SAS is discontinuing the prestigious Stockholm – Los Angeles route. Starting in January, the route will go via Copenhagen.
SAS says in a press release that the move will be an improvement as the route will be operated daily instead of 6 days a week.
”"There is a great demand from our travelers to fly to Los Angeles from Copenhagen, which we can now meet with an attractive schedule and daily departures for our customers from Copenhagen, the Öresund region and also from the rest of Scandinavia," says Karl Sandlund, Commercial Director at SAS:
The line was inaugurated with pomp and show at Arlanda in 2016.
Stockholm Chamber of Commerce Anders Hatzigeorgiou regrets the move and believes that it will affect the attractiveness and fewer jobs.
”"The government must take the news seriously and act to truly improve the conditions for aviation. Now that competition is getting tougher and the economy is slowing down, strong measures are needed to promote jobs and entrepreneurship," says Andreas Hatzigeorgiou in a press release.
According to the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the move is a clear sign of the Swedish aviation tax and the government's lack of clarity regarding Arlanda's future. Anders Hatzigeorgiou calls for a discussion about the future role of aviation and how Arlanda can develop sustainably.
”The fact that Swedes stopover in the local area to travel further out into the world benefits neither the climate nor our business relations,” says Andreas Hatzigeorgiou.
Financial Region Councilor Irene Svenonius (M) also reacted to the news. In a press release, Svenonius writes that the management of Arlanda is now affecting jobs and growth in the region.
Source.di.se
