The Scandinavian airline SAS has confirmed it has joined the regional airline alliance European Regions Airline Association (ERA).

SAS emphasised that the decision was heavily influenced by its desire to strengthen bonds with regional airlines it has lease agreements with, such as CityJet and Flybe.

“We believe it is important for SAS to be a member of ERA. Most of our strategic wet lease partners are members of this association,” said Mikael Wångdahl, the vice president for SAS External Production.

“Regional airlines are important in the airline industry, as well as for SAS. Therefore it’s important that we are represented where our partners are.”

READ MORE: SAS to establish bases in the UK, Spain and possibly Ireland

Nordic network
SAS is the third airline to join ERA in recent weeks, following Croatia Airlines and APG Airlines.

ERA consists of 138 airports and 53 airlines in Europe, including Nordic airlines such as Air Greenland, Air Iceland, Atlantic Airways, Braathens Regional Airlines (BRA), Cimber, Danish Air Transport, Jet Time, Nordic Regional Airlines (Norra), West Atlantic Cargo Airlines and Widerøe.

“SAS has an innovative business model for its short-haul European network that includes partnerships with many of our airline members, so their involvement in ERA makes perfect sense and I am delighted to welcome them as members,” said Simon McNamara, the head of ERA.

“We are very much looking forward to representing SAS External Production’s concerns and interests in our work.”