BRUSSELS
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has canceled more than 130 flights across Norway this week, citing rising fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East, according to public broadcaster NRK.
At least 119 flights from major airports in Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim were canceled as of Monday afternoon, with additional cancellations reported Tuesday morning, bringing the nationwide total to 133.
SAS said the disruptions are part of "temporary measures" aimed at strengthening operational resilience amid a sharp increase in global fuel prices.
"Given the ongoing situation in the Middle East, including the sharp and rapid increase in global fuel prices, we are now taking measures to strengthen our resilience," Oystein Schmidt, head of communications at SAS Norway, told NRK.
Union representatives, however, expressed concern over the timing and handling of the decision.
"It is striking that SAS is canceling so many flights due to fuel prices, while at the same time having problems with staffing," Roger Klokset, head of the Norwegian SAS Pilots’ Association, representing around 500 pilots, told the broadcaster.
Klokset described frustration among pilots as "extremely high," citing long-standing concerns over working conditions and alleged breaches of agreements.
Cabin crew representatives have also raised concerns, criticizing the airline for communicating cancellations through media reports rather than directly with employees.
SAS declined to comment on internal labor matters, reiterating that it is operating within existing agreements and maintaining dialogue with unions.
The airline emphasized that the broader European aviation sector is under pressure from fuel price volatility, warning that uncertainty over the duration of the crisis necessitates early action.
The fuel rise has been driven by disruptions to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the war, one-fifth of global oil supplies moved through the narrow waterway.