SAS to Open Direct Route to Haneda

Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) is pleased to announce a direct route to Tokyo Haneda International Airport from Copenhagen Kastrup. The route gives travelers better access to downtown Tokyo and with All Nippon Airways (ANA), a fellow Star Alliance member, the route will increase connectivity to 30 domestic destinations in Japan.

The direct Copenhagen-Haneda route will be served by SAS’ new Airbus A350 aircraft. As the most environmental-friendly airplane on the market, the A350 will reduce emissions by 30 percent compared to earlier generations of similar long-haul aircraft.

“Japan is already a very popular destination, and this will provide a positive boost for our travelers, both in relation to business travel and tourism. The new service offers an attractive timetable to Haneda and we hope it will be well received and appreciated by our travelers throughout Scandinavia and Japan,” says Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO, SAS.

There is a large Scandinavian common market with a strong interest in Japan, both for leisure and business travel. The route is particularly well timed as SAS is in a unique cross border partnership with the three national Scandinavian Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committees and will be their principal airline partner during the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“SAS looks forward to the opportunity to serve Haneda from summer season 2020 in time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. With this initiative, SAS aims to support Olympic athletes in the national teams of Denmark, Norway and Sweden in their quest for Olympic success,” says Gustafson.

In connection with the route between Copenhagen and Haneda, SAS will discontinue the service between Copenhagen and Tokyo Narita Airport. More capacity between Japan and Scandinavia will be added in spring 2020 when All Nippon Airways opens a new route between Haneda and Stockholm.

For more information, please contact:  
SAS Press Office, phn +46 8 797 2944

SAS, Scandinavia's leading airline, flies over 30 million passengers to, from and within Scandinavia each year.  The airline has three main hubs – Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm – with 125 destinations in Europe, USA and Asia. Supported by its Scandinavian Cultural Heritage and sustainable values, SAS is striving it reduce its total carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent and operate with biofuels corresponding to the total consumption of aviation fuel used in all SAS domestic flights, by the year 2030.  

In addition to flight operations, SAS offers ground handling services, technical maintenance and air cargo services. SAS is a founder member of the Star Alliance™, and together with its partner airlines offers around 19,000 daily flights to over 1,300 destinations worldwide.