SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK, Copenhagen Kastrup) Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Eivind Roald, says the carrier has no plans to develop proposed foreign bases in the United Kingdom and Spain into intercontinental hubs akin to what rival Norwegian (Oslo Gardermoen) has done.

SAS expects to have its nascent SAS Scandinavian Airlines Ireland (London Heathrow) unit up and running during the last quarter of the year. Once certified, SAS Ireland will operate a fleet of nine A320neo, sourced from its Scandinavian parent, for and on behalf of SAS under a wet-lease agreement. While registered in Ireland, the unit will open up bases in London and Spain.

According to USA Today, Roald said in an interview on the sidelines of an airline employee event in Washington last month that SAS Ireland's operations will focus on serving the Scandinavian market exclusively.

“No, we will not copy Norwegian on starting flying (routes) like Paris-U.S. or London to Barcelona El Prat,” he said. “We will not go that way.”

Concerning the carrier's proposed replacement for its fleet of older B737NextGens, Roald said the A321neo(LR) and the B737 MAX were currently being reviewed.

"What we see as a potential is to establish more direct flights from Scandinavia to the East Coast of the U.S. and also from Scandinavia to … India (and) Iran,” he said when questioned on their role in SAS's fleet.

SAS expects the aircraft to arrive “around 2020” although this depends on when an order decision is made.