SAS Group plans to sell its holdings in bmi and Spanair as part of "a new direction"

focused on "flying to, from and within Northern Europe." Ninety-five percent owned by SAS Group, Spanair in 2006 claimed 20 percent of the Spanish market, expanded intra-European flights and flew more than 8 million passengers--half of which were business travelers--according to SAS information. SAS holds a 20 percent stake in the U.K.'s bmi.