The owner of Stansted Airport has received a major boost with a carrier preparing to return to the site after an absence of 14 years.

Scandinavian flag carrier SAS will begin new flights to Gothenburg from October 26.

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) bought Stansted Airport from the former BAA for £1.5bn March 2013.

SAS is switching the route from Heathrow to Stansted and will operate 12 weekly flights using a Boeing 737-600 aircraft with capacity for 120 passengers.

It has also announced it is introducing larger aircraft on all its existing routes to London increasing capacity from Scandinavia to London by more than 50,000 seats for 2016.

Andrew Harrison, Stansted Airport’s managing director, said he was “delighted” to welcome SAS back to Stansted, and predicted it would be “a very popular service”.

“This is great news and adds even more choice of airline to the already extensive European network on offer at Stansted,” he said.

“I’m sure the new service will be very well received within our catchment area, especially by business passengers along the London-Stansted-Cambridge economic corridor as well as those travelling from Sweden wanting quick and easy access to London and the East of England.

“We look forward to working with SAS to develop a long and successful relationship here at Stansted.”

Hans Dyhrfort, SAS regional general manager Western Europe, said it was the eighth UK airport to join its schedule for 2016 and he was “delighted” at the addition.

“With our new route between London Stansted and Gothenburg, in addition to the introduction of larger aircraft on existing routes to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo from London Heathrow, SAS is increasing capacity to Scandinavia from London by over 50,000 seats for 2016,” he said.

“With simple and easy onward connections, Stansted customers can enjoy our new flights to Gothenburg, or travel onwards to a wide range of destinations through our network.

“A simple ticket offering with two options of SAS Go and SAS Plus means passengers can rest assured that all SAS tickets include all taxes and charges, as well as checked bags at no extra cost, mobile check in, newspapers, coffee and tea on board and seat selection.”

Harriet Fear, chief executive of One Nucleus, a Cambridge-based international organisation for life science and healthcare companies, said it was “fantastic” to see Stansted Airport continuing to develop and enhance its international reach for the business community.

“The European market is a critical one for many companies in the region many of whom think globally from their day of inception,” she said.

“Many of our members, across the life science and healthcare sector will, I am sure, be very pleased with this important development.”