SAS gets to grips with industry downturn

SAS Scandinavian Airlines, a leading carrier in Northern Europe, entered China in 1988 and now operates daily nonstop flights between Beijing and Copenhagen and six weekly services between Beijing and Stockholm. SAS was the world's first carrier to adopt a "green landing approach" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption. During a "green landing approach", pilots fly with the engines on idle thrust in the descent phase of the flight. Compared with a normal landing, it cuts 5-8 percent of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions on a one to one-and-a-half-hour flight.

Mats Jansson, president and CEO of the SAS Group, recently talked to China Daily reporter Lu Haoting about the company's strategy in the current global airline industry downturn and its plans for China.

Q: Record high oil prices are reshaping the air transport industry and the global airline industry could lose as much as $5.2 billion this year, according to the International Air Transport Association. How is SAS trying to cope with this industry downturn?