Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) was set to return to India this week after a 17-year absence, but what was supposed to be a celebratory inaugural flight between Copenhagen and Mumbai ended in disappointment when the aircraft was forced to turn back to Denmark before reaching India.
SAS operates inaugural flight to Mumbai without regulatory approval
Flight SK969, operating the Copenhagen (CPH) – Mumbai (BOM) route on June 2/3, 2026, departed Copenhagen as scheduled and was well on its way to India when it unexpectedly reversed course over Azerbaijan and returned to its origin airport. LN-RKM, Operating the Inaugural, Took Off with a Delay of ~4.5 Hours.
The flight marked SAS’s long-awaited return to India, a market the airline exited in 2009. The Mumbai route was intended to be one of the centrepieces of SAS’s expanding long-haul network and its strategy to strengthen Copenhagen as a gateway between Northern Europe, North America and Asia. The market is so important for SAS that they are also offering a status match in India.
Missing Regulatory Approval Forced A Return
According to SAS, the aircraft did not return due to a technical issue, weather disruption, or operational emergency. Instead, the airline stated that a final regulatory approval required for the service had not been received as anticipated before the flight entered the final stages of its journey.
By the time it became clear that the approval would not arrive in time, the Airbus A330 operating the flight had already reached Azerbaijani airspace. Rather than continue towards Mumbai without the required authorisation, SAS elected to return the aircraft to Copenhagen.
While airlines occasionally delay launches pending approvals, it is relatively unusual for an inaugural intercontinental flight to depart only to be forced to return several hours later because a final clearance was still outstanding. This almost reminded me of Air India sending the wrong aircraft to Canada earlier this year.
As per a statement from SAS,
SAS is continuing to work closely and constructively with the Indian government and relevant authorities to complete the remaining approval process and commence operations as soon as possible.
We have great respect for India’s regulatory framework and are fully committed to operating in compliance with all applicable requirements. We appreciate the constructive dialogue and ongoing efforts of the DGCA and the relevant authorities throughout this process.
The safety and security of our passengers, colleagues and operations are always our highest priority.
India is an important market for SAS, and we remain fully committed to the Copenhagen–Mumbai service and successfully connecting the Scandinavian and Indian regions with seamless options strengthening the economic and cultural ties between our nations.
What Happens Next?
At the time of writing, SAS had stopped selling tickets for this route through June 15, 2026, at a minimum.
The carrier had originally announced that the route would commence on June 2, 2026, “subject to governmental approvals”. That caveat, included in the launch announcement nearly a year ago, now appears particularly relevant given the circumstances surrounding the inaugural flight.
Passengers booked on the initial services will now be watching closely to see whether subsequent flights operate normally or whether additional schedule adjustments become necessary while the remaining regulatory formalities are completed.
Bottomline
SAS’s much-anticipated return to India suffered an unexpected setback when inaugural flight SK969 from Copenhagen to Mumbai turned back over Azerbaijan and returned to Denmark. The airline says the aircraft was forced to return because a final regulatory approval had not been received as expected. The incident delayed what should have been a landmark moment for SAS’s India comeback and one of the most notable new international routes launched in 2026. The next dates for the resumption of service are unknown, and flights are not being offered for sale at least until June 15, 2026.
What do you make of SAS’s plans to enter the Indian market?
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