Scandinavian airline industry in pretty sad situation

Tuesday, 22 May 2012
SAS regrets Skyways bankruptcy and is now working flat out to take care of the approximately 12,000 travellers who booked a flight via SAS. However, SAS can not immediately take over the closed routes.

"Skyways flights from smaller towns with propeller planes, which are much smaller than the planes we have in our fleet will be hit. Currently we have no air force that would fit these lines, "says Anders Lindström, spokesman of SAS.

On Tuesday news came that Skyways Express, with its subsidiary, City Airline, have filed for bankruptcy. All flights are thus cancelled with immediate effect.
"This is extremely sad for the Scandinavian airline industry, "says Anders Lindström.
SAS and Skyways have had a so-called code-share cooperation, under which Skyways travellers could book trips through SAS.

"In total there are about 12,000 people affected. Most will travel within a month. The focus now is to take care of these customers, "says Anders Lindström.

Passengers will now be redirected to other routes. Those who booked a trip from Gothenburg to Prague for example, will go with Lufthansa.

"It is possible to resolve the issue relatively quickly, those who will be travelling today will arrive at their destination during the day, although there'll be some delays, "says Anders Lindström.

According to Anders Lindström its too early to say how SAS will be affected by Skyways bankruptcy. SAS was formerly part owner of Skyways but sold the stake 19.9 percent in September 2010.

"We have not competed against each other. The only line that both carriers flies are Stockholm-Visby, "he says.
Anders Lindstrom would not comment on the view that SAS in the future may take over some of the routes operated by Skyways.
"It's too early to comment, "he says.

Skyways is the second Scandinavian airline to go bankrupt in the most recent short time. And behind both Skyways and Cimber Sterling which are all now bankrupt, lies the same money man - the Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoysky, 49.

He is very wealthy and thought that he could stake his wealth in better Scandinavian business environments but soon became impatient with bleeding Scandinavian airlines. It was in December 2010 that Kolomoyskys Company Well Enterprise bought Avia Express, which in turn owned Skyways. This is how things started moving downhill.
By Scancomark.se Team

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