SAS ‘Sympathy Strike’ Adds To Travel Misery In Scandinavia

About 200 aircraft mechanics have joined the pretty much 1,000 SAS pilots in strike motion above performing problems and company restructuring strategies at the having difficulties airline.

“It takes two to tango, but SAS did not want to dance at all, they only required conflict. SAS administration have to bear 100% responsibility,” explained Keld Bækkelund Hansen, head of negotiations at Dansk Steel, the trade union joining the industrial motion.

SAS Strike Newest: More departures at chance

As SAS aircraft should be serviced each 3 days, it hazards more disruption to flight schedules throughout Scandinavia. Hundreds of departures have already been canceled considering the fact that pilots commenced the strike on Monday.

At existing, flights operated by subsidiaries SAS Join and SAS Website link along with most constitution flights have been unaffected by the pilots’ strike. This could be set to adjust, as the striking mechanics service planes used by SAS Connect and on some constitution routes.

SAS statements it does have a option, but there is an undoubted hazard to further more disruption both for the duration of or immediately soon after the ongoing strike.

Countless numbers a lot more could be stranded

Constitution tour operator Apollo Rejser advised DR that much more than 12,000 holidaymakers could be left stranded as a end result of the supplemental motion.

Apollo product sales director Glenn Bisgaard mentioned they are concerned there will not be ample capability on different airways to carry every person household. As European charter vacation is in the center of the high period, lodging will also be an challenge in well-known places this kind of as lesser Greek islands, which can ebook up months in progress.

Apollo has despatched a letter to SAS captivating for a quick end to the conflict. “Even buses are hard to get keep of. We basically do not know how to support all stranded vacationers get dwelling inside of a affordable time,” said the letter.

SAS has an different prepare for upkeep

SAS Denmark push supervisor Alexandra Lindgren Kaoukji claimed the airline has a resolution to guarantee SAS Link plane are unaffected by the maintenance strike. “Specifically, SAS will, in order to live up to rules on upkeep just about every three days, have the planes inspected at other airports in which staff members are not on strike,” she explained.

Of training course, whether this suits in with current schedules stays to be witnessed, as plane are typically managed overnight.

The option will nonetheless direct to issues later, however. A lot of aircraft now grounded for the reason that of the pilots’ strike will now not receive typical servicing, which will induce a hold off to obtaining them back again in the air. “When the pilots arrive again, we are unable to fly with them appropriate absent,” confirmed Alexandra Lindgren Kaoukji.

Strike appears to be established to carry on

While the mediation efforts are private, data presented by both sides would seem to reveal there is continue to a key gap involving SAS administration and pilots’ unions.

The main of the conflict is about SAS employing new pilots on more affordable agreements in the two new subsidiaries, SAS Url and SAS Hook up. Pilots say this is to stay away from an obligation to rehire the about 400 pilots laid off throughout the pandemic. Pilots have presented cost discounts of 450 million Swedish kronor ($42 million) but SAS says this is not plenty of if their charge reduction approach is to succeed.

If you are affected by the SAS strike, the airline maintains a most recent standing site with info on your rights.