View source for Snowflake (airline)

{{Short description|Former Swedish virtual airline within SAS group}}
{{Infobox Airline
| airline = Snowflake
| logo = SAS Snowflake logo.svg
| logo_size = 
| IATA = SK
| ICAO = SAS
| callsign = Scandinavian
| parent = [[SAS Group]]
| founded = 
| commenced = 19 March 2003
| ceased = 31 October 2004
| aoc = 
| bases = <div>
*[[Copenhagen Airport]]
*[[Stockholm Arlanda Airport]]</div>
| hubs = 
| focus_cities = 
| frequent_flyer = [[Eurobonus]]
| alliance = 
| fleet_size = 4
| destinations = 28
| headquarters = SAS Frösundavik Office Building, [[Solna Municipality]], [[Sweden]]
| key_people = 
| num_employees = 
| website = [https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.flysnowflake.com flysnowflake.com]
}}

'''Snowflake''' was a [[low-cost airline]] that operated out of [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]], and [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]] between 30 March 2003 and 30 October 2004. Owned by the [[SAS Group]], it was organized as a [[business unit]] within [[Scandinavian Airlines]], operating as a [[virtual airline (economics)|virtual airline]] using their crew and aircraft. Snowflake served a total 28 destinations from its bases at [[Stockholm Arlanda Airport]] and [[Copenhagen Airport]].

The concept was launched using four [[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]] aircraft. It mainly served Mediterranean holiday destinations, as well as destinations popular with expatriates. From March 2004 two 737 aircraft were replaced with two [[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]]s. The airline underestimated its costs and achieved an insufficient [[load factor (aeronautics)|load factor]], thus making services unprofitable. After operations ended, SAS continued to use ''Snowflake'' as a brand for discounted tickets to European destinations.

==History==
In 2003 SAS underwent a major restructuring program, which largely focused on reducing [[unit cost]]s. As part of the program, the company's management, in cooperation with [[McKinsey & Company]] devised a scheme to better target the leisure market. The models of [[Ryanair]] and SAS' partner airline [[Lufthansa]]'s low-cost subsidiary [[Germanwings]] were examined. SAS had just bought its main Norwegian competitor, [[Braathens ASA|Braathens]], and had also significantly reduced Swedish domestic competition through the purchase of [[Linjeflyg]]. The airline was worried about new entrants in these markets, in particular about Ryanair and [[EasyJet]].<ref name=bjornelid>{{cite book |title=SAS – om konsten att sänka ett flygbolag |last=Björnelid |first=Richard |publisher=Atlas |location=Stockholm |year=2011 |isbn=978-91-7389-396-1 |language=Swedish |pages=244–248}}</ref>

[[File:Boeing 737-883, Snowflake (Scandinavian Airlines - SAS) AN0383454.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]] at [[Barcelona–El Prat Airport]]]]
The SAS Group announced plans for the airline on 10 December 2002, at the time giving it the provisional name ''Scandinavian Light''. The company stated that they aimed to create a low-cost airline which would focus on the leisure holiday market and on Mediterranean destinations. SAS hoped that the new airline would target a different market than Scandinavian Airlines and that the latter could instead focus on the business. A challenge for the company was at the time that it had overcapacity after a recent drop in passenger numbers.<ref>{{cite news |title=SAS planerar lågprissatsning |agency=[[Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå]] |date=10 December 2002 |language=Swedish}}</ref>

The ''Snowflake'' brand was announced on 19 March 2003 and services commenced on 30 March.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/resa/flyg/article10351145.ab |title=Snöflinga ska lyfta SAS ekonomi |work=[[Aftonbladet]] |date=19 March 2003 |language=Swedish |accessdate=10 September 2014}}</ref> Four Boeing 737-800 were transferred to the new airline and painted in a new livery. Two were stationed at Stockholm Arlanda Airport and two at Copenhagen Airport. SAS chose not to launch the service in Norway. It considered the newly formed [[SAS Braathens]] to be a lost-cost carrier and did not see the need for differentiation in the Norwegian market.<ref name=bjornelid /> Ticket prices started at 279 [[Swedish krona]] (SEK) and 295 [[Danish kroner]] (DKK) plus taxes. About ten seats per departure were sold at that price.<ref name=superrea>{{cite news |title=Super-rea på nya flygresor. Åk till Medelhavet för bara 279 kronor |last=Holmgren |first=Hasse |work=[[Expressen]] |date=19 December 2002 |page=10 |language=Swedish}}</ref>

