Scandinavian Airlines SAS was to land in Mumbai after 17 long years in early June this year, but a faux pas saw the inaugural flight return mid-way. The cancellation continued a day at a time, followed by weeks, followed by months. The airline started operations without having all the necessary approvals in place. Interestingly, the airline had announced flights between Copenhagen and Mumbai in June 2025, a good year ahead of starting operations. The airline has now announced that it has all the requisite approvals in place to launch the service and that it would start operations from October 01, 2026.
After the announcement in June 2025, a lot has changed in the market. IndiGo started flights to Copenhagen from Mumbai in October 2025 and pulled out this service in February 2026, citing longer flight times and market conditions. The West Asia war since then has further complicated the situation in the market.
The launch of this route comes at a strategically significant moment, capturing both India’s immense growth potential and Mumbai’s position as a global financial hub. This connection unlocks dynamic opportunities for travel, business, and cultural exchange between Northern Europe and India’s vibrant financial capital. Mumbai, often called the “City of Dreams,” is home to more than 20 million people and plays a central role in India’s economy. Known for its energy, colour and diversity, the city also attracts travelers seeking rich cultural encounters, culinary adventures and wellness getaways. With strong Scandinavian business ties in the region and growing travel demand, this route is a strategically important addition to SAS’ network — strengthening our global relevance and expanding our reach. This also diversifies the offering between India and Copenhagen, since Air India flies non-stop from Delhi.
Route details:
- Route: Mumbai (BOM) – Copenhagen (CPH)
- Flight numbers: SK969 / SK970
- Frequency: 5 times per week
- Aircraft: Airbus A330 (262/266 seats)
- First departure: October 1, 2026 (from BOM October 3, 2026)
- Departure BOM: 06:30 – Arrival CPH: 12:15 (operates Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
- Departure CPH: 16:10 – Arrival BOM: 04:30 (+1) (operates Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
Trade
The bilateral trade in goods between India and Denmark was USD 2.05 billion in 2025. India’s exports in goods to Denmark was valued at USD 1.06 billion and imports at USD 0.98 billion in the same year. Bilateral trade in services reached USD 4.25 billion; exports from India reached USD 1.9 billion and imports USD 2.3 billion in 2025. The total value of Indian investments in Denmark is about USD 560 million. Around 40 Indian companies are present in Denmark in various sectors, including IT, renewable energy and engineering. And around 200 Danish companies have invested in India in sectors such as shipping, renewable energy, environment, agriculture, food processing and smart urban development. The cumulative direct investment inflows from Denmark to India till 2024 was USD 1.413 billion. The Indian community of around 21,000 in Denmark actively contributes across professions.
Network Thoughts
SAS is now partly owned by Air France – KLM and further pushes the rivalry between Air France – KLM, Lufthansa and IAG to India with various group airlines routing passengers via multiple hubs to get a larger pie of the Indian market. SAS would require significant stimulation of the market and transfer of passengers from one-stops via middle eastern and other European hubs to itself.
Lufthansa, Swiss and ITA operate to India from the Lufthansa group, while Air France – KLM will see Air France, KLM and SAS operate. Air France – KLM does not have a controlling stake in SAS, yet.
Copenhagen is one of the difficult routes to crack due to the longer length, relatively fewer passengers and significantly lower transfer options to North America when compared to Amsterdam (KLM), London (British Airways), Paris (Air France) or Frankfurt (Lufthansa).
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