SAS Scandinavia Pilot Union members go on strike. It will lead to the cancellation of all scheduled flights and ruin the plans of thousands of travelers.
The notification of the conflict was delivered to the leadership of the “Scandinavian” June 9, followed by a meeting between the pilots' unions and the SAS. Since the parties could not reach an agreement, there was a direct threat of a strike. SAS wishes to continue negotiations in order to reach an agreement and end the strike as soon as possible.
“We deeply regret that this strike has affected our customers and caused flight delays and cancellations. We know that passengers have been dreaming about this summer vacation and have booked trips for themselves and their loved ones. SAS employees are working hard to help affected travelers.
The strike at this moment is devastating for SAS and puts the future of the company, along with thousands of jobs, at stake. The decision to stop work demonstrates the reckless behavior of the pilots' unions and the shockingly low understanding of the critical situation in which the SAS finds itself, — says Anko van der Werff, president and CEO.
High season and full load make it impossible for passengers to rebook canceled flights to more or less equivalent ones. For customers whose flights are canceled and for whom acceptable alternatives cannot be found, the options are either to accept a refund from the airline, or rebook their ticket to a later date, or arrange alternative modes of travel themselves and claim a refund from SAS.
Anyone who has a flight booked is advised to check the status of their flight on the carrier's website before traveling to the airport.