SAS continues to innovate with a series of changes and trials to their product offering both in the air and on the ground.  The Scandinavian carrier’s product innovations on the ground aim to speed up and ease customer access, while in the air a new curved approach will mean a reduction in noise pollution, and will pave the way for fewer emissions and reduced fuel consumption.

New Self Service Flow at SAS Fast Track Security - Stockholm

SAS’s new self service flow has recently launched at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, Terminal 5.  In practice this means that passengers move even faster through security by passing through a specially equipped turnstile.  Adjacent to the existing SAS Fast Track, the turnstile has bespoke software which allows passengers to perform an automated document check.  So travellers simply swipe either their EuroBonus loyalty card or their boarding pass with the 2D bar code past the reader.

Launch of SAS Self Service Baggage Drop - Norway and beyond!

SAS is rolling out a fully automated travel experience from booking their ticket to boarding the aircraft. During autumn and summer 2009, after a successful trial, SAS Self-Service Baggage Drop was launched in Norway. In September 2010, SAS Self-Service Baggage Drop will be implemented at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport’s domestic terminal.  The service has been developed and launched in corporation with the airport providers Avinor in Norway and Swedavia in Sweden.

The fully automated system is equipped with SAS biometric technology and does not require any manning. It recognizes what baggage allowance each passenger is entitled to, for example, if the customer is travelling on a Business class ticket, or is a EuroBonus Gold or Silver card holder the system automatically adjusts the baggage allowance.

SAS first airline to operate ‘curved approaches’

SAS has become the first airline to be granted formal permission by the Swedish Transport Agency to use ‘curved approaches’ with the SAS Boeing 737NG at Stockholm Arlanda’s third runway.

In practice, this means that the approach is made using satellite-based GPS instead of the traditional instrument landing system (ILS). Using this method the approach follows an S-shaped curve to the runway, making it possible to reduce noise exposure in sensitive areas around the airport.

“We are proud to be leading the way in using advanced system support to make our flights more efficient. The technology behind curved approaches provides us with the opportunity to further streamline our green approaches and to make even greater emission reductions,” says Lars Andersen Resare, SAS Environmental Director.

Since 2000, SAS has been the driving force behind establishing green approaches, which involve the aircraft gliding with the engines idling from top of decent until touchdown. Until now, green approaches use the traditional instrument landing system (ILS), but with the changing technology these approaches can be developed further to the benefit of the environment.