SAS will acquire 45* Embraer E195-E2 jets from late 2027, refreshing and revamping its short-haul operational capabilities. The move represents the largest single jet order by SAS since 1996 and, in some ways, a return to its fleet style from more than a decade ago.
The E2 is central to our strategy to build a modern, efficient fleet with strong performance. It enables us to serve more routes with lower emissions, better economics, and a premium experience for our passengers. Together with Embraer, we are setting the course for the next chapter of SAS.
– Anko van der Werff, President & CEO, SAS
The SAS short-haul fleet today operates almost exclusively Airbus A320neo family aircraft. Its default A320neo configuration carries 180 passengers. It also operates a couple dozen regional jets via its SAS Link regional subsidiary and a contract with CityJet. Those aircraft range from 88-120 seats on board.
While the cabin layout details are not disclosed as part of the order, the E195-E2 should be able to add roughly 10-20 seats over the current first-generation E195 jets the company uses today. This puts it much, much closer to an operating capacity similar to the MD-80 family fleet SAS operated until 2013. The company expects that increased capacity – combined with lower trip costs and emissions and increased comfort – will give it a competitive advantage in the market.
The selection also reflects a continued up-gauging across the industry. Airlines need larger planes to carry increasing numbers of passengers. But the gap from the prior generation of regional jets to traditional single-aisle mainline planes is notable. Both Airbus, with the A220, and Embraer fill that gap with their 125-150 seat aircraft. And now SAS is ready to grow again in that segment, choosing the Embraer option**.
The carrier states the aircraft “will play a vital role in optimizing SAS’ operations and enhancing connectivity across Scandinavia and Europe.” Additionally, it notes the E2 fleet’s “size and range are ideally suited to complement SAS’ existing fleet and route structure, allowing for more frequencies, better network flexibility, and lower trip costs.”
Getting more frequencies at a lower trip cost is significant for important business routes, where schedule flexibility is critical to capture market share. In turn, that allows the larger A320neo planes to shift to markets where frequency is less important but total capacity and per-seat costs are more important.
Whether these planes are based at Copenhagen, where SAS is redoubling its focus as a hub-and-spoke operator, or are spread to Oslo and Stockholm remains to be seen. If based in Copenhagen that could allow the existing regional fleet to shift to those other Scandinavian markets.
* The deal also includes options for an additional 10 aircraft. The companies tout a $4 billion order value for the firm 45 aircraft portion of the order but that is based on list pricing. And no one in the commercial aviation world pays list price for planes.
** The similarly sized LOT/A220 order announced a couple weeks ago at Le Bourget was touted as a political decision as much as a business one as the carrier flipped from being an Embraer customer. This deal will certainly not receive that same treatment. It is also worth noting that the longer range capabilities of the A220 likely does not factor into SAS’s choice as it can serve all of Europe with the type and still not get close to the E2’s limits.
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