[[File:Snowflake 737-883.jpg|thumb|left|[[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]] at [[Prague Ruzyně Airport]]]]
The first services were from Stockholm to [[Alicante]], [[Athens]], [[Barcelona]], [[Bologna]], [[Budapest]], [[Dublin]], [[Istanbul]], [[Málaga]], [[Nice]], [[Prague]] and [[Rome]]. From Copenhagen the airline's first flights were to Alicante, Athens, Bologna, [[Lisbon]], Málaga, [[Palma de Mallorca]], [[Pristina]] and [[Sarajevo]]. The latter two were particularly aimed at expatriates, rather than tourists.<ref name=superrea /> By May the airline had achieved a [[passenger load factor|load factor]] of seventy percent,<ref>{{cite news |title=Folks rädsla ny smäll för SAS |last=Pedersen |first=Hermod |work=[[Sydsvenskan]] |date=10 May 2003 |page=13 |language=Swedish}}</ref> increasing to eighty-two percent by September.<ref name=expands>{{cite web |url=http://213.150.143.57/snowflake/en/about/pressreleases/PR031106-snowflakeS04-eng.pdf |title=snowflake expands the coming summer |publisher=[[SAS Group]] |date=6 November 2003 |accessdate=20 June 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040620104926/http://213.150.143.57/snowflake/en/about/pressreleases/PR031106-snowflakeS04-eng.pdf |archivedate=20 June 2004}}</ref> Snowflake then announced three new destinations from Stockholm from the start of the winter program in October: [[Lyon]], [[Beograd]] and [[Beirut]]. The latter two were mainly aimed at expatriates.<ref name=lyon>{{cite news |title=Snowflake även till Lyon och Beirut |work=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |date=18 May 2003 |page=56 |language=Swedish}}</ref> A new fare scheme was introduced from 1 October, whereby there were eight price levels, ranging from €58 to €228. It also started offering discounted booking fees for tickets bought online.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://213.150.143.57/snowflake/en/about/pressreleases/PR031002-snowflake_booking_eng.pdf |title=Worldwide booking and ticketless travel with snowflake |publisher=[[SAS Group]] |date=2 October 2003 |accessdate=19 June 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040619151529/http://213.150.143.57/snowflake/en/about/pressreleases/PR031002-snowflake_booking_eng.pdf |archivedate=19 June 2004}}</ref> In November Snowflake announced that it would end services to Dublin and Barcelona, citing low profitability. Scandinavian Airlines started to serving Dublin itself.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snowflake skippar Barcelona |last=Nilsson |first=Hanna |work=[[Aftonbladet]] |date=9 November 2003 |page=33 |language=Swedish}}</ref>

[[File:McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82), Snowflake (Scandinavian Airlines - SAS) AN0923990.jpg|thumb|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]] at [[Zürich Airport]]]]
Snowflake was hit by a strike within the SAS Group starting on 1 February 2004 amongst ground handlers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fortsatt flygstrejk med 85 inställda avgångar |work=[[Göteborgs-Posten]] |date=2 February 2004 |page=21 |language=Swedish}}</ref> From February Snowflake introduced services from Stockholm to [[Bilbao]] and [[Olbia]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Snowflake öppnar Bilbaolinje |work=[[Borås Tidning]] |date=16 February 2004 |page=9 |language=Swedish}}</ref> Starting with the 2004 summer schedule, commencing 28 March, SAS introduced additional services. From Copenhagen the airline started flights to [[Ankara]], Beirut, [[Skopje]], [[Split, Croatia|Split]] and [[Valletta]]. From Stockholm services were introduced to Ankara, [[Inverness]], Lisbon, Palma de Mallorca, Split, Skope and Valletta.<ref name=expands /> At the same time two more aircraft, 156-seat McDonnell Douglas MD-82s, were introduced to the Snowflake fleet.{{Cn|date=January 2025}}

