Fuel Shock Forces SAS to Cut April Flights
Scandinavian airline SAS will cancel at least 1,000 flights in April after a sharp rise in jet fuel prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Chief executive Anko van der Werff said fuel costs doubled within ten days, placing immediate pressure on operations. The airline had already begun adjusting fares but now plans further schedule changes to manage the sudden increase.
Cancellations had already started in March, with several hundred flights removed while the airline attempted to maintain as much of its schedule as possible. Most of the earlier cuts affected domestic routes in Norway, with only limited disruption reported in Sweden and Denmark. The airline expects additional cancellations after Easter, when demand typically drops across the region.
"The price of jet fuel has doubled in ten days. Even if we try to absorb cost increases as much as possible, this is a shock that directly hits the airline industry."
Despite the scale of the changes, SAS noted that the cuts represent a relatively small share of its total operations, which average around 800 flights a day. The airline described the move as a short-term measure aimed at maintaining stability during a period of volatile fuel prices and ongoing uncertainty linked to developments in the Middle East.
What’s changing across Nordic routes
- At least 1,000 SAS flights cancelled in April
- Earlier cuts already affecting March schedules
- Most disruptions centred on domestic Norwegian routes
- Norwegian adding 120 extra departures
- Higher fares introduced across multiple airlines
Other carriers are already adjusting. Norwegian has added 120 extra flights between 25 March and 12 April, mainly on routes linking Nordic countries with Spain, to handle Easter demand. At the same time, several global airlines have raised fares as oil prices approach $100 per barrel and key transit routes near the Strait of Hormuz face disruption.
Travel planning in the coming weeks may become less straightforward. With fewer flights on some routes and higher ticket prices, people may need to adjust their plans. Choosing flexible travel dates or looking at different routes could help, as airlines continue to change schedules in response to fuel costs and the current situation.
