Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has suffered a major embarrassment after its first flight to India in 17 years was forced to turn around halfway through the journey due to a paperwork error. Flight SK969 departed Copenhagen Airport on June 2, 2026, bound for Mumbai. The new route was a significant milestone for the carrier, marking its highly anticipated return to the Indian market. However, four hours into the journey, while cruising over Azerbaijan, the Airbus A330-300 was ordered to turn back.
According to Aviation24.be, the airline admitted that it did not have the final regulatory approvals from Indian authorities before takeoff. SAS executives stated they fully expected the remaining formal paperwork to be completed while the aircraft was in the air. When the final confirmation failed to arrive, the cockpit crew had no choice but to reverse course.
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SAS'ın 17 Yıl Sonra Başlattığı Hindistan Seferi Geri Döndü
— HavaSosyalMedya (@HavaSosyalMedya) June 4, 2026
İskandinav havayolu SAS'ın 17 yıl aranın ardından yeniden başlattığı #SK969 Kopenhag–Mumbai seferi, operasyonel bir sorun nedeniyle Kopenhag'a geri döndü.
LN-RKM tescilli Airbus A330 tipi uçakla gerçekleştirilen ilk… pic.twitter.com/4StkOB2PBk
Passengers spent roughly 12 hours in the air only to land back at their starting point in Copenhagen. One traveller described the experience as absolutely horrible, criticising the airline for departing without guaranteed landing permission. Meanwhile, ground teams in Mumbai who had prepared a water cannon salute for the inaugural landing were left waiting.
SAS stated that passengers remained calm and were rebooked onto alternative flights. The airline apologized for the disruption and confirmed it is working closely with government officials to secure the outstanding permits. It hopes to restart the five-times-weekly service within a few days.
The operational blunder is costly for the airline, with experts estimating the aborted flight could cost over half a million dollars in fuel, operating expenses, and passenger compensation.
The episode is a rare regulatory mishap for SAS and overshadowed what was intended to be a high-profile return to the Indian market. The Copenhagen-Mumbai route is part of the carrier's strategy to expand its long-haul network and strengthen links between Scandinavia and Asia.
