Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) will launch a thrice-weekly non-stop flight from Dubai to the Danish capital Copenhagen from November 1.

The service – the first to directly link the UAE with Scandinavia – will operate throughout the winter months until the end of March next year.

The new service will operate from Dubai International Airport every Monday, Thursday and Sunday on a widebodied, 245-seater Airbus A340 with a three-class configuration – SAS Business, Economy Extra and Economy Class.

“Travel between Scandinavia and Dubai is growing by about 20 per cent annually and there are currently over 300 Danish, Swedish and Norwegian companies operating in the emirate, most of which are SAS’ most important corporate customers,“ said Per Moller Jensen, head of Europe, Middle East and Africa, SAS.

“Aside from the business tourism market, Dubai is also becoming an increasingly popular leisure destination for Nordic travellers looking for long weekend breaks and golfing holidays and this new service is one step towards meeting this growing demand. We also anticipate there will be strong traffic flying via Dubai to other GCC countries, as well as India, Pakistan and Iran.

“Conversely, Copenhagen airport can be used as a hub for many connecting flights throughout Scandinavia and the Baltic countries and will be the Middle East’s gateway to Northern Europe.”

The 6 hour 15 minute flight to Copenhagen can accommodate 46 passengers in Business Class, 28 in Economy Extra and 171 in Economy Class. SAS Business Class is equipped with sleeper seats with a 170-degree decline; Economy Extra is SAS’ economy premium concept which comes in a 2-3-2 seat configuration, wider seats and increased leg space as well as video screens with video-on-demand. Economy Extra passengers are also entitled to check-in at Business Class counters. Economy Class also has individual video screens in all seats.

Flight SK962 will depart Dubai International at 10.00 every Monday, Thursday and Sunday arriving in Copenhagen at 13.15 local time allowing adequate transfer time for onward flights. The return Copenhagen-Dubai service SK 961 will take off at 21.05 every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday arriving at Dubai International at 6.35 the following day.

“This overnight return service will allow passengers to rest on board and be back in the Emirates in time for a full day’s business,” said Jensen.

SAS has appointed Dnata, the Dubai-based airport and sales services provider, to represent the airline as its UAE General Sales Agent.

“Dnata will offer ticket sales, booking and call centre services as well as a ticket office at Dubai International Airport, “said Magnus Engstrom, general manager UAE, SAS.

“It will also support and execute sales and marketing activities and provide a travel agency help desk, with the aim of increasing the SAS brand and product awareness regionally.”

SAS offers flights from Dubai via Copenhagen to a number of destinations including Stockholm, Göteborg, Oslo, Helsinki, Hamburg, Berlin, Hannover, Düsseldorf, Baltic countries, Iceland, Greenland, Ireland, Scotland, Chicago and Seattle. From Copenhagen, SAS also offers non-stop intercontinental flights to New York, Washington DC, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Beijing.  – TradeArabia News Service