Stockholm: A total of 1,409 Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) pilots from Sweden, Norway and Denmark went on strike on Friday, causing 673 cancellations so far and over 70,000 fliers affected. SAS warned the strike could affect a further 100,000 passengers over the weekend, reports Xinhua news agency.
Early on Friday, last-minute salary negotiations between SAS and the Swedish Air Line Pilots Association broke down. As a result, 492 Swedish SAS pilots went on strike, followed by 545 Norwegian and 372 Danish colleagues. “It is deeply regretful that the pilots strike will have a negative impact on our customers.
SAS is prepared to continue to negotiate, but if the requirements were to be met, they would have very negative consequences for the company,” SAS Director of Communications Karin Nyman said. SAS is the leading airline in Scandinavia, operating a third of all flights to and from the region. According to SAS, about 70 per cent of the company’s flights are affected.
Flights operated by SAS Ireland and SAS partner airlines will not be affected. Friday’s strike follows unsuccessful salary negotiations between SAS pilots and their employer. According to media, an 11th-hour bid offered on Thursday night included a pay rise of 2.2-2.3 per cent, significantly lower than the 13 per cent the pilots’ union is sought.
