Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is launching services between Stavanger and Houston to start on August 20.
The new route will provide better connections between Norway, the rest of Scandinavia, and Houston, Texas, catering for the leading players of the oil and gas industry.
“The route we have established is a tailored product for a defined market with particular travel needs,” says Rickard Gustafson, president and CEO of SAS.
The route will be operated by a business version of the Boeing 737-700 and will have an SAS Long Haul Business Class concept on board, with just 44 comfortable business seats, along with a modern in-flight entertainment system and full-service meals.
“The favorable timetable provides excellent connections throughout Scandinavia in both directions, while Houston is a hub for connections to the south and west such as Mexico, Los Angeles, Dallas and Phoenix with the Star Alliance,” adds Gustafson.
SAS will depart from Houston to Stavanger daily (except for Saturdays) at 9:35pm, arriving the next day in Stavanger at 2:20pm. Departures from Stavanger will be daily, except Saturday, at 4:00pm arriving in Houston at 7:40pm on the same day. SAS will be the only airline offering a non-stop service between Scandinavia and Houston.
SAS has entered into a “wet lease” agreement with the company PrivatAir, which has a special version of the Boeing 737-700. The aircraft will carry SAS’s distinctive colors and logo.
The route will launch on August 20, just ahead of the major oil exhibition in Stavanger, Offshore Northern Seas (ONS). Tickets for route go on sale on April 29.
“North America is an important and growing market for SAS,” says Stefan Larsson, general manager. This has been evidenced by several recent activities:
- Launch of Copenhagen – San Francisco route. It will operate daily during upcoming summer program
- Launch of double daily operation between Newark and Copenhagen Monday through Friday, which will operate during summer program
- Newark lounge refresh
- New attractive EuroBonus program effective April 1, 2014
- Orders for new intercontinental aircraft. A330 Enhanced will enter the fleet in 2015-2016, and A350 will arrive starting 2018. Starting towards the end of this year, SAS’s existing fleet will be refurbished, with completely new cabin interiors, including flatbeds in Business, and new entertainment systems.
Currently, SAS operates a non-stop service from New York (Newark) to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, from Chicago to Copenhagen and Stockholm, and from Washington, D.C. and San Francisco to Copenhagen.
From its hubs at Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, SAS serves cities throughout Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the rest of Europe.
Visit www.flysas.com/us