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Travel + Leisure
6 days ago
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
This Airline Route to Europe Was Just Revived After a 16-year Pause—and I Snagged a Seat On the First Flight
On May 21, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) relaunched a long-haul flight connecting Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) with Copenhagen Airport (CPH) after a 16-year-long pause. The flight will operate five days per week during the SAS summer schedule—but I was lucky enough to snag a business-class seat on the first flight. "The Seattle-Copenhagen route has been a highly requested destination," Paul Verhagen, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Scandinavian Airlines, tells Travel + Leisure . "Washington State has deep Scandinavian roots, with many residents tracing their heritage to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. This creates natural demand for both leisure and family travel." As any business class journey should, my excursion began with a visit to the lounge. While there isn't an SAS lounge in Seattle, the airline is a part of the SkyTeam airline alliance, so I got access to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport's Delta Sky Club. The lounge has views of Mount Rainier and the runway, and you can plane spot while enjoying small bites like clam chowder, chicken sliders, and caprese salad from the buffet or a drink from the bar. Although the Delta Sky Club was located in Concourse A and the flight was scheduled to depart from Concourse S, it was easy to move between terminals, thanks to the SEA Underground—trains leave every three minutes and there was no need to go through security again. The inaugural festivities kicked off with a celebration near the gate, featuring historic pictures of the original inaugural SAS flight from Seattle to Copenhagen. Boarding was quick and easy (admittedly, being in zone one didn't hurt), and we soon found ourselves on an Airbus 350-900, considered one of the best modern wide-body planes. It's much quieter than most other planes in its peer group, and the air pressure is lower. It only ever feels like you're, at most, an altitude of around 5,500 feet. That all means a more comfortable experience with less jet lag. After a send-off from the local fire department and the airport staff, our flight was soon in the air, making its way across the Rocky Mountains, through Canada, and finally across the Atlantic. I've always flown economy so let's just say that in SAS business class, some socks were knocked off. The business class section was in a 1-2-1 formation, and I found myself in the middle aisle. The units were generously sized, and the seat was large and cushy, with buttons that could adjust the height, angle, and level of cushion in the chair. There was plenty of overhead storage, as well as a nifty area to store other items near my feet. I also appreciated having a shelf (with a drink holder, no less) to store odds and ends that I had with me during my flight. Interior of a SAS Business Class seat. Mae Hamilton/Travel + Leisure There were over-the-ear headphones for watching movies on the very deluxe, oversized entertainment console. Entertainment selection was broad, with new movies like "Nosferatu," "A Complete Unknown ," and "The Brutalist" available to watch as well as classic flicks like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," "Cool Hand Luke," and "Dumb and Dumber." But perhaps one of the coolest perks of flying in an A350-900 is the tail-view camera, where you can watch mountains, rivers, and oceans pass you by during your flight from the comfort of your seat. The internet service, however, was pretty spotty during this particular flight, and it was hard to load a browser page, much less get work done. In addition to the usual business class swag bag—packed with an eye mask, face cream, a toothbrush, and socks—passengers on this inaugural flight also received a small bag filled with things like Scandinavisk-branded hand cream, white chocolate truffles, and a commemorative luggage tag. Passengers also got a 'boreal forest' soy wax candle by Skog, which did indeed smell like a brisk walk through the pines. As far as airplane food goes, it would be hard to find fault in Scandinavian Airlines' business class fare, which truly goes all out with fresh, Scandi-inspired fare. For each meal, flight attendants began service by 'setting' the table by laying down a napkin on the tray table. Dinner was a four-course event consisting of a starter, a main, a cheese plate, and a dessert. I opted for the burrata salad for a starter, a spring-y arrangement of tomatoes, basil, and burrata with a sweet balsamic reduction on the side. I then had the grilled miso chicken, which was served with piping hot jasmine rice and perfectly cooked radishes and bok choy. There was fresh fruit and a cheese plate for dessert, featuring a generous slice of very nice blue cheese. Breakfast was a simple affair with overnight oats, a smoothie, and a poached egg with shashuka. Bedding down in a comforter from the luxe Swedish linen brand Dux made it easy to catch some shut-eye, too. With the multiple feasts and plenty of movies to watch, I soon found myself in Copenhagen. Since I felt so well-rested from my flight, it was easy to hit the ground running—and that's exactly what SAS intends. Copenhagen Airport is a major hub to other Scandinavian destinations and a gateway to all that northern Europe has to offer. After this flight, I hopped on a couple of short plane rides to Bergen, Norway (a direct route from Copenhagen to Bergen is available), and spent a few days exploring the country's breathtaking fjords by car—the transition from one of the region's most bustling cities to one of the most remote and idyllic areas was smooth and easy. "The route is among the fastest and most seamless transatlantic connections, offering travelers an efficient and smooth journey between North America and Europe," Verhagen says. "Schedules have been designed to maximize connectivity with the rest of the SAS network, offering one-stop access to and from 39 European cities via Copenhagen." For West Coast and Pacific Northwest residents, that means Northern Europe is once again, just one short (and very luxurious) flight away.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Datalex PLC (DUB:DLE) (FY 2024) Earnings Call Highlights: Strategic Launches and Revenue Growth ...
