Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is launching nonstop air service between Stavanger, Norway and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, beginning on August 20, 2014. 

The arrival of SAS is in direct response to requests from leading players in the oil and gas industry, asking for better connections between Norway, the rest of Scandinavia, and Houston, Texas. 

“Houston enjoys a well-deserved reputation as the “energy capital of the world,” says Houston Mayor Annise Parker. “The arrival of Scandinavian Airlines to Houston will allow us to strengthen that role even more moving forward and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with our new partners.” 

The route will be operated by a business version of the Boeing 737-700 and will have an SAS Long Haul Business Class concept on board, with just 44 comfortable business seats, along with a modern in-flight entertainment system and full-service meals.

“The route we have established is a tailored product for a defined market with particular travel needs,” says Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO of SAS. “The favorable timetable provides excellent connections throughout Scandinavia in both directions, while Houston is a hub for connections to the south and west such as Mexico, Los Angeles, Dallas and Phoenix with the Star Alliance.” 

For leaders with the Houston Airport System (HAS), the news from SAS is the latest in a series of major announcements regarding the expansion of available international air service. Operating as the fourth largest city in the United States, Houston has seen a dramatic increase in the number of passengers traveling aboard international flights over the last 10 years.  During that time, the international passenger totals have increased more than 60 percent, rising to a record total of 9 million in 2013. 

“The City of Houston is currently enjoying an unprecedented level of global connectivity,” says Houston Aviation Director Mario C. Diaz. “This strong international route network is important to both Houston’s economy as well as the quality of life enjoyed by its residents and the arrival of Scandinavian Airlines will have a positive impact on both of those fronts.” 

SAS will depart from Houston to Stavanger daily except Saturday at 9:35 pm arriving the next day in Stavanger at 2.20 pm. Departures from Stavanger will be daily, except Saturday, at 4:00 pm arriving Houston at 7:40 pm same day. SAS will be the only airline with nonstop service between Scandinavia and Houston. SAS has entered into a “wet lease” agreement with the company PrivatAir, which has this special version of the Boeing 737-700. The aircraft will carry SAS’s distinctive colors and logo. 

The route will launch on August 20, just ahead of the major oil exhibition in Stavanger, Offshore Northern Seas (ONS). Tickets for route, which will operate daily except Saturdays, go on sale on April 29. Currently, SAS operates nonstop service from New York (Newark) to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, from Chicago to Copenhagen and Stockholm, and from Washington, D.C. and San Francisco to Copenhagen. 

From its hubs at Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, SAS serves cities throughout Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the rest of Europe. On these non-stop transatlantic flights, SAS offers wide-body Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft with a choice of service class of Business, Plus (premium economy) or Go (economy), audio/video entertainment at every seat and EuroBonus frequent flyer points. SAS ranks among the world’s top 5 most punctual airlines according to flightstats.com. 

As part of Star Alliance, the flyer can earn mileage in EuroBonus or any Star Alliance frequent flyer program. To book travel, please visit: flysas.com.

For more information: 

Houston Airports Media Hotline 
Public Relations Manager, Katena Carvajales 
Katena.carvajales@houstontx.gov
P: (281) 233-1234  

Tormod Sandstø 
Press officer, SAS, Oslo, Norway 
tormod.sandsto@sas.no 
P: +47 95718586 

Lars Klitbo 
Marketing Manager, Rutherford, NJ 
lklitbo@sasair.com 
P: +12014066182