This book gives a detailed account of the making
of SAS, tracing its development from the earliest days
of Scandinavian commercial aviation through 1951 when the
present Consortium finally emerged
SAS has long been viewed as an experiment. Would it be
possible for three sovereign nations to relinquish to an outside
organization their authority and responsibility in such a
sensitive field as aviation ?
Cooperation of the type that SAS began in 1946 marked a
completely new twist in international relations. Consequently, its
activities and development have been closely followed, both on
an international scale and in the three parent countries where
the parliaments and other government bodies, the media
and the general public have found SAS to be a lively subject
of discussion through the years.
In the story of The Making of SAS, there are elements that
touch upon almost every aspect of contemporary Scandinavian history
SAS has become a part of the political history of Scandinavia
as well as an example of the economic growth the three countries
have experienced, The airline's history also illustrates great technical
achievements and deep personal relationships, crises and disappoint-
ments. But, most of all, it is a convincing story of the advantages
that can be attained when nations manage to cooperate on the
basis of mutual respect and confidence