The first flight was held on September 17, 1946. In 1959, it bought its first jet aircraft. The Boeing 747 and DC-10 wide-body airplanes were bought the early 70s In 1976, SAS started a partnership with Thai Airways and in 1989, SAS started another partnership with Continental Airlines. SAS launched its frequent-flyer program in 1992. SAS helped start the Star Alliance in 1997. Starting in 2012, SAS started having many financial troubles. In 2013, the airline introduced new classes on its planes to compete with budget airlines. The airline currently operates many routes in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.