STOCKHOLM, May 1 (Xinhua) -- A total of 20,000 passengers are expected to be affected when 280 flights are canceled throughout Scandinavia on Thursday, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) announced in a press release on Wednesday.

"Every canceled flight is a failure, therefore we work hard to limit the number of canceled flights," said Karin Nyman, communications director at SAS.

Due to the strike, SAS announced to furlough about 1,000 employees in Norway, Swedish Television(SVT) reported. This reportedly includes 930 cabin crew and 70 baggage handlers and comes into effect as of May 1.

Knut Morten Johansen, head of media relations for SAS in Norway, explained that this is a response to an unprecedented situation. "The strike affects our passengers to an extent we have not seen in modern times. It is a stressful and dramatic situation and we are doing everything we can to find a quick solution," SVT reported.

Pilots from all three Scandinavian countries took part in the strike since last Friday, demanding better pay and working conditions, including more predictable schedules.

SAS is the leading airline in Scandinavia, operating a third of all flights to and from the region. While the airline is an important link across Scandinavia, it also runs long-haul international flights to the U.S. and Asia. Domestic, European and long-haul flights will be affected by the strike. Enditem

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