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Transwede Airways
Transwede Airways AB (later Braathens Sverige AB), was a Swedish charter and later also scheduled airline operating between 1985 and 1998. Based at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Transwede initially flew Sud Aviation Caravelles, and from 1987 also McDonnell Douglas MD-80s. Most charter services were operated for package tour companies to the Mediterranean.
The first scheduled services were from Stockholm to London in 1991. After the Swedish domestic market was deregulated the following year, Transwede variously started services from Stockholm to Visby, Umeå, Luleå, Sundsvall, Malmö and Halmstad. From 1993, the domestic services were conducted using Fokker 100 aircraft. The airline had a domestic market share of about 13 percent in Sweden.
The airline was split up in 1996, following a period of losses. The charter division was sold to Fritidsresor, who renamed the airline Blue Scandinavia. Through a series of purchases, the airline is known as TUIfly Nordic since 2006. The scheduled division was acquired by Norwegian carrier Braathens SAFE, who renamed the two airlines Braathens from 1998, integrating Transwede's operations into their own.
Transwede was founded on 1 April 1985 in Växjö by Thomas Johansson, who was also the company's first president. He had previously founded the airline Air Sweden. Johansson intended to fill the gap created after the last Swedish package tour operator, Transair Sweden, ceased operations in 1979. The airline initially bought two 109-seat Sud Aviation Super Caravelles and was contracted by Royal Tours. The airline moved its main base to Stockholm Arlanda Airport the following year. It acquired the tour operator Royal Tours in November 1986 in order to secure access to 200,000 annual charter passengers.
Within a year, the airline bought two McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft to supplement its Caravelles. Those were used from 1987 onwards on charter services to various destinations, including from Stockholm via Oslo, Norway, and Gander, Canada, to Fort Lauderdale in the United States. The 414-kilometer (257 mi) Oslo to Gander leg was the longest MD-80 revenue leg in the world. By 1990, the fleet was substantially increased, adding a Boeing 737-200, two Boeing 737-300s, two MD-87s and bringing the number of MD-83s up to four.
At the time Linjeflyg and its parent Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) controlled virtually all domestic air traffic in Sweden, based on a monopoly granted through a series of government concessions. Transwede started working against this system in 1989, when they applied to operate a direct service from Göteborg Landvetter Airport to Sundsvall Airport and Skellefteå Airport. This would require the airline to buy smaller turboprop aircraft. This did not hinder Linjeflyg and Transwede from cooperating in other areas, with the former wet leasing Caravelles and MD-80s when in need. Transwede also signed an agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces to operate the first domestic charter service in Sweden, twice weekly from Gothenburg to Luleå Airport. They subsequently applied to operate the route as a twice-daily scheduled flight. The airline had a revenue of 800 million kronor in 1989, but failed to make a profit. Chairman Lars Svenheim replaced Thomas Johansson as CEO in May 1990.
Transwede applied in June 1990 to operate a scheduled service from Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö to London Gatwick Airport. International routes out of Scandinavia had since the 1940s been the domain of Scandinavian Airlines System, but in 1990 the Danish authorities granted domestic carrier Maersk Air the right to start a Gatwick service out of Copenhagen. Transwede used this as leverage to secure itself a similar right out of the Swedish capital. Transwede started the service eight times per week, using a single-class MD-83, offering prices 32 percent below SAS and British Airways.
Meanwhile, Sterling Airways's owner TransNordic Group bought a 33-percent stake in Transwede. They had bought a similar stake in Norway Airlines, who had received concession to operate an Oslo to Gatwick route. In addition to the London routes, the three airlines aimed at starting services on the lucrative "capital triangle" between the three Scandinavian capitals. Within a year Transwede was flying three daily flights to London and had captured a 29-percent market share. The partnership lasted until April 1993.
Transwede Airways
Transwede Airways AB (later Braathens Sverige AB), was a Swedish charter and later also scheduled airline operating between 1985 and 1998. Based at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Transwede initially flew Sud Aviation Caravelles, and from 1987 also McDonnell Douglas MD-80s. Most charter services were operated for package tour companies to the Mediterranean.
The first scheduled services were from Stockholm to London in 1991. After the Swedish domestic market was deregulated the following year, Transwede variously started services from Stockholm to Visby, Umeå, Luleå, Sundsvall, Malmö and Halmstad. From 1993, the domestic services were conducted using Fokker 100 aircraft. The airline had a domestic market share of about 13 percent in Sweden.
The airline was split up in 1996, following a period of losses. The charter division was sold to Fritidsresor, who renamed the airline Blue Scandinavia. Through a series of purchases, the airline is known as TUIfly Nordic since 2006. The scheduled division was acquired by Norwegian carrier Braathens SAFE, who renamed the two airlines Braathens from 1998, integrating Transwede's operations into their own.
Transwede was founded on 1 April 1985 in Växjö by Thomas Johansson, who was also the company's first president. He had previously founded the airline Air Sweden. Johansson intended to fill the gap created after the last Swedish package tour operator, Transair Sweden, ceased operations in 1979. The airline initially bought two 109-seat Sud Aviation Super Caravelles and was contracted by Royal Tours. The airline moved its main base to Stockholm Arlanda Airport the following year. It acquired the tour operator Royal Tours in November 1986 in order to secure access to 200,000 annual charter passengers.
Within a year, the airline bought two McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft to supplement its Caravelles. Those were used from 1987 onwards on charter services to various destinations, including from Stockholm via Oslo, Norway, and Gander, Canada, to Fort Lauderdale in the United States. The 414-kilometer (257 mi) Oslo to Gander leg was the longest MD-80 revenue leg in the world. By 1990, the fleet was substantially increased, adding a Boeing 737-200, two Boeing 737-300s, two MD-87s and bringing the number of MD-83s up to four.
At the time Linjeflyg and its parent Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) controlled virtually all domestic air traffic in Sweden, based on a monopoly granted through a series of government concessions. Transwede started working against this system in 1989, when they applied to operate a direct service from Göteborg Landvetter Airport to Sundsvall Airport and Skellefteå Airport. This would require the airline to buy smaller turboprop aircraft. This did not hinder Linjeflyg and Transwede from cooperating in other areas, with the former wet leasing Caravelles and MD-80s when in need. Transwede also signed an agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces to operate the first domestic charter service in Sweden, twice weekly from Gothenburg to Luleå Airport. They subsequently applied to operate the route as a twice-daily scheduled flight. The airline had a revenue of 800 million kronor in 1989, but failed to make a profit. Chairman Lars Svenheim replaced Thomas Johansson as CEO in May 1990.
Transwede applied in June 1990 to operate a scheduled service from Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö to London Gatwick Airport. International routes out of Scandinavia had since the 1940s been the domain of Scandinavian Airlines System, but in 1990 the Danish authorities granted domestic carrier Maersk Air the right to start a Gatwick service out of Copenhagen. Transwede used this as leverage to secure itself a similar right out of the Swedish capital. Transwede started the service eight times per week, using a single-class MD-83, offering prices 32 percent below SAS and British Airways.
Meanwhile, Sterling Airways's owner TransNordic Group bought a 33-percent stake in Transwede. They had bought a similar stake in Norway Airlines, who had received concession to operate an Oslo to Gatwick route. In addition to the London routes, the three airlines aimed at starting services on the lucrative "capital triangle" between the three Scandinavian capitals. Within a year Transwede was flying three daily flights to London and had captured a 29-percent market share. The partnership lasted until April 1993.