SAS is back in Greenland and brings back memories from a time when the Scandinavian airline was the only one operating transatlantic flights.

SAS is back in Greenland. Last Friday, SK 1294 landed in Nuuk, and Greenland is back in the Scandinavian airline’s schedule.

SAS is back

In addition, the Airbus A-320 Neo aircraft had an old Nuuk boy, Air Captain Dennis Lynge Sørensen, in the cockpit as the commander.

SAS is back in Greenland. Last Friday, SK 1294 landed in Nuuk, and Greenland is back in the Scandinavian airline’s schedule.

SAS is backAnnouncement

In addition, the Airbus A-320 Neo aircraft had an old Nuuk boy, Air Captain Dennis Lynge Sørensen, in the cockpit as the commander.

As captain, Dennis Lynge Sørensen was in charge of the seven-man crew, of which just over half, like the captain, had connections to Greenland. In addition to Dennis Lynge Sørensen, the cabin crew included Jesper Berthels, Kuluk Poulsen Graversen and Anna Ingrið Rasmussen.

Anorak and camisoles

During the flight and the subsequent festive gathering at the airport, Dennis Lynge Sørensen caused a stir by appearing in a captain’s cap, but wearing a white anorak and Thulekamikker.

– SAS normally has a strict uniform policy, but on this particular flight it was decided that the crew members with Greenlandic ties had to supplement the normal SAS uniform, says Dennis Lynge Sørensen.

– The anorak dates from my first wedding in 1997 – and I’m a bit proud that I can still look after the anorak, laughs the 58-year-old captain.

Overall, SAS had made a big deal out of the maiden flight, where – as is customary – a red ribbon was not cut, but instead a knot was tied on a rope to symbolize the close ties between SAS and Greenland.

– We come as partners, emphasized CEO Anko van der Werff.

Preparations for the maiden flight began six months ago.

– There are many things that need to come together. Among other things, finding personnel with Greenlandic connections who can also work on the flight in question on that day, but fortunately the conspiracy worked, says Dennis Lynge Sørensen.

– I don’t speak Greenlandic very well, but I had prepared my welcome to the passengers in Greenlandic – and it went well. Similarly, the cabin crew also made sure to introduce the service on board in Greenlandic.

Flyhistory

Greenlandic aviation history and SAS are closely connected.

SAS began its first flights to Greenland as early as 1949 – and in 1954 the company turned Kangerlussuaq into an international hotspot when SAS opened the Polar Route between Copenhagen and Los Angeles with a fuel stop in Søndre Strømfjord. It was truly historic.

For many years, the route was the preferred route for American film stars when they were going to Europe – and countless stars have visited Kangerlussuaq in this connection. It was also as a publicity stunt in connection with this route that SAS in 1954 set up Greenland’s most photographed road sign with the distances to the world’s capitals at the hotel in Kangerlussuaq.

Later, it became a regular route between Copenhagen and Kangerlussuaq for many years – known to most in Greenland as the Danish Machine. SAS operated the route alone until 1998, when the then Grønlandsfly presented its newly acquired Boeing 757 – Kunuunnguaq. The aircraft was put into service on the Kangerlussuaq-Copenhagen route, and in the following years the two companies flew almost wing to wing. 

This lasted until the fall of 2002, when SAS threw in the towel and left Greenland, at the same time that Air Greenland acquired its first A-330 – Norsaq. SAS tried again, without much success, with a summer route in 2007 and 2008.

An expensive pleasure

In the past, flying was certainly not the everyday thing it is today. The normal price of an economy class ticket was, in kroner and øre, about the same as the most expensive tickets today. There was only one discount option – these were the so-called apex tickets, where it was possible to buy a return ticket with a fixed return departure for half the price – i.e. the same as a one-way ticket – if you planned to be away for at least 14 days.

The service on board the SAS plane was also of a completely different caliber than we know it today. There was free flow in economy and business – except for the champagne, which was reserved for passengers on the most expensive business tickets at the front of the cabin.

So many in Greenland got used to the fact that you were only really out flying when you had your first gin and tonic after the plane had taken off. There was also, of course, cognac with the coffee. Served in small round glasses, which many would take home. So cognac glasses from SAS were a fixture in most homes.

Eat was served on real plates with steel cutlery. The cutlery also came in the bag – and is still in use in many Greenlandic hunting lodges and summer houses.

The history of Greenlandic aviation and SAS are also intertwined in another way.

SAS was a co-owner of first Grønlandsfly, then Air Greenland, for many years. The company was one of the birth attendants when the national Greenlandic airline was established in 1960. SAS owned 37.5 percent of the shares in Air Greenland until 2019, when the shareholding was taken over by Naalakkersuisut.

