SAS Bankruptcy looming

[Coati]

"Negotiations are going =censored=," SAS chairmain Fritz Schur told Danish radio on Sunday afternoon.

SAS has been holding talks with pilot and cabin crew unions in Copenhagen all weekend to negotiate the terms of salaries, pensions and work conditions outlined in a rescue package that was aimed at salvaging the troubled airline.

A deal must be reached before the SAS board meets on Sunday evening to determine the airline's future, but in the late afternoon the management announced that they would not accept the terms laid out by the unions.

"Unfortunately there is no deal with any of the unions yet," SAS said in a statement.

The pilots' unions had presented their bid shortly after midnight between Saturday and Sunday but it did not come close to fulfilling the SAS management's demands, despite assurances to the contrary from the union's leaders.

Jens Lippestad, chairman for the Norwegian SAS pilots association and head of negotiations for the pilots' unions, had claimed that the Swedish, Danish and Norwegian unions' bid complied with SAS "on all areas, and ensures that negotiations can be completed in a successful manner."

Some success was initially reported from negotiations between SAS and the cabin crew unions.

"We feel SAS is being attentive," one source told the Ritzau news agency.

The Swedish cabin crew union had been cooperating with its Danish and Norwegian counterparts to negotiate a new deal.

"We handed in a joint proposal on Friday...The company has said it wants the same terms in the different countries and that is why we are cooperating," said union press secretary Jennie Zetterström.

But, in the end, SAS management rejected the cabin crews' terms, too.

The company encouraged all staff members who are currently travelling to ensure they have enough cash to manage on their own in case bankruptcy is announced.

The company also ordered all planes to be refuelled so that they can return home in the event of bankruptcy.

http://www.thelocal.se/44486/20121118/

[jeroenvn]

Good evening,
Nice to hear, but not so.
I was planning to go to Copenhagen next year, for which SAS A340's.
I think that is also in doubt.

Gr. Bonzo (www.jeroenvannorden.nl)

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[ehusmann]

It seems SAS is close to having the deals with the unions they need. According to this article all but one of the unions have agreed already. Apparantly that will get them off the hook..... for now.

Erwin

[CJ]

Last time I talked to someone at SAS who's knowledgeable on the subject I was told their flight crew would average only about 550 FH / year versus about 900 FH/year, which could, at least theoretically,be achieved iaw EU FCL1. Cabin crew would probably be analoguous. Not sure what the current situation is. But fact of the matter is that many (most?) LCCs and afaik British 'charter airlines' do get close to 900 FH /year. Given the typical Scandinavian labour rates, small wonder SAS is not making enough money...and others are.
My 50 ore.
(typos edited)

[Rockville]

SAS avoids bankruptcy after unions approve plan. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/sas-avoi ... prove-plan

[cHabu]

All,

the three Scandinavian Pilot Unions (Dk, Sweden and Norway) just signed a
deal with SAS with hefty reductions in the salaries, increased
productivity etc.

The Swedish Cabin Attendants Union has also signed a deal with similar terms.

This leaves just the Danish and Norwegian Cabin Attendants Unions at the
negiotiations and the future of SAS is now in their hands.

I think many people in Scandinavia are holding their breath this morning...

(I would have provided links to articles ref the above, but it is so muh
breaking news that so far I've only found it in Danish media...)

Rgds
Jan Broe
EKCH ATC

[cHabu]

SAS cuts deal with unions to avoid bankruptcy

The troubled Scandinavian airline SAS has said it has reached a deal with trade unions needed to avoid bankruptcy, following all-night talks.

Owners and creditors of the airline have a plan to cut costs and jobs, but it needed approval from eight trade unions representing pilots and cabin crew in Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

Full story HERE.

Credit: BBC