlines (SAS) will suspend its daily Copenhagen-Bangkok flights from April 7, 2013 but will continue to operate the service during winter, citing lower-than-expected yields as well as growing competition from Thai Airways International (THAI) and Middle East carriers.
Both THAI and Qatar Airways operate direct flights to Stockholm and Oslo, while Emirates serves Copenhagen. Qatar has also announced plans to fly to Helsinki.
SAS has been operating the Copenhagen-Bangkok route since 1949 and was instrumental in helping to establish THAI – it previously held a stake in the latter and provided management and technical expertise. Several years ago, SAS decided to drop the Bangkok-Singapore tag-on and designated Bangkok as its hub for South-east Asia.
The two Airbus A340-300 aircraft that will be freed from the suspension of flights to Bangkok will be redeployed to SAS’ new Copenhagen-San Francisco service.
SAS will work with customers booked on the suspended flights to secure alternative travel arrangements with fellow Star Alliance member airlines, namely THAI and Singapore Airlines.
