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– Virtually all aircraft in Europe and the rest of the world will be affected – VG


DANGER OF RECURRENCE: Not many SAS planes left Gardermoen during the pilot strike in April two years ago. The danger is present that the passengers will be hit again this summer.

The aircraft technician strike is far from the only thing that threatens the summer holidays. Next week, the SAS pilots can go on strike – and then it’s a joke for your SAS trip this summer.

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All SAS pilots in Norway, Sweden and Denmark have announced a strike from 29 June if no agreement is reached between the parties.

If you do not agree within that, all 402 Norwegian SAS pilots are taken out. In total in Scandinavia, close to 900 SAS pilots will then go on strike. It will affect approximately 300-350 daily flights, which is just over half of the flights.

Aviation analyst Jacob Pedersen in Danish Sydbank thinks it goes against strike:

– There is definitely a high risk of that. I think it’s more likely than not. But it is of course difficult to say.

Pedersen is an equities analyst at the bank and has long had SAS as an expert field.

DOESN’T PROMISE GOOD: The Danish aviation analyst says the parties are very far apart. This is particularly difficult because it is more about restructuring the company than salaries themselves.

Jokes for the SAS trip this summer

It is not yet clear which routes will be taken out in a possible strike, but Pedersen believes it is a joke for holidaymakers, because the SAS planes that are parked are larger than the planes that are left in SAS’s subsidiaries.

The aircraft that are not parked are through so-called subcontractors to SAS, including CityJet. They are often smaller than SAS’s own fleet and thus fly regionally.

– What will happen to the holiday plans of Norwegians?

– They will not be able to go on holiday with SAS if there is a strike. About half of the planes will be parked, so they will not be allowed to go on holiday and it will be very difficult to find new tickets in the other companies, Pedersen says.

– Almost all aircraft in Europe and the rest of the world will be affected.

Pedersen says he would not book a trip with SAS now.

– No, I did not want to. It is quite obvious now that the negotiations are not going well. I would not take the chance to book a ticket when there is a possibility of a strike. This is not a good situation.

VG has been in contact with SAS, which says it is too early to say how a possible strike will affect.

– SAS is now working to ensure a competitive airline for the future and here all groups must contribute, including the pilots. We are now in a mediation and do not want to negotiate in the media out of respect for this process.

This is what they argue about

In short, the conflict concerns the establishment of two subsidiaries, called SAS Link and SAS Connect.

Instead of taking back the 450 pilots who were laid off during the pandemic, SAS in these companies has hired pilots in these subsidiaries. On average, they have worse conditions than what the pilots in SAS have, according to the Norwegian Pilots’ Association.

The SAS pilots have sued the company for labor law. They believe the company has a responsibility to bring back the pilots, which SAS rejects.

At the same time, there have long been financial problems at SAS, and in February they came up with a plan to cut costs – called SAS Forward.

Through this, the management will cut costs by NOK 7.5 billion in annual costs until 2026.

– SAS does not have much to negotiate with. They must carry out the SAS Forward plan to cut costs, says the SAS expert.

SAS in Denmark and Sweden have now announced a lockout if the pilots go on strike – it is more common in these countries. See more in the fact box below.

SAS pilots: – Threatened to life

At the same time, the pilots believe they have put a good deal on the table.

Leader of the Norwegian SAS pilots’ association and deputy leader of the SAS Pilot Group Roger Klokset believes they have gone as far as they can:

– We put several concrete proposals on the table for savings of 25 percent. There are measures such as increasing the working week from 47 to a maximum of 60 hours for the pilots and also a seasonal flexibility where SAS can then for 5 months go down to 80 percent part-time. And a five percent pay cut.

A LOT AT PLACE: Leader of the Norwegian SAS pilots’ association Roger Klokset believes it is “win or lose” for the pilots.

– We believe we went to great lengths to meet SAS. So far that it is probably in borderland if the members would agree on it in a referendum.

He says SAS has a long-term plan to distribute the aircraft fleet between SAS (45 aircraft) and the subsidiaries SAS Connect (45) and SAS Link (45). In comparison, today most aircraft have been added to SAS.

– We are threatened with life in that sense, for us it is win or lose. Then they really want us to be a third of the company.

– Much of the traffic will remain

Like aircraft analyst Pedersen, he says that CityJet can operate for SAS, but that it is up to SAS to choose which routes are taken out and Klokset says it is difficult to know which routes it will be.

Those who are not taken out are the planes that fly in the subsidiaries of SAS, where, among other things, CityJet flies for SAS.

– So there are a good number who will still operate. It is difficult to say which routes. But a lot of the traffic will remain, there is no doubt about that. SAS also has a lot of through traffic, they are dependent on several aircraft.

– It’s going to be ugly

If there is no strike, aviation analyst Pedersen says that you no matter the summer must cover you with chaos and waiting times. This is partly because most European airports have not been able to get enough people to operate all the jobs at the airport:

– Prepare to be patient – it’s going to be ugly at the airport. Travelers in Europe must learn to count to 5,000 so as not to explode at the airport. It will be anything but comfortable.

– One thing is to get you to your destination. Another is how to get home.

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