OSLO, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has cancelled about 100 flights for Thursday as precautions for a possible massive strike of its Norwegian pilots, the company announced Wednesday.
"In order to avoid that SAS customers become stranded during an eventual strike, SAS takes precautions and cancels about 100 flights tomorrow until 2 p.m. Thursday," the airline said in a statement posted on its website.
"We are offering our customers traveling to/from/via Norway to voluntary change their reservation," it said.
Two Norwegian pilot unions said Monday their members would start a massive strike on Thursday after negotiations between the unions and SAS -- the flag carrier of Sweden, Norway and Denmark -- failed over the weekend.
It is the domestic traffic that is hardest hit by the company's preparations as SAS said flights operated with Danish and Swedish pilots and flights operated by its partners will not be affected by the possible strike.
Norwegian pilots of the airline will meet on Wednesday evening with SAS management and the country's work conflict mediator Nils Dalseide to try to find a solution to the conflict.
About 550 Norwegian SAS pilots might be on strike if the two sides fail to find a way out, according to newspaper Aftenposten.
SAS management has said the Norwegian pilots' demands regarding pay and working terms are "unacceptable."
The airline has signed new three-year contracts with the pilot unions in Sweden and Denmark in recent weeks.
