Despite the big pilotstrejke in april and may, the airline SAS surplus for the fifth year in a row.

the Airline SAS could see the surplus fall sharply in years where the big pilotstrejke has cost money for the airline.

SAS earned 440 million in the financial year 2018/2019, which is a decrease of over 60 percent from last year.

It shows SAS' annual accounts, which the airline describes as unsatisfactory.

- We are pleased with the fourth quarter, but for the whole year, we must be dissatisfied with, that we lowers our earnings significantly, says Simon Pauck Hansen, who is the director of SAS in Denmark.

- It is due to a weak Swedish krona, higher oil prices and a flystrejke. It has affected our result negatively, he says.

the Pilots at SAS organised seven days in april and may, which cost SAS around 450 million crowns.

the Pilots organised, as they could not agree with the management on wages and working hours, and that meant approximately 4000 cancellations. It cost SAS 370.000 passengers.

the Conflict ended with a percentage double-digit wage increase towards 2021, and that several pilots got more predictability in their rosters, which was also one of the contentious points.

In connection with the annual report tells SAS that the company must save money.

It will mean cuts in the company's administration. There is no set number, but SAS has set 85 million of to fyringsrunden.

- We are an industry where we must continuously improve to ensure that we keep pace with competitors.

- It comes we also have to continue with in the future, says Simon Pauck Hansen.

SAS foreshadows that the coming year will be challenging, but the airline does, however, that it will be able to earn money.

- We expect that the downturn, we have seen signs of in 2019, is going to continue.

- It is a more uncertain market, and we are uncertain how big a demand there will be from the passengers.

- It is not because we expect a decrease in the number of passengers, but the growth will not be so great, says Simon Pauck Hansen.

/ritzau/