On Monday, SAS and pilot unions were scheduled to begin negotiations to resolve a two-week strike that the Scandinavian airline claims threatened its survival.

The majority of SAS pilots in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway resigned on July 4 when discussions on the terms of the airline's rescue plan broke down. The parties resumed negotiations on July 13 in the capital of Sweden.

On Sunday evening, mediator Claes Strath reported to the news agency TT that progress had been achieved over the weekend.

"If the will is there - and I know it is - this can be resolved tomorrow during the day," Strath added. "However, nothing is ready until it is ready."

Monday, no mediators were immediately available for comment.

The discussions continued over the weekend. A mediator reported on Saturday that the parties had made progress but that significant concerns remained unresolved.

To attract new investors and receive bridge funding, the long-struggling SAS claims it must first reduce expenses.

After failed negotiations, pilots employed by the 75-year-old carrier's SAS Scandinavia subsidiary stated that they would accept modest wage cuts and less favorable terms. In contrast, SAS noted that the concessions were insufficient to implement a February-announced rescue plan.

Unions also urge that pilots laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic be rehired by SAS Scandinavia instead of fighting with foreign candidates for positions with less appealing terms at the newly founded SAS Link and Ireland-based SAS Connect.

FlightAware reports that 57 percent of scheduled SAS flights were canceled on Monday, amounting to 183 flights. SAS Link and SAS Connect pilots are not on strike.