SAS is back in Greenland. Last Friday, SK 1294 landed in Nuuk, and Greenland is back in the Scandinavian airline’s schedule.

SAS is back

In addition, the Airbus A-320 Neo aircraft had an old Nuuk boy, Air Captain Dennis Lynge Sørensen, in the cockpit as the commander.

SAS is back in Greenland. Last Friday, SK 1294 landed in Nuuk, and Greenland is back in the Scandinavian airline’s schedule.

SAS is backAnnouncement

In addition, the Airbus A-320 Neo aircraft had an old Nuuk boy, Air Captain Dennis Lynge Sørensen, in the cockpit as the commander.

As captain, Dennis Lynge Sørensen was in charge of the seven-man crew, of which just over half, like the captain, had connections to Greenland. In addition to Dennis Lynge Sørensen, the cabin crew included Jesper Berthels, Kuluk Poulsen Graversen and Anna Ingrið Rasmussen.

Anorak and camisoles

During the flight and the subsequent festive gathering at the airport, Dennis Lynge Sørensen caused a stir by appearing in a captain’s cap, but wearing a white anorak and Thulekamikker.

– SAS normally has a strict uniform policy, but on this particular flight it was decided that the crew members with Greenlandic ties had to supplement the normal SAS uniform, says Dennis Lynge Sørensen.

– The anorak dates from my first wedding in 1997 – and I’m a bit proud that I can still look after the anorak, laughs the 58-year-old captain.

Overall, SAS had made a big deal out of the maiden flight, where – as is customary – a red ribbon was not cut, but instead a knot was tied on a rope to symbolize the close ties between SAS and Greenland.

– We come as partners, emphasized CEO Anko van der Werff.

Preparations for the maiden flight began six months ago.

– There are many things that need to come together. Among other things, finding personnel with Greenlandic connections who can also work on the flight in question on that day, but fortunately the cabal worked, says Dennis Lynge Sørensen.

– I don’t speak Greenlandic very well, but I had prepared my welcome to the passengers in Greenlandic – and it went well. Similarly, the cabin crew also made sure to introduce the service on board in Greenlandic.

Flyhistory

Greenlandic aviation history and SAS are closely connected.

SAS began its first flights to Greenland as early as 1949 – and in 1954 the company turned Kangerlussuaq into an international hotspot when SAS opened the Polar Route between Copenhagen and Los Angeles with a fuel stop in Søndre Strømfjord. It was truly historic.

For many years, the route was the preferred route for American film stars when they were going to Europe – and countless stars have visited Kangerlussuaq in this connection. It was also as a publicity stunt in connection with this route that SAS in 1954 set up Greenland’s most photographed road sign with the distances to the world’s capitals at the hotel in Kangerlussuaq.

Later, it became a regular route between Copenhagen and Kangerlussuaq for many years – known to most in Greenland as the Danish Machine. SAS operated the route alone until 1998, when the then Grønlandsfly presented its newly acquired Boeing 757 – Kunuunnguaq. The aircraft was put into service on the Kangerlussuaq-Copenhagen route, and in the following years the two companies flew almost wing to wing. 

This lasted until the fall of 2002, when SAS threw in the towel and left Greenland, at the same time that Air Greenland acquired its first A-330 – Norsaq. SAS tried again, without much success, with a summer route in 2007 and 2008.

An expensive pleasure

In the past, flying was certainly not the everyday thing it is today. The normal price of an economy class ticket was, in kroner and øre, about the same as the most expensive tickets today. There was only one discount option – these were the so-called apex tickets, where it was possible to buy a return ticket with a fixed return departure for half the price – i.e. the same as a one-way ticket – if you planned to be away for at least 14 days.

The service on board the SAS plane was also of a completely different caliber than we know it today. There was free flow in economy and business – except for the champagne, which was reserved for passengers on the most expensive business tickets at the front of the cabin.

So many in Greenland got used to the fact that you were only really out flying when you had your first gin and tonic after the plane had taken off. There was also, of course, cognac with the coffee. Served in small round glasses, which many would take home. So cognac glasses from SAS were a fixture in most homes.

Eat was served on real plates with steel cutlery. The cutlery also came in the bag – and is still in use in many Greenlandic hunting lodges and summer houses.

The history of Greenlandic aviation and SAS are also intertwined in another way.

SAS was a co-owner of first Grønlandsfly, then Air Greenland, for many years. The company was one of the birth attendants when the national Greenlandic airline was established in 1960. SAS owned 37.5 percent of the shares in Air Greenland until 2019, when the shareholding was taken over by Naalakkersuisut.