Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is to launch a new service from Shannon to Stockholm in Sweden next year. The new service will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays from August 1 until October 17, 2017.
Matthew Thomas, CEO, Shannon Group said,“This new service will not only have a positive impact for inbound tourism for the West of Ireland, but will also provide valuable business connectivity as people using the service will be able to connect at the SAS hub at Stockholm Arlanda Airport for flights to over 22 destinations including Copenhagen, Oslo Helsinki, Gothenburg, Billund, Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius and a host of domestic airports in Sweden. The announcement is another first for Shannon and a great boost for the region by one of the world’s major airlines. We are thrilled to welcome SAS to Shannon and we look forward to working with them to ensure the success of the new service.”
Alan Sparling, GSA for SAS in Ireland commented. “SAS are currently celebrating 50 years of nonstop flights into Ireland and can think of no better way to start into a sixth decade than by opening a new route between Shannon and Stockholm. SAS has no doubt there will be a very keen interest and uptake for this new route and we look forward to developing this route into the future.” SAS is one of the founding members of Star Alliance, one of the world’s largest global airline alliances which currently have 27 member airlines.
Commenting on the tourism potential of the route, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said, “This is good news for Irish tourism in 2017 and will certainly expand travel options for Swedish holidaymakers wishing to visit County Clare and the West of Ireland. We look forward to working with SAS and Shannon Airport to maximise the promotion of the new service.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.