Scandinavian Airlines scraps 'oil route' between Norway, Texas because of drop in industry

Scandinavian Airlines says it will stop flying between the Norwegian city of Stavanger and Houston, Texas, because of "a severe decrease" in demand following a downturn in the oil industry.

SAS Group spokesman Eivind Roald says there were "no sound commercial grounds for continuing this niche route."

Roald said Tuesday the group "had to accept that the downturn in the industry unfortunately is also impacting us." The last flight on what Roald called the "oil line" will depart Oct. 23 from Stavanger and return the following day.

He added the aircraft would be switched to the Copenhagen-New York route, which has more potential.

Norway's fourth largest city of Stavanger is considered the Scandinavian country's oil capital because of the offshore oil industry.