SAS Braathens agree to new proposal for pilots' agreement

Today, the management of SAS Braathens reached agreement with the pilots' unions of Scandinavian Airlines and Braathens regarding a recommended proposal for a new pilots' agreement. As a result, the scene is set for all of the approximately 800 pilots at Scandinavian Airlines in Norway and at Braathens to be transferred to their new employer, SAS Braathens, by the end of December this year.

At the same time, the recommended proposal prepares the way for the operational transfer of about 1,500 cabin crew.

"With this agreement in place, we can now complete the integration of Scandinavian Airlines in Norway and Braathens into SAS Braathens. It is a victory for all the parties. We now have a modified proposal for the agreement that has been agreed in full between the parties. The formulation will generate considerable efficiency gains," says Petter Jansen, President of SAS Braathens, in a comment. He emphasizes that the proposed agreement shall now go through a formal process with the two pilots' trade unions and that SAS Braathens has full respect for this process.

The recommended proposal for a new pilots' agreement includes the harmonization of salary and work terms and conditions between the two pilots' groups.

"In brief, nobody will lose their job and no demotions from captain to first officer will be made as a result of the new agreement," says Petter Jansen, adding that SAS Braathens will operate the Vestland routes, which have been operated by SAS Commuter to date.

The head of the Braathens' pilots' union, Jan Levy Skogvang, says the negotiations have been intense and difficult, but that both unions have made a positive contribution to finding a solution. "This is an agreement that I believe Braathens' pilots can live with," he says. The recommended proposal will now be the subject of a ballot among members.

Jack Netskar, head of the Norwegian SAS Pilots' Association, said that the agreement proposal contains such major changes and is such an important document that his members could make their views known in a ballot.

"It is positive that we have made so much progress that we can now have calm and stability and begin to focus on the future," said Netskar.

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