Air France-KLM moves to take control of SAS, prompting slot cuts and brand questions

Air France-KLM intends to assume majority ownership of SAS, a step that SAS chief Anko van der Werff described as a pivotal moment for the airline. The deal is awaiting clearance from the European Commission, which is expected to impose conditions to prevent a dominant market position, including the surrender of peak-time slots at airports like Gardermoen, Kastrup and Arlanda, and possibly at Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger.

Analysts warn that the reduction in slots may also impact competing carriers, leaving Norwegian as the main rival on Scandinavian routes. The integration could lead to changes in SAS’s long-haul route rights, especially over the Russia-Siberia corridor, and may bring restrictions or a merger of the EuroBonus loyalty scheme with FlyingBlue. Despite these shifts, experts anticipate that the SAS brand will remain intact for the foreseeable future.