Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), the flagship carrier of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, will suspend its only direct route to China starting next month. According to reports, the Stockholm-based airline notified Aeroroutes last week that its last flight from Copenhagen to Shanghai will be operated by SAS on November 7. SAS explained that the longer flight route due to the Russia-Ukraine war and higher operational costs, along with fierce competition from Chinese rivals, were reasons for the suspension. The airline emphasized that China remains an important market and that it will continue to closely monitor the situation for potential resumption. Other foreign airlines, including Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, and Qantas, have also announced cancellations of direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai in recent months, citing similar reasons such as higher costs and longer travel times.