SAS lays off 300 pilots

Scandinavian Airlines System has given layoff notices to 300 pilots after negotiations with unions broke down, a spokeswoman said today.

The layoffs were part of a restructuring package started last year in response to a global slump in air travel following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the US, SAS spokeswoman Carina Diamant said.

SAS has reduced its fleet from 200 aeroplanes to 160 and is implementing plans to cut its work force by 3,500, from 22,000 last year, Diamant said.

She said layoff notices were sent out to 300 of the airline’s 2,000 pilots on Friday after negotiations failed between SAS and unions representing pilots in the three Scandinavian nations: Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Layoffs would affect the most recently hired pilots.