Milestones

1918

One of the SAS Group's founding airlines, DDL, is established and airmail flights are introduced.

1928

Another of the founding airlines, ABA, launches the first night flights ever. The planes mainly carry mail.

1946

The Swedish, Danish and Norwegian airlines form a consortium with the name Overseas SAS, and inaugurate a route between Stockholm and New York. In 1951 the airlines merge.

1946

The first cargo aircraft are bought at an army surplus sale in Germany. These are DC-3 Dakota aircraft carrying up to 3 tons payload.

1951

SAS starts operating all cargo routes within Europe and to the US. These operations are based on chartered aircraft.

1963

SAS operates 105 all-cargo flights a week. The route network includes New York, Montreal, Milan, Frankfurt, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm.

1967

A new fully-automatically cargo terminal is inaugurated in Copenhagen.

1977

SAS Cargo is the first airfreight company to utilize the new Boeing 747 combi.

1981

SAS Cargo becomes an independent business unit within SAS and Priority Cargo is launched as the first time-definite airfreight product.

1982

SAS Cargo develops the overnight airfreight system door-to-door, which becomes one of the first integrators on the market.

1996

SAS Cargo is one of the first companies to launch its own home page.

1998

Introduction of the first freighter services to the Baltic.

2001

SAS Cargo becomes an independent company within the SAS Group.

2002

Braathens Cargo becomes an integrated part of SAS Cargo.

2004

New product portfolio.

2004

SAS Cargo's handling activities in Scandinavia are incorporated with the name Spirit Air Cargo Handling.

2005

Freighter services to/from USA through block-space agreements. Web-based claims administration inaugurated.

2006

Freighter service to/from China through block-space agreements. Spanair capacity integrated, with 300 daily flights.

2006

SAS Cargo takes over Spanair's cargo capacity on 300 daily flights.

2006

SAS Cargo became ISO14001 certified.  

2007

Dubai becomes new hub in the Middle East, with distribution possibilities.

2008

SAS Cargo was among the first to introduce e-freight and paperless shipments in substantial parts of the network.