SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES SYSTEM

(SAS) major international airline, formed by three national Scandinavian air carriers. Its headquarters are in Stockholm, Sweden. The airline was established in 1951 through a consortium agreement among three Scandinavian airlines: Det Danske Luftartselskab A/S (DDL), the Danish airline; Den Norske Luftartselskap A/S (DNL), the Norwegian air carrier; and Aktiebolaget Aerotransport (ABA), the Swedish airline. Each of the national carriers is owned 50 percent by its national government and 50 percent by private individuals. SAS operates scheduled passenger, freight, and mail flights between nearly 100 cities in about 50 countries. The company also offers tour and catering services and operates hotels in Scandinavia.