Scandinavian carrier SAS’s much-anticipated return to India after a 17-year hiatus hit an unexpected hurdle on Wednesday after its inaugural Copenhagen-Mumbai flight was forced to return to Denmark mid-journey due to a pending regulatory approval, according to Manju V's TOI report. Flight SK969 departed Copenhagen on Tuesday evening, around four hours behind its scheduled departure, according to flight-tracking platform Flightradar24. The Airbus A330 had been airborne for nearly four hours and was over Azerbaijan when it turned back and headed to Copenhagen.Also read: Cabinet approves Rs 10,000 crore for ATF price stabilization fundIn a statement, SAS said the flight returned after the final approval required from authorities was not issued as anticipated.“SAS completed all necessary operational and regulatory preparations for the launch following several months of planning and coordination. 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.Also read: India keeps local jet fuel prices unchanged after airline pleaThe Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The airline said its immediate priority is to assist affected passengers and obtain the remaining approval needed to launch the service. SAS added that it expects flights to commence within the next few days once the formal clearance is received.“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,” the airline said, adding that it looks forward to launching the route soon and operating it as planned.