newstodate.aero
Feb 27, 2020 (newstodate): As earlier reported, SAS is working on plans for a new production unit to provide regional flight services.
As earlier reported, SAS has identified three preconditions for setting up a new company: adherence to the policy of a single aircraft type, reaching union agreements for crews, and selection of the suitable aircraft type.
Claiming to have reached a suitable agreement with the FPU union, SAS would now be able to progress on work to fulfil the remaining two preconditions.
The agreement with FPU is, however, meeting strong protests from the SAS Pilot Group that may bode ill for peace in the airline's operations if a solution is not found.
Industry sources focus on the prospects for SAS to lease aircraft from Latvia's airBaltic that is close to confirming orders for 30 Airbus A220-300 currently figuring as options under their existing agreement with Airbus.
A cooperation between SAS and airBaltic in the form of an ACMI contract would also be supported by airBaltic's transfer by January 1, 2020, of its cockpit crews to an independent company, Aviation Crew Resources.
Based at Riga Airport, ACR was established in 2012 to provide customers with recruitment, crewing solutions of both flight and cabin crew, wet lease of aircraft, and airline start-up and operational consultations.
Latvian media earlier quoted an airBaltic spokesperson saying that the decision is "a strategic decision that provides greater opportunities for business development by leasing aircraft to other airlines, including introducing payment tools and motivating pilots."
As earlier reported, SAS has identified three preconditions for setting up a new company: adherence to the policy of a single aircraft type, reaching union agreements for crews, and selection of the suitable aircraft type.
Claiming to have reached a suitable agreement with the FPU union, SAS would now be able to progress on work to fulfil the remaining two preconditions.
The agreement with FPU is, however, meeting strong protests from the SAS Pilot Group that may bode ill for peace in the airline's operations if a solution is not found.
Industry sources focus on the prospects for SAS to lease aircraft from Latvia's airBaltic that is close to confirming orders for 30 Airbus A220-300 currently figuring as options under their existing agreement with Airbus.
A cooperation between SAS and airBaltic in the form of an ACMI contract would also be supported by airBaltic's transfer by January 1, 2020, of its cockpit crews to an independent company, Aviation Crew Resources.
Based at Riga Airport, ACR was established in 2012 to provide customers with recruitment, crewing solutions of both flight and cabin crew, wet lease of aircraft, and airline start-up and operational consultations.
Latvian media earlier quoted an airBaltic spokesperson saying that the decision is "a strategic decision that provides greater opportunities for business development by leasing aircraft to other airlines, including introducing payment tools and motivating pilots."