SAS Retires Last Boeing 737

SAS has retired its long-serving Boeing 737 after decades of service.

Saying Goodbye To The 737

Flight SK737 departed from Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) and arrived at Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL) on Sunday evening.

It was a landmark flight, as the company said goodbye to a plane that had been so important to day-to-day operations for decades.

While the route would typically be quick, the aircraft flew south toward Copenhagen, where it flew over SAS’s base.

LN-RRB operated the service; it was a 737-783 with serial number 32276.

SAS delivered this 737-700 to the SAS Group in 2007, specifically to the now-shut SAS Norge division.

In 2009, it moved to the mainline SAS, where it was named Dag Viking. Throughout its history, this variant and all 737s were crucial to SAS’s European network.

A Long-Standing Relationship With The 737

SAS has operated several 737 variants since the late 1900s, from the -400 to the -800, each serving the airline at different times.

Planespotters.net data highlights the specifics of the variants previously flown and their associated units.

The airline flew 4 737-400s, alongside 20 737-500s. However, some of the more prominent variants included the 737-600, with 30 in the fleet.

Only 31 of the recently retired 737-700s and the ever-reliable, popular 737-800 beat this. SAS has had 31 of these in its fleet throughout company history.

Looking Ahead For SAS

Looking ahead, SAS is in a significant phase of rebuilding and assessing its fleet for future success.

The airline has struggled broadly in recent history and has been forced to remove aircraft and entire series to cut losses.

The Airbus A320neo will become a leading part of the airline’s future narrowbody operations. This aircraft is more modern and more efficient, which can benefit the group significantly.

While retiring the 737 marks the end of an era for a carrier that has struggled in recent history, it allows SAS to position itself much better to offer a robust service into the future.

The Current SAS Fleet

Across the mainline SAS fleet, Cirium data shows the company currently flies 107 aircraft, with ten units in storage.

By active units, the airline’s largest fleet type is unsurprisingly the A320neo with 36, followed by 28 in-service CRJ900s.

The airline also has 19 A320neos as it continues transitioning to more fuel-efficient next-generation aircraft.

SAS’s next-generation fleet is becoming increasingly evident through its acquisition of the A321neo and a few A350-900s still in service.