STOCKHOLM/COPENHAGEN - The SAS Group said Wednesday it was preparing to seek compensation over its grounded fleet of Dash 8- Q400s plans from Canada-based plane maker Bombardier.
SAS Chief Executive Mats Jansson told reporters in Copenhagen the group was seeking 500 million kronor (76 million dollars) to compensate ‘direct and indirect costs’ for the three-week period the fleet was grounded.
The 27 propeller aircraft were grounded on September 12 after two aircraft of the type were involved in emergency landings attributed to landing gear problems in Denmark and Lithuania.
SAS said it has conducted an ‘an extensive inspection programme and parts replacement,’ and eight of its Dash 8-Q400s were Thursday to be put back in service, five in Denmark and three in Sweden.
Norwegian subsidiary Wideroe was to deploy three of its four Dash 8-Q400s Thursday and the remaining plane over the weekend.
Test flights were ongoing with the other aircraft, suggesting that further cancellations were due while the last planes were due to be back in service by October 15.
Tests indicated that a part in the main landing gear, known as an actuator was affected by corrosion, SAS said.
Scores of flights have been cancelled and passengers have been rebooked. The carrier has also leased other planes in the meantime.
SAS has since 2000 flown Dash 8-Q400s and was one of the first airlines to operate the type. The planes are used on domestic routes and short European routes.