Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) officially joined the SkyTeam global airline alliance on September 1, 2024.
The move comes as SAS emerges from Chapter 11 restructuring, a process that has been critical in stabilizing the carrier’s financial position.
“SAS customers will […] benefit from seamless connectivity to over 1,060 destinations in SkyTeam’s extensive global network, notably opening new opportunities in regions such as Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean,” the airline announced. The transition also includes new codeshare agreements with Air France-KLM, with the potential for further partnerships with additional SkyTeam members.
This strategic move follows a significant investment by Air France-KLM, which has acquired a non-controlling 19.9% equity stake in SAS. This new alliance shift necessitated SAS’s departure from the Star Alliance, its previous global network partnership.
“Our entry into SkyTeam marks the beginning of a new era, enhancing our global network and collaboration with like-minded airlines,” SAS President and CEO Anko van der Werff stated. “This partnership will provide more value to our passengers and strengthen our position in the global aviation market.”
On August 28, 2024, the airline announced it had successfully emerged from Chapter 11 restructuring in the U.S., alongside a similar reorganization process in Sweden. The Chapter 11 filing occurred in July 2022 and was part of SAS’s effort to navigate through several years of financial difficulty.