SAS-crew can fly for free. The company will still not be competitive. It isn't the working crew in SAS who are the problem, it's the fact that they have 8 meaningless managers and assistants for every flight attendant on the pay roll.
Seeing as nobody who makes the cuts are going to fire themselves or their management buddies, SAS is in for a slow painful death where the ultimate demise will be blamed on whichever political party is running the country at the time.
But, it's good news for Norwegian to have SAS slowly fade away rather than go out overnight with a bang. It keeps the Ryanair hyenas away and allows Norwegian a smooth take over in a pace that they can handle.
Ultimately it's an industry shift taking place and there is no stopping it.
In 10 years time we will be shaking our heads and the pay and work hours wondering what happened same as retirees from the -80s are doing now. 400 hrs a year, 1 hr turn-arounds, techs doing the external checks, load masters doing the m&b sheet. We laugh at the days of old and wonder how they could get away with it. A pension! Insurance! Crazy. Meanwhile they look at us from their villa in Nice and think why does anyone put up with it? Where's the respect?
We will do the same. From our villas. In Latvia. Eating porridge.
Meanwhile the bureaucrats in Brussels, when they aren't busy not paying income tax, sit down and decide how much rest the latest Pilot: Model 2013-1a, will require before heading off to another important free dinner party. I imagine we will find an emergency locker with amphetamine-pills onboard soon, for a pick-me-up before landing. Break glass in case of fatigue.
Enjoy! It's only your life passing by.