Since I recently saw here a BRAATHENS S.A.F.E. Boeing 767, (Braathens SAFE operated two 767-200s for 2 years), I've been thinking about both Braathens SAFE and SAS, two of my historically interesting airlines. First, it is to be noted that "S.A.F.E." stands for "South American & Far East" because soon after been established (its founding in 1946 was actually 4 months ahead of the (mainline) Scandinavian Flag carrier airline "SAS" that we know today), it had first opened (international) routes to such destinations.

For example, one of its Far East routes (quite impressive for the time) went like this: [Oslo -> Amsterdam -> Marseille -> Cairo -> Basra -> Karachi -> Calcutta -> Bangkok -> Hong Kong]. Founder Mr. Braathen had personally travelled to the U.S., in 1946, just a year after the end of the War, to negotiate acquisitions of 6 DC-4s (actually military C-54s), then had recruited and arranged for 20 Norwegian Pilots to be sent to Fort Worth (TX) for certification, thereby ensuring both planes and pilots, ready to initiate the (pioneering) long-haul international services out of Norway. The above (Far East) route took a total flight time of 46 hours. For comparison, I am seeing, on FlightAware, a KLM 777-300, enroute, now, from Amsterdam to Hong Kong, on a (non-stop) flight of 11 hrs 20 mins (having previously arrived at Amsterdam from Oslo, this (ENGM-EHAM) leg, btw, is the subject flight of my post, here). So, adding this 1 hr 45 mins duration of the (ENGM-EHAM) leg, the total (Oslo -> Hong Kong) flight time, these modern days, is about 13 hours...

Anyway, Braathens's (in-country) archrival SAS, though a few months behind in founding in 1946, would be catching up fast. In fact, in 1954, SAS would be granted all international routes at the cost of Braathens, and, in 2004, Braathens would merge with SAS to form "SAS Braathens" which is the livery of my choice for the first part of my flight (lift-off from ENGM/Oslo to cruise level). Notice the print "Braathens" next to "SAS" in the forward fuselage and (only) the Norwegian Flag on the rear fuselage (otherwise being very similar to the SAS livery). Please note that mainline "SAS" represents 3 Scandinavian countries (Denmark-Norway-Sweden), not just Norway, so, it's the flag carrier of 3 countries, all 3 flags been represented on its a/c liveries. Then, in 2007, "SAS Braathens" would be dissolved into mainline SAS, and thereby the Braathens logo would finally cease to exist on any aircraft (this mainline SAS livery is in my 2nd part of the flight, from cruise level to the landing at EHAM/Amsterdam).

I've used the 737-600 as the medium for this Braathens/SAS story. It's to be noted that Braathens rather curiously did not deploy any 736 variants (after all, the 736 did not win many operators' hearts, except for the few of us diehards here...🙂...), while it did deploy all other 737 variants. Therefore, though many Braathens 737s would be re-painted as SAS Braathens, both the 736 airframes, you see below (LN-RRY/LN-RPB), were originally purchased by SAS and also ended their useful lives with SAS.

Hope you enjoy this collection of images of these (dual) SAS Braathens and SAS liveries, and please don't forget to notice (in the sky) where one transitions into the other...symbolic of the cessation of the Braathens airline's name, so to speak...🙂...Thanks for viewing...!

Very interesting background info. My only flights on Braathens were in 1987 when their livery was still proclaiming it was S-A-F-E to fly (pardon the pun). I like the way you pictorially transitioned from Braathens to SAS at (literally) the blink of an eye. Glad I had my attention focused on those nacelles at that moment.

Edited February 4, 20242 yr by John F

4 hours ago, John F said:

Very interesting background info. My only flights on Braathens were in 1987 when their livery was still proclaiming it was S-A-F-E to fly (pardon the pun). I like the way you pictorially transitioned from Braathens to SAS at (literally) the blink of an eye. Glad I had my attention focused on those nacelles at that moment.

Thanks, John.

That is a nice twist of the acronym…🙂…Yes, it seems till 1997 they used the “SAFE” suffix on the name, after which they called themselves just Braathens. You flew the SAFE airline…🙂…when their competition with SAS was really heating up. 

Great set P_7878 !

cheers 😉