• 

  SAS

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  SK/SAS

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Copenhagen Airport, Oslo Gardermoen Airport, Stockholm Arlanda Airport

  Year Founded:

  1946

  Alliance:

  Star Alliance

  Airline Group:

  SAS Group

  CEO:

  Anko van der Werff

Scandinavia’s SAS is negotiating intensely with the about 1,000 SAS pilots from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden currently on strike.Worth noting is a recent Simple Flying report asking point-blank: Could The Pilot Strike Impact SAS's Future Viability? Luke Bodell’s article notes that SAS filed for US bankruptcy protection, and potential lenders have communicated to SAS that financial agreements will be difficult to make with SAS without a labor agreement with SAS pilots. SAS leaders claim that, without financial aid, the airline’s network and services will be seriously reduced.

SAS and pilots negotiate hard

As such, SAS leaders and pilot’s union leaders have been intensely negotiating. A Google Translate of the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK shows that the pilots have been negotiating for 30 hours straight with the airline leaders. SAS chief negotiator Marianne Hernæs said, “I want to say that we are closer to a solution now than we were today early.” To the Norwegian outlet TV 2 back on July 16, 2022 as translated by Google Translate, Hernæs added:

Overall, we must try to attract potential investors who are willing to go in and invest in the future of SAS.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Norwegian SAS pilots' association Roger Klokset said to NRK, “It is incredibly sad that this just drags out and we do not come to a solution. We just have to apologize on behalf of both parties.”

In a quote in July 18, 2022 Reuters, Mediator Claes Strath said the previous day (Sunday) that,

"If the will is there - and I know it is - then this will be able to be solved during the day tomorrow, but nothing is ready until it is ready,"

The latest update from SAS, released on Monday, said,

The mediation between SAS and the SAS Scandinavia pilots’ unions has continued throughout the day. While the mediation has moved in the right direction, no agreement has yet been signed between the two parties.

Why the strike

The main sticking points to an agreement between SAS and her pilots are from the Norweigian pilots union. This relates to the SAS pilots trying to find work after the pandemic facing having to compete for jobs from outside SAS at SAS Connect and SAS Link, new low-cost subsidiaries of SAS. This latter issue is also a sticking point. Only SAS pilots are striking and not SAS Connect and SAS Link pilots.

There are also issues about the agreement length to prevent a future strike or agreement renegotiation. Plus, sufficient concessions from the pilots to help improve SAS’ financial position.

When the pilots’ union voted to strike, SAS Pilot Group chairman, Martin Lindgren, said,

"We have finally realized that SAS doesn't want an agreement. SAS wants a strike. We hope we will be able to return to the negotiating table and meet, but it requires that the employer makes a move."

Pressure to come to an agreement

According to the aforementioned TV 2 report out of Norway, SAS is bleeding NOK 100-130 million or 9.9 to 12.8 Million US Dollars daily during the strike. This is an evident crisis for an airline in financial distress, addressing a two-week strike causing 2,550+ cancellations costing at least $94 million US dollars.

UPDATE: 2022/07/19 09:54 UTC BY JAKE HARDIMAN

The strike comes to an end

In the early hours of July 19th, 2022, SAS confirmed that, after 15 days of industrial action, it had reached an agreement with its pilots' unions, allowing the strike to end. Its President and CEO, Anko van der Werf, stated:

"I am pleased to report that we now have come to an agreement with all four pilot unions for SAS Scandinavia and the strike has ended. Finally, we can resume normal operations and fly our customers on their much longed-for summer holidays. I deeply regret that so many of our passengers have been impacted by this strike."

Sources: July 16, 2022 NRK, July 16, 2022 TV 2, & July 18, 2022 Reuters