XI’AN, China—Swedish airport operator Swedavia is seeking to restore connectivity to Asia-Pacific markets after the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East disrupted air links to the export-oriented Scandinavian economy.
Elizabeth Axtelius, Swedavia director of aviation business, told Routes at Routes Asia 2026 that Stockholm Arlanda Airport had historically been one of Europe’s closest gateways to Asia-Pacific destinations, but the closure of Russian airspace has significantly lengthened flight times and constrained operations.
The airport had increasingly relied on Middle Eastern carriers, but recent disruptions led to a 50% drop in flights and passenger volumes. Even prior to the latest crisis, capacity from Middle Eastern airlines had not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
Stockholm has since launched a whole-of-government initiative to rebuild connectivity, including the abolition of aviation taxes.
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At the same time, Scandinavian Airlines’ strategic focus on its Copenhagen Airport hub and North American routes has created a gap for Swedish businesses seeking links to Asia-Pacific markets. As a result, Stockholm is now largely dependent on foreign carriers for Asia connectivity.
Axtelius said demand has been strong for services by All Nippon Airways from Tokyo and Thai Airways from Bangkok. Chinese carriers such as Air China and China Eastern Airlines also benefit from the ability to overfly Russian airspace.
She added that Korean Air plans to introduce summer charter services to Stockholm to “test the market.”
With Thai Airways flights operating near full capacity, Swedavia is seeking additional Asian hubs to strengthen connectivity. Axtelius said she hopes for the eventual resumption of services to Singapore Changi Airport and Hong Kong International Airport, citing Singapore as a preferred point due to its role as a key transit hub and business center for Swedish companies.
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