Over paid fools in management
One of the most basic "rules" for keeping costs down, is ONE TYPE! For years SAS was M-D based and the relationship to the factory regarding training, parts, maintenance etc were exemplary. The next generation of MD was killed by SAS' defection to the 737. It entailed a complete revamp of training philosophy, technical staff had to be retrained, all the pilots, even the emergency training of the FAs, parts, tools......hugely expensive.
Then they went and bought Airbus?...so now there are MD 80s and 90s, AB of at least three versions, CJs, Dash 8s, 737......
This matter alone would be enough to kill the company cost-wise. Of course, operating one type might not have covered every route and so one LR type might have been added, but this in such a small company?
Add to that the poor service level, confusion as to whether they will be a regional, international, feeder for LH, sell off of profitable units during earlier crisis times.......
....and that the director of this fiasco earns 8.8 million kr plus 2.2 million in pension, compared to say, Norwegian's director (note, a company that is making money!!!!) who gets 1 million and 233,000 in pension.......that this carries through to all the clowns (mis)managing the company, and you have an idea why they are in the situation they are!
If you read the history of the company, the types who started it and made it a success, then introduced BS psycho-testing which made certain that this type never got hired! Instead they got too many arrogant prima donnas. If you have time to run a farm or a consulting business alongside of your job, then you are not working enough hours.
So cut the salaries of the small fish......it will never be enough, because it is rotten at the top.
A shame, but in a healthy marketplace, the robust and flexible will survive, while the rigid and arrogant will die.....Sabena, Eastern, Swiss........Braniff, NW.........