In May 2004 the load factor drop to forty percent. Snowflake announced large cutbacks to the winter schedule, and planned to only operate four services: to Athens, Istanbul, Nice and Rome. This was down from thirteen during the previous winter season. With two flights each per week, this resulted in a very low fleet utilization rate. Snowflake had originally had success with their expatriate routes, but from 2004 passenger numbers fluctuated significantly on those routes.<ref name=tvingar>{{cite news |title=Katastrofsiffror tvingar SAS att banta lågprisflyg |last=Braconier |first=Fredrik |work=[[Svenska Dagbladet]]  |date=6 June 2004 |page=42 |language=Swedish}}</ref>  Similar cuts were carried out in Copenhagen: services were reduced to ten per week. This included the announcement of a new destination – [[Cairo]].<ref name=tvingar /> Two services, to Dublin and Prague, were taken over from Stockholm by Scandinavian Airlines. A further four destinations were cut with the winter program.<ref>{{cite news |title=Åtta linjer ryker när Snowflake hårdbantar |last=Husår |first=Malin |date=2 June 2004 |page=30 |work=[[Aftonbladet]] |language=Swedish}}</ref> All services to Spain were taken over by [[Spanair]], which at the time was also owned by the SAS Group.<ref>{{cite news |title=SAS ersätter Snowflake med Spanair|last=Braconier |first=Fredrik |work=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |date=12 June 2004 |page=46 |language=Swedish}}</ref>

[[File:SAS snowflake.JPG|thumb|left|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]] at [[Alicante Airport]]]]
The load factor increased to eighty percent during the summer months. SAS announced on 18 August 2004 that it would terminate Snowflake services with effect 30 October. ''Snowflake'' would continue to exist as a brand name for discount tickets to European destinations.<ref>{{cite news |title=SAS lägger ner sitt lågprisbolag |last=Grensund |first=Peter |date=18 August 2004 |page=24 |work=[[Aftonbladet]] |language=Swedish}}</ref>

==Operations==
Snowflake's business model was not the same as that of Scandinavian Airlines.  Snowflake was organized as a business unit with in SAS Group, in the same manner as Scandinavian Airlines. The airline was thereby just a brand employed for particular services. The aircraft operated with Scandinavian Airlines' aircraft, crew and codes. The two also shared management. Snowflake was organized to become an internal customer within the group, for instance purchasing ground services from [[SAS Ground Handling|SAS Ground Services]].<ref name=bjornelid />

A key component to the operations was that the Snowflake services would be able to operate at a lower cost than the main airline. However, it soon proved that the company was not able to achieve the internal prices that were used in calculating costs. For instance, Snowflake incurred the same ground handling costs as Scandinavian Airlines. No discounts were therefore granted from SAS Ground Services or external ground handling providers. Similarly, if a Snowflake aircraft became sufficiently delayed, a conventional SAS aircraft would be dispatched instead.<ref name=bjornelid />

[[File:Snowflake 737-800 LN-RPN.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]] at [[Malta International Airport]]]]
Snowflake was able to avoid many of the costs related to operating a [[spoke-hub distribution paradigm|network system]]. To begin with it operated only a single type of aircraft. These started and ended each day at their home base, avoiding accommodation costs for crews.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snowflake får inte konkurrera med moderbolaget |last=Braconier |first=Fredrik |work=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |date=30 July 2003 |page=32 |language=Swedish}}</ref> The Snowflake business unit employed only five people.<ref name=braconier>{{cite news |title=SAS har lärt sig lågprisläxan |last=Braconier |first=Fredrik |work=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |date=30 July 2003 |page=32 |language=Swedish}}</ref>

