SAS plans for Krakow route
The airline, which derives its name from serving Denmark, Sweden and Norway, would become the fourth foreign carrier to schedule direct international flights to Krakow. SAS applied in May for approval of the route and anticipates receiving a landing permit from the Transportation Ministry within three months, said Ole Johansson, Poland general manager for SAS.
In addition to LOT Polish Airlines, which operates direct flights out of Krakow to major cities in Europe and North America, Austrian Airlines also operates flights to Vienna five days a week, and Swissair has daily flights to Zurich from Krakow. German regional airline Eurowings also has a flight during weekdays from Krakow to Dresden, Germany, while British Airways and Italian carrier Alitalia have flights from Krakow via a code-share agreement with LOT.
"There is a demand and it is in line with our strategy to expand in Poland," Johansson said. The new route will serve approximately 17,000 passengers during the first year of operation, he said.
SAS has been expanding into Poland in earnest since the mid-1990s, when it sought destinations beyond Warsaw and Gdańsk and received landing rights in Poznań, Szczecin and Wrocław. SAS, which has its hub in Copenhagen, also operates direct flights between Warsaw and Stockholm.
The demand for direct service comes from Scandinavian companies operating in the Małopolska region as well as interregional cooperation between the region and Danish counterparts. Rising interest in Krakow as a tourist destination is also a factor.
Hans Scheller, Poland director for Germay's Lufthansa Airlines, also acknowledged Krakow's tourist draw. But he spoke of traffic coming from the region as well. "It is also valid for outgoing traffic."
Beyond tourism, the touchdown in Krakow makes business sense. "The whole region is very oriented toward being a very big industrial area," Johansson said.
In addition to Krakow, Balice Airport can serve Katowice, about 45 kilometers away and the heart of Upper Silesia. That area boasts a population of 4 million residents and received substantial investment in recent years.
In addition to LOT Polish Airlines, which operates direct flights out of Krakow to major cities in Europe and North America, Austrian Airlines also operates flights to Vienna five days a week, and Swissair has daily flights to Zurich from Krakow. German regional airline Eurowings also has a flight during weekdays from Krakow to Dresden, Germany, while British Airways and Italian carrier Alitalia have flights from Krakow via a code-share agreement with LOT.
"There is a demand and it is in line with our strategy to expand in Poland," Johansson said. The new route will serve approximately 17,000 passengers during the first year of operation, he said.
SAS has been expanding into Poland in earnest since the mid-1990s, when it sought destinations beyond Warsaw and Gdańsk and received landing rights in Poznań, Szczecin and Wrocław. SAS, which has its hub in Copenhagen, also operates direct flights between Warsaw and Stockholm.
The demand for direct service comes from Scandinavian companies operating in the Małopolska region as well as interregional cooperation between the region and Danish counterparts. Rising interest in Krakow as a tourist destination is also a factor.
Hans Scheller, Poland director for Germay's Lufthansa Airlines, also acknowledged Krakow's tourist draw. But he spoke of traffic coming from the region as well. "It is also valid for outgoing traffic."
Beyond tourism, the touchdown in Krakow makes business sense. "The whole region is very oriented toward being a very big industrial area," Johansson said.
In addition to Krakow, Balice Airport can serve Katowice, about 45 kilometers away and the heart of Upper Silesia. That area boasts a population of 4 million residents and received substantial investment in recent years.
