During the second half of the 1970s, Maersk focused on wet leasing their aircraft on the intercontinental market. Contracts included flying pilgrims from Morocco to Mecca and Scandinavians to North America. The 737-200s proved too large for domestic services. The F27s had been sold and the airline, therefore, determined that it needed to procure new turboprops. A decision was made to buy the de Havilland Dash 7, but in the meantime, the airline leased three HS 748s from 1980 to 1981. The first Dash 7 entered revenue service on 13 May 1981.