Snowflake incurred the same [[overhead cost]]s as Scandinavian; the lack of a clear separation between the airlines at an operational level meant that Snowflake never succeeded in lowering unit costs below that of Scandinavian Airlines. Finally, operating only four aircraft was too small a fleet to achieve the necessary [[economy of scale]]. With the ticket prices based on cost savings which never materialized, the airline failed to operate with a profit.<ref name=bjornelid />

==Service==
Tickets were sold online and by telephone. They had a lower base price, additional services, including in-flight meals cost extra.<ref name=superrea /> Surcharges were also charged by travel agencies, which sold tickets for an interim period.  The airline only operated [[point-to-point transit|point-to-point]] services, rather than the network model used by Scandinavian Airline. Tickets were sold one-way and did not require a round trip and staying away over a Saturday to claim discounts. However, they did not support [[interlining]].<ref name=bjornelid />

[[File:McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82), Snowflake (Scandinavian Airlines - SAS) AN0828974.jpg|thumb|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]] at [[Stockholm Arlanda Airport]]]]
Standard fare included one piece of checked-in luggage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://snowflake.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i2?SK&LANG=EN |title=Baggage |publisher=Snowflake |year=2004 |archivedate=20 July 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040720024640/http://snowflake.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i2?SK&LANG=EN |accessdate=20 July 2004}}</ref> The airline had a selection of in-flight meals, food and beverages for sale.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://snowflake.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i2?SK&LANG=EN |title=Food & beverages |publisher=Snowflake |year=2004 |archivedate=20 July 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040720024640/http://snowflake.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i2?SK&LANG=EN |accessdate=20 July 2004}}</ref> Customers could redeem miles earned through SAS' loyalty program [[Eurobonus]], but miles could not be earned on flights with Snowflake. Snowflake services were popular for redemption because of the concentration of leisure destinations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://snowflake.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i2?SK&LANG=EN |title=SAS Eurobonus |publisher=Snowflake |year=2004 |archivedate=20 July 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040720024640/http://snowflake.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i2?SK&LANG=EN |accessdate=20 July 2004}}</ref>

==Fleet==
The airline initially operated a fleet of four [[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]], with two aircraft based in Stockholm and two in Copenhagen.<ref name=bjornelid /> From March 2004 the two 737s in Copenhagen were replaced with two [[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]].{{Cn|date=January 2025}} All aircraft were owned and operated by Scandinavian Airlines, but retained a distinctive livery with a lemon-colored vertical stabilizer and otherwise white body. They had single-class seating in a more dense configuration than in SAS' conventional aircraft.<ref name=bjornelid /> All the aircraft were registered in Norway.{{Cn|date=January 2025}}

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Snowflake fleet
|-
!scope=col | Aircraft
!scope=col | Image
!scope=col | Quantity
!scope=col | Seating
|-
!scope=row | [[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]]
| [[File:Boeing 737-883, Snowflake (Scandinavian Airlines - SAS) AN0551079.jpg|150px]] || 4 || 150<ref>{{cite web |url=http://213.150.143.57/snowflake/en/about/pressreleases/19MAR2003.pdf |title=Snowflake towards southern climes |publisher=[[SAS Group]] |date=19 March 2003|accessdate=20 June 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040620103950/http://213.150.143.57/snowflake/en/about/pressreleases/19MAR2003.pdf |archivedate=20 June 2004}}</ref>
|-
!scope=row | [[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]]
| [[File:Snowflake MD-82.jpg|150px]] || 2 || 156{{Cn|date=January 2025}}
|}

