Scandinavian Airlines vicina alla bancarotta?


SAS Scandinavian Airlines rules out low-cost carrier strategy

SAS Scandinavian Airlines president and CEO Rickard Gustafson has said he will push to make the airline’s mainline division more competitive, rather than setting up a low-cost unit.
The comments, which were said at the release of SAS’third-quarter results, follow Air France-KLM and Lufthansa’s drive to develop their budget operations under a separate brand.
“Even though some European legacy carriers are trying to build their own low-cost subsidiaries, we are staying firm that we will create a competitive cost base within SAS,” Gustafson said.
He compared SAS’s operation—made up of 70% short-haul and 30% long-haul—with Lufthansa’s network, which is the exact opposite—30% short-haul and 70% long-haul operations.
“We cannot count on an easing in the competitive environment to carry us forward and increase our results. That’s why we are driving our transformation agenda so hard, accelerating our efforts to meet the pricing pressure with cost take-outs and asking how we can further enhance our productivity, because that’s what it’s going to take.
Ryanair chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs recently warned that competition is set to intensify between SAS and Norwegian this fall, as part of an impending “bloodbath” in Europe over the next five years, which will be driven by overcapacity.
“We see both of those airlines have fares below what we know is the average cost, so I think it’s starting there already. If there is a price war, it comes down to who can go the furthest. I think you’ll start to see—not quite a bloodbath—but some bruising come November,” he said.

http://atwonline.com/finance-data/s..._campaign=Feed:+AtwDailyNews+(ATW+Daily+News)
 

“We see both of those airlines have fares below what we know is the average cost, so I think it’s starting there already. If there is a price war, it comes down to who can go the furthest. I think you’ll start to see—not quite a bloodbath—but some bruising come November,” he said.

A me sembra che il prezzo medio del biglietto aereo invece si sia alzato, soprattutto sul corto-medio. C'è qualche studio al riguardo? Su CAPA non ho trovato nulla.

DaV
 
SAS ha avviato le procedure di licenziamento per 100 assistenti di volo che si sono opposti ai piani del management di separare con una tenda invece di un muro il crew rest dalla cabina passeggeri su 4 A330 che verranno utilizzati sulle rotte intercontinentali piu' brevi com la ARN-ORD.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...cabin-crew-in-row-over-rest-area-cordons.html

Divide ed impera: i sindacati svedesi non mollano? A casa gli svedesi e Stoccolma-Chicago affidato a personale norvegese. Dura lex, sed lex.
 
SAS posts $94 million fiscal year net loss; raises cost cutting target

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has added another SEK2.1 billion ($273.5 million) to its cost savings target after swinging to a SEK719 million full-year net loss compared with a SEK1.4 billion prior-year net profit.

Despite the weaker performance, SAS CEO Rickard Gustafson said he is expecting to deliver “slightly positive” earnings before taxes for the 2014-2015 financial year started Nov. 1.

For the year ended Oct. 31, group revenues fell 9.9% year-over-year to SEK38 billion, while unit revenues were down 5.8%. Expenses lowered 4.4% to SEK37.9 billion, triggering a 4% improvement in unit costs. This produced an operating profit of SEK153 million, down 94.1% from a SEK2.6 billion profit in the prior year. The bottom line was also depressed by SEK1.3 billion in restructuring costs.


Traffic rose 6.3% to 30.7 billion RPKs on a 4.5% increase in capacity to 41 billion ASKs, producing a load factor of 74.9%, up 1.3 points. Yield dipped 7.4% as RASK lowered 5.8% and CASK decreased 2.8%. CASM ex-fuel was down 2.2%.


During a phone briefing on Thursday, Gustafson said unit costs have been cut by 10% since the airline hit a crisis point in late 2012. A large part of these savings (around SEK1.2 billion) came from reduced and outsourced personnel costs; the group’s headcount now stands at 12,329, 17% down on the 14,903 employees it had in 2012.


Other savings came from centralizing and cutting back on administration, new union agreements and pension schemes, the divestment of non-core businesses (including subsidiary carrier Wideroe) and an increased focus on wet-lease capacity.


However, despite having met the SEK3 billion target set in 2012, Gustafson said more action is needed. With that in mind, he announced a further SEK2.1 billion in cuts for the period 2015-2017, firming up and building on a tentative plan for at least SEK 1 billion in savings for 2014-15 which was announced in June.


“We have delivered on our commitment, but the European aviation market is not standing still. It is characterized by low profits and severe competition and that requires us to do even more,” Gustafson said.


This latest cost-cutting drive will affect all areas of the business, including SEK250 million from administration, sales and distribution, SEK200 million from ground handling, SEK250 million from supply chain and logistics, SEK200 million from facilities and rental agreements and SEK300 million from maintenance.


Gustafson flagged “significant changes” in the industry, such as more flexible flight crew set-ups, outsourcing and the creation of units for specific aircraft types. “The industry has developed towards a new norm and we need to reflect that by increasing our flexibility to be competitive. We have initiated discussion with our unions so that, together, we can find a way to navigate towards this new norm,” Gustafson said.


When asked for further information about these talks, Gustafson replied that the European airline industry is moving fast and, to face reality, SAS needs greater flexibility in its set-up. He declined to speculate on the outcome of the discussions.


