• Sweden edition
Business & Money

Swedish airline Skyways files for bankruptcy

Published: 22 May 12 07:07 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/40960/20120522/

Swedish budget airline Skyways Express has cancelled all flights after it and its City Airline subsidiary filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday morning.

"Skyways Express AB with its daughter company City Airline AB have today been forced to stop all payments," the company said in a statement issued on the company's website.

"As a consequence all flights have also been cancelled with immediate effect. Both companies will apply for bankruptcy in the morning."

The airline advised passengers with reservations on flights scheduled to depart on Tuesday to avoid going to the airport, as there are no longer any scheduled Skyways departures.

The airlines flew to around 20 destinations mainly in Sweden, but also serviced a number of European cities, including Helsinki, Copenhagen, Prague, Riga, Tallinn, Kiev, Birmingham, Manchester, Lyon and Zurich

The company explained that Skyway's owners "decided not to fund the company any longer", prompting the decision to suspend all payments and cancel all flights.

“It feels very sad for the company and for our passengers that will be immediately affected. It is also very sad for the personnel also at risk to lose their jobs," Skyways CEO Mikael Wångdahl said in a statement.

Sweden's main airport Arlanda alone had 31 cancelled flights Tuesday due to the bankruptcy, and Swedish public radio reported that some 12,000 people held tickets for scrapped flights.

Around 350 pilots, flight attendants and ground personnel were at risk of losing their jobs, it reported.

"I was supposed to fly to Stockholm with Skyways but was told at the check-in at around 6am that Skyways had gone bankrupt and that our plane would not be going to Stockholm," Sven-Åke Svensson told the radio at the airport in central southern town of Jönkoeping.

In neighbouring Denmark the Cimber Sterling airline filed for bankruptcy at the beginning of the month, and according to Swedish public radio, higher fuel prices were likely the main reason the small airlines in the region were going belly-up.

AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.se)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

16:12 May 22, 2012 by SimonDMontfort
I liked the routes Skyways used to operate - they were so convenient.

The news is very sad for the employees and shows how acute the problems are in running an airline as (I think) SKyways only had 23 aircraft
18:46 May 22, 2012 by sunnchilde
With rising costs and falling revenues one wonders how any airline can survive now a days. Air travel is necessary of course, but I wonder for how much longer routine flights will continue. How can an airline survive if only half the seats are filled? Owning, fueling and operating an aircraft is VERY expensive. Even sitting on the tarmac doing nothing, that aircraft is bleeding you dry. It reminds me of something Richard Branson (of Virgin Airways) said. "You want to be a millionaire? It's easy. Start with a billion dollars. Own an airline. Soon, you'll be a millionaire."
22:51 May 22, 2012 by Smokebox
I use to fly them and SAS for local flights from Stockholm. To much of a hassle and the costs getting higher each time. The train is so much easier.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Business & Money headlines
'Lean hospital a sign of Swedish welfare reform'

'Lean hospital a sign of Swedish welfare reform'

A Stockholm hospital saved from closure by private health care providers has been hailed by the Economist as one of modern's Sweden public-private success stories. READ () »

H&M mulls production in South America and Africa

H&M mulls production in South America and Africa

Swedish clothing giant H&M is looking into the possibility of sourcing its production to South America, Central America, and even Africa, chief executive Karl-Johan Persson said on Monday. READ () »

Nord Stream plans new gas pipelines

Nord Stream plans new gas pipelines

Gas pipeline firm Nord Stream will hold an information meeting on the Baltic island of Gotland on Monday to introduce a proposal to extend its controversial gas pipeline project. READ () »

'Sweden next in line for housing market crash'

'Sweden next in line for housing market crash'

Sweden tops a list of countries that risk suffering a housing market crash, Germany's Commerzbank has warned, citing the slackening off of Swedish property prices as a harbinger of a potential downswing. READ () »

Solna voted best place to live in Sweden

Solna voted best place to live in Sweden

Solna, a suburb just north of Stockholm, is the best place to live in Sweden, according to a new ranking published on Friday by Swedish news magazine Fokus. READ () »

Ikea founder rated fifth richest in the world

Ikea founder rated fifth richest in the world

Ingrad Kamprad, the founder of Swedish furniture giant Ikea, finished fifth on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index published on Friday, with an estimated fortune of $55.6 billion. READ () »

LinkedIn profile lands Swede with hefty tax bill

LinkedIn profile lands Swede with hefty tax bill

A Swedish man is facing a five-million kronor ($750,000) add-on to his tax bill after the authorities took a proper look at his account on the professional networking site LinkedIn. READ () »

India in no rush to open first Ikea store

India in no rush to open first Ikea store

The first Ikea store to open in India may not be ready for years, with the India head of the Swedish furniture giant prepared to wait until the the perfect location is found for the first of the 25 planned stores. READ () »

H&M CEO to Bangladesh: raise minimum wages

H&M CEO to Bangladesh: raise minimum wages

H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson has urged Bangladesh to raise its minimum wage, adding the Swedish fashion giant is "willing to pay more" in the wake of a garment industry disaster which killed more than 1,100 people. READ () »

Pensioners to recruit ageing Swedish rockers

Pensioners to recruit ageing Swedish rockers

The Swedish Pensioners Association wants to cast off its "stuffy" image at the Sweden Rock festival, in a recruitment bid to set up a rock music subgroup of new members. READ () »

More Business & Money

Find a new job in Sweden now
20/05 Active Directory and Exchange Technician to Skanska IT Nordic
Solna
20/05 Application Engineer
Net Entertainment NE AB
Stockholm
20/05 Application Engineer
Net Entertainment
Stockholm
20/05 Area Sales Manager
Sverige
20/05 Business Development Manager
Hays
Stockh, STHM
20/05 Certification Project Manager
Net Entertainment
Stockholm
20/05 Enterprise Risk Manager
Net Entertainment NE AB
Stockholm
20/05 Global Senior Buyer
Valueone AB
Stockholm
20/05 Group Risk Manager
Humancapital
stockholm, STHM
20/05 GSI Account Director
Sverige

ALL JOBS »


 
Latest Business & Money news from Germany
Holiday Luxury Villa in Portugal
Casa Birgitta in Algarve, Portugal. Reduced price in best location. Private estate on white sand beach. All amenities included. Book here today! edward_george1@hotmail.com
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Counseling in English
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
Trade binary options
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Therapy in English
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE