Airline SAS Braathens followed through their declared intentions and showed budget competitor Norwegian Air Shuttle that they mean business. On Wednesday the new local version of SAS released 2.5 million cheap domestic tickets, double the number that Norwegian Air has offered.
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SAS Braathens boss Petter Jansen wants to increase the size of Norway's air travel market and told Aftenposten that about 2.5 of the company's approximately 7 million annual domestic tickets will be sold at competitor Norwegian's price level.
The new company, formed by a merger with Norway's branch of SAS and their subsidiary Braathens, also intends to launch new prices on their international routes.
"I have a goal of becoming profitable as quickly as possible. It will take some time to see the effects of what we are doing," Jansen said.
Jansen said that Norwegians are among European leaders in their use of air travel, but domestic traffic has seen very little increase in recent years.
"What we are doing now will help increase the market," Jansen said, and argued that this should also allow Norwegian Air - or an eventual successor - to continue to compete.
Related stories:
Airline price war looms - 16.04.2004
SAS promises cheaper tickets - 27.03.2004
SAS restructuring on track -
SAS plays hard ball -
Norwegian Air issues loss warning -
NAS clear for stock market landing -
SAS Braathens boss Petter Jansen wants to increase the size of Norway's air travel market and told Aftenposten that about 2.5 of the company's approximately 7 million annual domestic tickets will be sold at competitor Norwegian's price level.
The new company, formed by a merger with Norway's branch of SAS and their subsidiary Braathens, also intends to launch new prices on their international routes.
"I have a goal of becoming profitable as quickly as possible. It will take some time to see the effects of what we are doing," Jansen said.
Jansen said that Norwegians are among European leaders in their use of air travel, but domestic traffic has seen very little increase in recent years.
"What we are doing now will help increase the market," Jansen said, and argued that this should also allow Norwegian Air - or an eventual successor - to continue to compete.