SAS Braathens to lose price war with Norwegian - claim

Airline Industry Information, April 29, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Management of the Scandinavian airline SAS Braathens, part of the SAS Group, has reportedly claimed that the company was doomed to lose the price war on domestic tickets in Norway against the Norwegian low-fare airline Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian).

Norwegian has the lowest prices on airline tickets in Norway, and SAS Braathens has reportedly declared that it could not compete with the offered prices.

The company reportedly feared the consequences imposed by the Norwegian Competition Authority if it sold tickets at a loss.

The competition authority has never denied that it is keeping a watch on SAS Braathens' movements on the domestic market, according to the Norwegian online news provider Nettavisen.

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