Due in part to a two-week pilot strike in July over collective agreements and delayed aircraft deliveries, Scandinavian carrier SAS has cancelled 1,700 flights in the coming months.
SAS, whose main shareholders are Sweden and Denmark, halted 3,700 flights during the debilitating strike, which the airline warned jeopardised the carrier’s viability.
SAS announced on Friday that 1,700 flights, or around 4% of total flights, had been cancelled in September and October. It stated that passengers had been notified and re-booked on other flights.
‘It’s the effects of the strike, but also delayed aircraft deliveries and other variables,’ an SAS spokeswoman explained, adding that the firm does not expect decreasing demand.
SAS said last week that it has acquired bridging funding during Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the United States through an agreement with the private equity company Apollo Global Management.
The carrier, which was losing money even before the pandemic due to increased competition from low-cost carriers, filed for bankruptcy protection in July, a day after the strike began.
The Swedish government has denied a request for further financing, while Denmark has stated that it may wipe off some debt and inject new funds if SAS can get support from new private-sector partners.
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