Earlier this month, SAS announced plans to acquire Danish regional airline Cimber, rescuing it from closure. However, SAS plans to use Cimber as a platform for its own Bombardier CRJ900 operations, so Cimber’s staff and operation will still be disbanded. “Together, the structural changes to Cimber and Blue1 are expected to generate an earnings impact of SEK250 million,” SAS said in its end of year report.

http://atwonline.com/finance-data/s...scal-year-net-loss-raises-cost-cutting-target
 
SAS lancia le Cafè Lounges, spazi vicini al gate che fungeranno da business lounge negli aeroporti domestici dove sono assenti le lounge tradizionali (praticamente tutti, tranne Goteborg). Si inizia con TRD e TOS:

SAS launches Café Lounges

January 22, 2015 08:00 / SAS News / English
SAS will open its new Café Lounge concept at Trondheim and Tromsø Airport, Norway, during April and May. SAS Café Lounges will complement existing SAS lounges and are designed for SAS most frequent flyers.
This new SAS lounge concept is designed to meet the needs of the most frequent flyers today. SAS Café Lounges will offer a dedicated and relaxing environment where SAS customers can spend time in and work effectively. The Lounges will be located close to the departure gate and offer WiFi internet access, tea, coffee and pastries.
“We are absolutely thrilled to launch yet another in-demand product, the SAS Café Lounge. Our most frequent flyers appreciate time saving services such as Fast Track, which is why we are now offering an additional service designed especially for them. Fast flows are important on our domestic market and customers can work effectively in our Café Lounges located close to the gate,” says Eivind Roald, Executive Vice President Commercial at SAS.
The first SAS Café Lounges will open in April in Trondheim, followed by Tromsø in May. During 2015, a number of SAS Café Lounges, Service Points and other self service products will be opened at Scandinavian airports.

link

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DaV
 
SAS transfers a landing and take-off right (”slot-pair”) at London Heathrow and generates a positive earnings impact of 60M USD

SAS has entered into a slot transaction with a major international air carrier that will take over one slot-pair at London Heathrow from SAS at the beginning of the summer traffic program on 29 March 2015.

The transaction will generate a positive earnings impact of the equivalent of MUSD 60 for SAS to be accounted for during the second quarter of the fiscal year 2014/2015 with a corresponding cash effect during the fiscal year 2014/2015.

SAS is the fifth largest airline operating at London Heathrow measured in number of departures and had before this transaction 21 daily slot-pairs at London Heathrow, which now will be reduced to 20 daily slot-pairs.

SAS operates from London Heathrow to Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo, Stockholm and Stavanger. Even after the transaction, SAS will continue to offer a strong and comprehensive network between Scandinavia and London Heathrow. The intention is to keep the seat capacity to/from London Heathrow through the use of larger aircraft on remaining departures. Furthermore, SAS will consider the use of other airports in the London-region.

SAS Investor Relations
 
SAS transfers a landing and take-off right (”slot-pair”) at London Heathrow and generates a positive earnings impact of 60M USD

SAS has entered into a slot transaction with a major international air carrier that will take over one slot-pair at London Heathrow from SAS at the beginning of the summer traffic program on 29 March 2015.

The transaction will generate a positive earnings impact of the equivalent of MUSD 60 for SAS to be accounted for during the second quarter of the fiscal year 2014/2015 with a corresponding cash effect during the fiscal year 2014/2015.

SAS is the fifth largest airline operating at London Heathrow measured in number of departures and had before this transaction 21 daily slot-pairs at London Heathrow, which now will be reduced to 20 daily slot-pairs.

SAS operates from London Heathrow to Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo, Stockholm and Stavanger. Even after the transaction, SAS will continue to offer a strong and comprehensive network between Scandinavia and London Heathrow. The intention is to keep the seat capacity to/from London Heathrow through the use of larger aircraft on remaining departures. Furthermore, SAS will consider the use of other airports in the London-region.

SAS Investor Relations
Dopo AZ, anche SAS.
Una coppia di slots per 60M USD. Non male

Chissa' qual'e' il "major international air carrier" che ha acquistato la coppia di slots.
 
SAS ha annunciato che vendera' un'ulteriore coppia di slot a LHR, questa volta a Turkish Airlines.

Scandinavian Airlines sells another pair of Heathrow slots

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has sold a pair of slots at capacity-constrained London Heathrow Airport to Turkish Airlines, marking its second slot disposal this year.In February, SAS announced plans to transfer one of its 21 slot pairs to an unnamed “major international carrier” from March 29, trimming its total portfolio to 20 daily pairs.
According to information released with SAS’ first-quarter results, this initial sale generated an $82 million capital gain, which will be reported in its second-quarter results.
In a separate transaction, SAS revealed that Turkish Airlines will take over one of its 20 remaining Heathrow slots pairs with effect from Oct. 25, leaving the Scandinavian carrier with just 19 slot sets.
“SAS has entered into a slot transaction with Turkish Airlines that will take over one afternoon slot-pair at London Heathrow from SAS at the beginning of the winter traffic program on Oct. 25. The transaction will generate a positive earnings impact of $22 million for SAS to be accounted for during the second quarter with a corresponding cash effect during calendar year 2015.
The first transaction covered a morning slot-pair, whereas the second pair was a lower-value afternoon set, explaining the difference in money raised from the two deals.
SAS said it will compensate for the lost slots by operating larger aircraft on its remaining Heathrow services and, potentially, by flying to other airports in the London region.
“After this transaction, SAS does not have any plans to reduce its portfolio of slots,” SAS said, adding that it still ranks as the fifth largest airline at London Heathrow by weekly departures. SAS currently flies from Heathrow to Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo, Stockholm and Stavanger. atwonline