According to local media, the newspaper Finans reported that the Air France-KLM group plans to increase the number of long-haul flights from Copenhagen Airport, following the group's announcement of its intention to acquire a controlling stake in Scandinavian Airlines SAS.
Air France-KLM group seeks to acquire a majority stake in SAS
These statements come in the wake of Air France-KLM’s announcement of its intention to increase its stake in SAS to 60.5% by the end of 2026, giving it control of the Scandinavian company. The Franco-Dutch group currently owns 19.9% of SAS shares, along with stakes held by investment firms Castlelake and Lind Invest, in addition to the stake held by the Danish state.
Copenhagen Airport will not be downgraded; instead, it will become a major air hub.
“SAS is currently experiencing a shortage of long-haul flights. We want more of those flights from Copenhagen, as they are not getting their fair share today. There will be growth in the number of long-haul flights,” said Group CEO Ben Smith during a press conference, according to Finans.
Investment plans to transform Copenhagen into the group's third operations center
Smith added that the company does not plan to reduce the level of operations at Copenhagen Airport, but on the contrary, seeks to transform it into a third air hub for the group, in addition to its two existing hubs in Paris and Amsterdam.
In the aviation sector, the term hub is used to refer to an airport that serves as a central gathering point for flights, where a large number of passengers stop before continuing their journey to other destinations.
It should also be noted that the Air France-KLM Group is the result of a merger between the French and Dutch companies in 2004, and despite the merger, each still operates as an independent business unit within the unified entity.
Source: Ritzau Agency via Finans