Release Date: May 15, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Datalex PLC (DUB:DLE) successfully launched Selex, a new offer and order management solution, marking a significant strategic development for the company. The company completed the activation of Air Macau onto the Selex platform and continued the activation of EasyJet, showcasing progress in customer engagement. Platform revenue, consisting of SAAS license and transaction fees, grew by 24% year on year, indicating strong underlying business momentum. Datalex PLC (DUB:DLE) raised 25 million in equity, which was used to repay debt and strengthen the balance sheet, providing capital for strategic initiatives. The company expanded its gross profit margin by 3 percentage points to 37%, driven by a strategic shift towards higher-margin platform revenue. Total revenue declined by 5% year on year to 27.5 million, primarily due to the cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia. Operating expenses increased by 5% year on year, driven by higher IT and insurance costs due to inflationary pressures. The company reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of 3.1 million, a modest increase from the previous year, as higher operating expenses offset gross profit growth. Datalex PLC (DUB:DLE) experienced a loss after tax of 10.2 million, a 13% increase year on year, attributed to higher interest costs and share-based payment expenses. The cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia resulted in a 3.5 million revenue loss, creating a drag on year-on-year growth. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with DUB:DLE. Q: Can you elaborate on the impact of the cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia on your 2024 revenue? A: Stephen Maloney, CFO: The cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia in 2023 resulted in a 3.5 million revenue that did not recur in 2024, leading to a 5% decline in total revenue. However, platform revenue grew by 24% year on year, indicating strong underlying business momentum. Q: What strategic initiatives are you focusing on for 2025 to drive growth? A: Jonathan Rocket, CEO: Our focus for 2025 includes expanding our Selex offer and order management solution, launching new stand-alone modules like Selex Plus, and investing in core enablers such as platform modernization and AI integration to drive future growth and scale. Q: How did the equity raise in 2024 impact your financial position? A: Stephen Maloney, CFO: We raised 25 million in equity, which was used to repay our debt facility, significantly strengthening our balance sheet. This move eliminates future interest expenses and supports our strategic initiatives. Q: What are your expectations for platform revenue and margin expansion in 2025? A: Stephen Maloney, CFO: We expect continued strong platform revenue growth and margin expansion in 2025, driven by ongoing customer activations and a shift towards higher-margin platform revenue. This will be a strategic priority to ensure sustainable growth. Q: Can you provide more details on the new products, DLXpay and Pricing AI? A: Jonathan Rocket, CEO: DLXpay is a payment platform designed to simplify global payment processing and enhance customer experiences. Pricing AI is a plug-in that uses AI to optimize pricing strategies for airlines. Both products are part of our Selex Plus suite, aimed at addressing airline demands and driving revenue growth. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Datalex PLC (DUB:DLE) (FY 2024) Earnings Call Highlights: Strategic Launches and Revenue Growth ...
