SAS has recruited airBaltic to fly select European services on its behalf over the last week. The decision comes as the Scandinavian carrier suffers from crew shortages and a potential strike from pilots over salary cuts.

A220s at SAS hubs

According to data from FlightRadar24.com, SAS has signed a wet leasing deal with airBaltic for its A220-300s to fly important European routes. The move comes after SAS struggles to meet crew requirements amid labor disputes and COVID-related disruptions.

YL-CSD (4.9 years old) is currently based out of Stockholm and YL-CSB (5.3 years old) has been flying from Copenhagen. The lease agreement began on 27th March, when both aircraft were repositioned from Riga, Latvia, and began flying intra-European services for SAS.

airBaltic A220
Passengers flying out of these two airports might be pleasantly surprised to be flying on an A220. Photo: Airbus

The planes have been kept busy flying under SK flight numbers to Kraków, Mallorca, Alicante, Brussels, Amsterdam, and several other cities. As of today, the lease has been in effect for a week, but given the start date of 27th March, the IATA summer season, these planes could be in service for a while.

Wet leasing, a process where carriers receive a crew and aircraft, can be expensive for airlines and is not a decision that is taken lightly. However, with SAS facing strike action after negotiations with its pilot union fell through and other disruptions, it may have decided that leasing the A220s would save more than the thousands in damages it would have to pay for canceling flights over the coming months.

Demand is high for airBaltic's planes

At an exclusive webinar with Simple Flying last week, airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss spoke about the massive potential for wet leasing the A220. He said which SAS and Eurowings were the current operators of his airline's planes, carriers around the globe have made inquiries. The reason for the popularity of the A220 is,

"The aircraft is usable if the route is not [one] where you need a 220-seater, so a 737-800 or an A321. (...) Any other aircraft which is smaller than the A321 or the 737-800 also comes with a smaller cabin or a different range. (...) Therefore, I think the A220, because of the economics, and because of its size, is seeing such demand at the moment."

airbaltic A220
Morocco and Gran Canaria are two possible destinations. Photo: Getty Images

To pursue these deals while maintaining airBaltic's schedule, Gauss has committed to a busy delivery schedule. Seven more A220s are scheduled to roll in by 2022, nearly one every month. Clearly, the aircraft has found an important niche in the European market that it can exploit.

Airlines looking for summer capacity

For now, all airlines will be laser-focused on ensuring that they can meet staffing demand for the summer of 2022. With schedules restored to pre-pandemic levels, having the right equipment will be important to make sure everyone is able to fly. Expect to see more deliveries and wet leasing agreements in the coming months as carriers prepare for the future.

What do you think about SAS's decision to wet lease two A220s? Let us know in the comments!

Source: FlightRadar24.com