SAS acquires 100 per cent of Finland#s Air Botnia

SAS ACQUIRES 100 PER CENT OF FINLAND'S AIR BOTNIA SAS has acquired 100 per cent of the shares of the Finnish domestic airline Air Botnia. The move will strengthen the Scandinavian carrier's presence in Finland. The acquisition of Air Botnia is part of SAS's partnership strategy which, in addition to the global Star Alliance, also includes cooperation with selected airlines in the Nordic region. The cooperation between SAS and Air Botnia aims at offering customers an efficient route network within Finland as well as further developing and strengthening Helsinki as a hub through a close link-up of Air Botnia's domestic services and SAS's international traffic system. The cooperation will include timetables, frequent flyer programs and joint development of ticketing and distribution technology. The ambition is that customers should be able to experience the advantages of the cooperation already from the beginning of 1998's summer traffic program. Air Botnia's route network covers 15 destinations in Finland. Its fleet comprises five Jetstream aircraft, each seating 19 passengers. Air Botnia transported 107,800 passengers last year, with an average cabin factor of 53 per cent. The airline employs 50 people and is based at Helsinki's Vanda airport. ### Further information: Lars Lindgren, VP, SAS International, tel. +46-70-597.1750 or +46-8- 797.1750 Kaj Jansson, General Manager, SAS Finland, tel. +358-9-2280.2300 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/07/29/20030729BIT00630/wkr0001.DOC http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/07/29/20030729BIT00630/wkr0002.pdf