Release Date: May 15, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Datalex PLC (DUB:DLE) successfully launched Selex, a new offer and order management solution, marking a significant strategic development for the company. The company completed the activation of Air Macau onto the Selex platform and continued the activation of EasyJet, showcasing progress in customer engagement. Platform revenue, consisting of SAAS license and transaction fees, grew by 24% year on year, indicating strong underlying business momentum. Datalex PLC (DUB:DLE) raised 25 million in equity, which was used to repay debt and strengthen the balance sheet, providing capital for strategic initiatives. The company expanded its gross profit margin by 3 percentage points to 37%, driven by a strategic shift towards higher-margin platform revenue. Total revenue declined by 5% year on year to 27.5 million, primarily due to the cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia. Operating expenses increased by 5% year on year, driven by higher IT and insurance costs due to inflationary pressures. The company reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of 3.1 million, a modest increase from the previous year, as higher operating expenses offset gross profit growth. Datalex PLC (DUB:DLE) experienced a loss after tax of 10.2 million, a 13% increase year on year, attributed to higher interest costs and share-based payment expenses. The cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia resulted in a 3.5 million revenue loss, creating a drag on year-on-year growth. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with DUB:DLE. Q: Can you elaborate on the impact of the cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia on your 2024 revenue? A: Stephen Maloney, CFO: The cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia in 2023 resulted in a 3.5 million revenue that did not recur in 2024, leading to a 5% decline in total revenue. However, platform revenue grew by 24% year on year, indicating strong underlying business momentum. Q: What strategic initiatives are you focusing on for 2025 to drive growth? A: Jonathan Rocket, CEO: Our focus for 2025 includes expanding our Selex offer and order management solution, launching new stand-alone modules like Selex Plus, and investing in core enablers such as platform modernization and AI integration to drive future growth and scale. Q: How did the equity raise in 2024 impact your financial position? A: Stephen Maloney, CFO: We raised 25 million in equity, which was used to repay our debt facility, significantly strengthening our balance sheet. This move eliminates future interest expenses and supports our strategic initiatives. Q: What are your expectations for platform revenue and margin expansion in 2025? A: Stephen Maloney, CFO: We expect continued strong platform revenue growth and margin expansion in 2025, driven by ongoing customer activations and a shift towards higher-margin platform revenue. This will be a strategic priority to ensure sustainable growth. Q: Can you provide more details on the new products, DLXpay and Pricing AI? A: Jonathan Rocket, CEO: DLXpay is a payment platform designed to simplify global payment processing and enhance customer experiences. Pricing AI is a plug-in that uses AI to optimize pricing strategies for airlines. Both products are part of our Selex Plus suite, aimed at addressing airline demands and driving revenue growth. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Post
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business Post
‘Not reflective of our work' - Datalex chief Jonathan Rockett on firm's 2024 losses
Business Post subscribers can read: • Why Jonathan Rockett says Datalex's $10.2m loss doesn't reflect the company's real performance • How new Saas products like Stellex Plus could speed up airline integration and revive growth • What went wrong with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia — and how it hit Datalex's bottom line Datalex chief executive Jonathan Rockett has said he doesn't think the company's 2024 financial results were reflective of the company's ambition or the work undertaken.
RTÉ News
15-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Datalex posts lower revenues and wider losses for 2024
Airline e-commerce platform Datalex has reported lower revenues and wider losses for the year to the end of December but said it had achieved several positive developments during the year, including the migration of four airlines to its new "Stellex" platform. Datalex said its annual revenue dipped by 5% to $27.5m from $28.9m the previous year while its loss after tax widened by 13% to $10.2m from $9m. It said the fall in revenues was mainly due to a number of customer contracts ending in 2023, creating a drag on year-on-year growth as this revenue did not recur in 2024. Today's results shows that Datalex's "Platform"revenue increased by 24% to $16.1m from $12.9m, driven by ongoing customer activations and the transition of customers to a SaaS licence and transaction fee model. But its "Services" revenue decreased by 27% to $10.2m from $14.1m, after the cessation of contracts with Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia in 2023. The company said its total operating expenses increased by 5% to $13.3m on the back of higher insurance and IT expenses because of inflationary pressures. Looking ahead, Datalex said it had entered 2025 with a solid recurring revenue base and strengthened balance sheet having repaid its loan facility. "Our financial ambition and priorities will be focused on growing total revenue year on year, continuing to deliver strong platform revenue growth, expanding gross profit margins, and restoring the business to EBITDA profitability," it added. Jonathan Rockett, Datalex's CEO, said the company achieved several positive developments in 2024, including the launch of its Offer and Order solution, Stellex, and the successful activation and migration of four airlines to this new platform. He also said the company raised €25m in equity to strengthen it balance sheet. "Whilst it was disappointing to see revenue decline, after excluding non-recurring revenue, the underlying performance and momentum in platform revenue is promising. The financial performance in 2024 does not reflect the progress made, and I am confident that the actions we have taken will deliver stronger financial performance in 2025," he said. "2025 has kicked off strongly with the launch of a new modular standalone product, DLX Pay, which is planned to go-live with our launch customer, Air Transat, later this year," the CEO stated. "Our focus for 2025 is to drive strong platform revenue growth, improve margins, and achieve EBITDA profitability," he added.
