Published on •Updated
The Scandinavian airline SAS confirmed a record order at a press conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday, committing to as many as 40 twin-aisle aircraft from Airbus’s A330 family to renew and expand its long-haul fleet.
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At list prices the jets carry a combined value above $10 billion (€8.75bn), though, as is standard within the industry, SAS is prone to have negotiated a considerable discount for such a big bulk purchase.
The order covers a combination of the brand new, more fuel-efficient A330-900, a part of the upgraded A330neo range, and the older A330-300, which is able to support the airline’s growth within the nearer term.
First deliveries are expected from the early 2030s and the dimensions of the commitment marks a remarkable turnaround.
SAS emerged from US Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2024 after a painful restructuring that worn out billions in debt, delisted its shares and brought in recent owners led by the Air France-KLM group.
As a part of the overhaul, the carrier also left the Star Alliance collective to affix the rival SkyTeam grouping.
The recovery has since gathered pace, with SAS returning to operating profit in 2025 after heavy losses the 12 months before.
The Airbus deal follows an order last 12 months for 55 Embraer regional jets, and the airline is presenting the combined investment as the muse of its plans for the last decade ahead.
Why Airbus won
The choice is a notable victory for the European manufacturer Airbus over its US rival Boeing, whose 787 Dreamliner and 777X had been in contention.
SAS already operates Airbus A330s on its long-haul network, and sticking with the identical manufacturer spares it the heavy cost of introducing a completely recent aircraft type, with the retraining, spare parts and ground support that may entail.
That logic of fleet commonality runs through the order.
SAS said the extra A330-300s can be fully compatible with its existing Airbus operations, while the newer A330-900 shares the overwhelming majority of its airframe components with the older model.
For Airbus, the win adds one other European flag carrier to a widebody order book already swollen by airlines racing to exchange ageing and fewer efficient jets.
Additional sources • AP
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