SAS expects to dispose of Q400s within six months

[teacher]

SAS expects to dispose of Q400s within six months
By David Kaminski-Morrow

SAS expects to sell the remainder of its grounded Bombardier Q400 turboprops within the next six months, but is still forecasting a full-year earnings impact of SKr700-800 million ($117-133 million) from their grounding. Seven of the 27 Q400s in SAS Group's fleet had been sold by the end of March and the company claims there is "widespread interest" in the remaining aircraft.

It has had to introduce wet-leased capacity to shore up its operations following the Q400 withdrawal in October last year, and had replaced almost 100% of the Q400 capacity by the end of last year.

SAS Group has already opted to purchase six Boeing MD-87s and two 737-600s to replace the Q400s, and taken over delivery positions on three 737-800s for this year, as a part-interim, part-permanent solution to the capacity demand. Earlier this year SAS Group agreed a SKr1 billion compensation package with Bombardier under which SAS carriers will acquire 27 CRJ900 and Q400 regional aircraft.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... onths.html

[sanjet]

One of the most expensive PR moves in aviation history...

[CYQMer]

Heck they should have replaced the damn things with 380's...or why not a couple of 208's???

[BoostedNihilist]

.

[SkyWolfe]

I wonder which aircraft they will replace in the next five years and blame it on "bad design"

[E-Flyer]

Maybe horizon could buy them

[L1011]

Or better yet, they could have done the job properly and kept the things.

OOOHHHHHHHHH, BURNNNNN!!!!!

But seriously, they were soooo disappointed with the aircraft that they are buying MORE of them...I know they came cheaper, but that still says a lot about SAS.

What I'm most curious about is how much of a hit BF Goodrich is taking from all this. After all, THEY made the damn gear, surely BBD offset some of the losses onto them.