File picture: The aircraft took off from Copenhagen at around 8.20 pm on Tuesday, four hours behind schedule, landed at Copenhagen after around 8 hours.
| Photo Credit:
ViktorCap
Scandinavian Airlines’ (SAS) return to India after 17 years hit a hurdle on Tuesday.SAS’s Airbus A330 aircraft operating the inaugural flight on the Copenhagen-Mumbai route had to turn back after over four hours as the carrier did not receive “ final approval” from the Indian government.The aircraft took off from Copenhagen at around 8.20 pm on Tuesday, four hours behind schedule. It was enroute India and flying over Azerbaijan when it had to turn back to base. The aircraft landed at Copenhagen after around 8 hours.In a statement the airline said the flight returned to Copenhagen “after the final approval expected from authorities was not issued as anticipated.”“SAS completed all necessary operational and regulatory preparations for the launch following several months of planning and co-ordination. Based on ongoing discussions with the relevant authorities, SAS had every expectation that the remaining formal approval would be finalised while the flight was en route. As the approval was not finalised as anticipated, the flight could not continue as planned,” the airline said in a statement.“Our immediate focus is on supporting affected passengers and securing the remaining approval is obtained in order to commence service as soon as possible. We remain ready to commence operations and expect the service to begin within the next couple of days once the formal approval has been issued,” the airline added.The Copenhagen–Mumbai service marks SAS’ return to India after 17 years and is an important addition to our network, strengthening connectivity between Scandinavia and one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. “We look forward to welcoming customers onboard very soon and continuing this route as planned,” it added.Published on June 3, 2026
