What was meant to be a landmark moment for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) quickly turned into an embarrassing setback. The carrier’s first India-bound flight in nearly two decades had to reverse course after taking off from Copenhagen when crucial approval from Indian aviation authorities failed to arrive in time.
Scandinavian Airlines’ return to the Indian market after a 17-year absence got off to a rocky start this week after its inaugural flight to Mumbai was forced to make a mid-air U-turn because of a regulatory approval issue.
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Flight SK969 departed Copenhagen Airport on June 2 and was headed for Mumbai, marking SAS’s long-awaited comeback to India. However, around four hours into the journey, while flying over Azerbaijan, the Airbus A330-300 was instructed to turn back and return to Denmark.
Flight forced to turn back over Azerbaijan
The aircraft had already covered a significant portion of its route when air traffic control informed the crew that the required approvals from Indian authorities had not been secured. As a result, the flight could not continue to its destination, as per NDTV reports.
The aircraft subsequently reversed course and returned to Copenhagen, bringing an abrupt end to what was intended to be a celebratory inaugural service.
Missing approval caused the disruption
Per NDTV, SAS later acknowledged that it had not obtained the final regulatory approval required for the service before departure. The airline had reportedly expected the remaining paperwork to be cleared while the aircraft was already en route to India.
However, the anticipated confirmation never arrived. With the necessary clearance still pending, the flight crew had no option but to abandon the journey and head back to Denmark, according to NDTV.
The Copenhagen-Mumbai service was a key part of SAS’s efforts to reconnect with the Indian market after a gap of 17 years. The launch was seen as a significant milestone for the Scandinavian carrier as it expanded its international network.
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Instead, the inaugural operation became an unexpected setback, highlighting the importance of securing all regulatory permissions before launch. The incident disrupted the airline’s highly anticipated return and left passengers on board experiencing a flight that ultimately ended where it had begun.
