SAS has introduced a new route connecting Copenhagen and Bangkok, nearly 75 years following their inaugural flights between these cities. This winter service, running three times a week, will utilize the contemporary Airbus A350 aircraft from their fleet.
On its maiden journey, the plane took off from Copenhagen Airport (CPH) at 00:38 on Tuesday and touched down at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) by 17:34. The return flight departed from Bangkok and is scheduled to arrive in Copenhagen the next morning.
The flight going out, SK973, is set for three days each week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Conversely, the return trip, SK974, will fly on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Emphasizing passenger convenience, SAS notes that both segments will operate as nighttime flights, ensuring smoother transitions at CPH.
Paul Verhagen, the Chief Commercial Officer of SAS, remarked, “Thailand and the Scandinavian countries have a long history of friendship and cooperation and returning with a direct route is a true pleasure.”
“The Bangkok route will offer a perfect entry point for wider Thailand and Asia and be a great option for both business and leisure travelers. ”
“Thailand is a favorite destination among many passengers during the winter season and a lot of Scandinavians see Thailand as their home away from home,” he stated.
Flight Schedule Details
This service, occurring three times a week, is available seasonally and will continue until April 2, 2024. The flights, lasting around 10 hours and 30 minutes, are as follows:
– SK973 – CPH to BKK: Departure from Copenhagen at 23:35, Arrival in Bangkok at 17:10 the following day.
– SK974 – BKK to CPH: Departure from Bangkok at 23:50, Arrival in Copenhagen at 06:40 the next day.
For this route, SAS will employ their Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The airline’s collection includes four of these planes, with the first one acquired in 2019.
These state-of-the-art aircraft offer an impressive 30% cut in emissions relative to older widebody planes and have the capacity to seat 300 passengers. The distribution includes 40 in SAS Business, 32 in SAS Plus (premium economy), and 228 in SAS Go (economy).
Furthermore, SAS confirmed that its long-haul flights to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) and Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG) would persist through the winter season.
A Return After Ten Years
Marking the culmination of a ten-year pause, SAS discontinued its Bangkok service in 2013, after 64 years in operation.
The airline’s pioneering Bangkok flight took place in 1949. This 36-hour odyssey included layovers in cities like Zürich, Rome, Damascus, Karachi, and Calcutta.
As highlighted by The Nation, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) views Scandinavian travellers – those from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden – as a “high-quality long-haul tourist market.”
In the current year, over a quarter of a million Scandinavians visited Thailand, with stays averaging 18 days and a daily expenditure of roughly 5,400 baht. The ultimate objective for Thailand is to draw in over 400,000 visitors from Scandinavia annually.
