ANYONE STILL COMPARING THE CORONA VIRUS to common flu would be wise to consider the ordeal of wealthy Norwegian investor Per G Braathen and his Ellen. Both fell seriously ill with Covid-19 while at their holiday home near Chamonix in March, while Braathen also had to battle to save all his travel-related businesses. Braathen, a […]
Oil Fund weathers stormy first half
July 6, 2020
Norway’s Oil Fund ended a stormy first half of the year with just as much value as it had before having to face crises tied to the Corona virus, the economy and its own future leadership. The fund is still worth a dizzying NOK 10,340 billion, up more than NOK 250 billion since the end […]
Airlines pressured to issue refunds
July 2, 2020
Norwegian aviation authorities are finally adding to the pressure on airlines to refund tickets for flights that were cancelled. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Norwegian Air stand accused of breaking a law that orders them to refund flight cancellations within seven days. Thousands of customers along with travel agents and tour operators have instead been waiting […]
Airlines fire, but also re-hire
June 29, 2020
Oslo-based Norwegian Air is calling 600 laid-off employees back to work in July and rival Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) won’t rule out the same. On Monday, however, SAS sent out termination notices to nearly 1,600 of its employees in Denmark and still thinks it will have to fire a total of 5,000 throughout Scandinavia. More than […]
Norwegian spreads its wings, too
June 17, 2020
Oslo-based Norwegian Air could finally announce on Wednesday the looming resumption of up to 76 of its routes including several to Southern Europe. The airline, struggling along with all others, aims to put 12 of its aircraft back in service from July 1. The airline has only had eight of its 156 aircraft in service […]
Authorities halt anti-infection app
June 15, 2020
Norway’s public health institute FHI had to reluctantly ask Norwegians on Monday to deactivate its app called Smittestopp, aimed at stopping the spread of the Corona virus. Higher state authorities had ruled that with Norway’s low infection rate, the app was too invasive in Norwegians’ private lives, while it also has had mixed reviews. The […]
Airlines can fill all their seats again
June 11, 2020
Transport Minister Knut Arild Hareide confirmed Thursday afternoon that Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Norwegian Air and Widerøe are now once again able to sell tickets for all the seats on their aircraft. That will double current capacity, and cut airfares that have become very high. “We won’t have much time to sell the extra seats,” Silje […]
State may cover travellers’ losses
June 9, 2020
Around 200,00o Norwegians still haven’t been reimbursed for airline tickets and holiday tour packages they purchased before the Corona virus cancelled most all travel abroad. Cash-strapped airlines and travel organizers aren’t readily refunding their customers’ money, which amounts to billions of kroner in Norway alone, but now the state may cover customer losses if the […]
‘Bloody day’ for workers at SAS
June 9, 2020
Already laid-off employees at Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) in Norway faced a tough choice this week. SAS management is asking them to either quit immediately, in return for some travel privileges and a chance to be rehired later, or hang on for the duration of their notice of termination and then cut ties to the airline. […]
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