==Destinations==
Snowflake operated flights to a series of destinations from its bases in Copenhagen and Stockholm. They flew out of Terminal 2 at Copenhagen and Terminal 5 at Stockholm.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://snowflake.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i2?SK&LANG=EN |title=Check-in and departure |publisher=Snowflake |year=2004 |archivedate=20 July 2004 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040720024640/http://snowflake.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/181002i2?SK&LANG=EN |accessdate=20 July 2004}}</ref> Most flights had a limited frequency, typically one to four times per week. Flights operated to primary airports and not remote airports.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flysnowflake.com/snowflake/where.asp |title=Where? |publisher=Snowflake |year=2003 |archivedate=13 April 2003 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030413190154/http://www.flysnowflake.com/snowflake/where.asp |accessdate=13 April 2003}}</ref> To avoid [[cannibalization (marketing)|cannibalizing]] customers from Scandinavian Airlines, Snowflake only flew to destinations not served by the other part of the group. This included several popular tourist destinations, such as [[London]] and [[Paris]], which also attracted a large share of business travelers.<ref name=braconier />

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Snowflake destinations<ref name=superrea /><ref name=expands /><ref name=lyon />
! scope=col | City
! scope=col | Country
! scope=col | Airport
|-
! scope=row | [[Alicante]]
| {{flagicon|Spain}} Spain || [[Alicante Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Ankara]]
| {{flagicon|Turkey}} Turkey || [[Esenboğa International Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Athens]]
| {{flagicon|Greece}} Greece || [[Athens International Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Barcelona]]
| {{flagicon|Spain}} Spain || [[Barcelona–El Prat Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Beirut]]
| {{flagicon|Lebanon}} Lebanon || [[Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Belgrade]]
| {{flagicon|Serbia and Montenegro}} Serbia and Montenegro || [[Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Bilbao]]
| {{flagicon|Spain}} Spain || [[Bilbao Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Bologna]]
| {{flagicon|Italy}} Italy || [[Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|Hungary}} Hungary || [[Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Copenhagen]]
| {{flagicon|Denmark}} Denmark || style="background-color: #D0E7FF" | [[Copenhagen Airport]]<sup>[Base]</sup>
|-
! scope=row | [[Dublin]]
| {{flagicon|Ireland}} Ireland || [[Dublin Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Inverness]]
| {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} United Kingdom || [[Inverness Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Istanbul]]
| {{flagicon|Turkey}} Turkey || [[Atatürk International Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Lisbon]]
| {{flagicon|Portugal}} Portugal || [[Lisbon Portela Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Lyon]]
| {{flagicon|France}} France || [[Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Málaga]]
| {{flagicon|Spain}} Spain || [[Málaga Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Nice]]
| {{flagicon|France}} France || [[Nice Côte d'Azur Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Olbia]]
| {{flagicon|Italy}} Italy || [[Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Palma de Mallorca]]
| {{flagicon|Spain}} Spain || [[Palma de Mallorca Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Prague]]
| {{flagicon|Czech Republic}} Czech Republic || [[Václav Havel Airport Prague]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Pristina]]
| {{flagicon|Serbia and Montenegro}} Serbia and Montenegro || [[Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari|Pristina International Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Rome]]
| {{flagicon|Italy}} Italy || [[Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Sarajevo]]
| {{flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} Bosnia and Herzegovina || [[Sarajevo International Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Skopje]]
| {{flagicon|Macedonia}} Macedonia || [[Skopje Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
| {{flagicon|Croatia}} Croatia || [[Split Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Stockholm]]
| {{flagicon|Sweden}} Sweden || style="background-color: #D0E7FF" | [[Stockholm Arlanda Airport]]<sup>[Base]</sup>
|-
! scope=row | [[Luqa]]
| {{flagicon|Malta}} Malta || [[Malta International Airport]]
|-
! scope=row | [[Venice]]
| {{flagicon|Italy}} Italy || [[Venice Marco Polo Airport]]
|}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{commons category|SAS Snowflake}}

{{Portal bar|Aviation|Companies|Denmark|Norway|Sweden}}
{{SAS Group}}
{{Airlines of Denmark}}
{{Airlines of Sweden}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Snowflake (Airline)}}
[[Category:Airlines established in 2003]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2004]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of Denmark]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of Sweden]]
[[Category:Defunct European low-cost airlines]]
[[Category:SAS Group]]
[[Category:Scandinavian Airlines]]