For the past few years when talk has turned to Scandinavian airlines, it has invariably focused on Norwegian and its explosive growth. However, the low-cost carrier (LCC) is just one of many airlines in a busy market and while it might have stolen recent headlines, others have continued to go about their business with less fanfare.

One such airline is Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2016 and is continuing its strategy largely unabated by the operations of the noisier new kid on the block.

SAS CCO Eivind Roald says while the airline keeps an eye on what its rival is doing, it has worked hard to ensure there are enough points of difference between the two brands to allow it to compete on its own terms.

In particular, it has been keen to avoid the practices of some other legacy airlines that have ditched key parts of their offering, for instance British Airways’ recent decision to do away with its free short-haul catering service. Instead Roald believes it is important to have enough confidence in your own product and back it accordingly.

He says: “Norwegian is primarily focused on the leisure traffic. We are focused on being the first choice for all travellers who travel at least five times per year, independent of the purpose of travel.