The main union of SAS pilots decided to enter the strike after wage negotiations failed, the head of the Scandinavian airline said on Monday. During the strike, 50% of scheduled flights will be canceled, affecting up to 30 passengers each day
"The pilots decided to go on strike"SAS CEO Anko van der Werff said during a press briefing, denouncing a"strike culture"At a time when the company"looking for investors”In the face of his financial difficulties.
More than 900 pilots based in Sweden, Norway and Denmark had filed a notice of indefinite strike on 9 June, denouncing the salary sacrifices required by management, which would have meant a 30% reduction. The threat of a strike originally took place on June 29. But negotiations have been extended twice until Monday, in hopes of reaching an agreement.
It is estimated that this strike will result in the cancellation of approximately 50% of all scheduled SAS flights and will affect approximately 30.000 passengers per day. Flights operated by SAS Link, SAS Connect and SAS external partners are not affected by the strike.
The strike has a negative impact on the company's liquidity and financial position and, if prolonged, such an impact could become significant.
Anko van der Werff said: We are ready to resume mediation as soon as possible and will do our best to reach a viable agreement to ensure the long-term competitiveness and financial sustainability of the company. We assume that the SAS Scandinavia pilots' unions realize what is at stake and choose to negotiate to find a solution."
Customers who have booked a flight with SAS are advised to check if their flight is affected by the strike at www.sas.se/travel/flightstatus/.
SAS will send updates via SMS and e-mail to those affected customers. There is a dedicated page for all information on traffic disruptions: www.flysas.com/en/disruptions, which will be constantly updated. Everyone who has a booked flight is advised to check the status of their flight on the website before going to the airport, as flight status information is updated frequently.