Stockholm - The Easter holidays impacted the number of passengers flying with the SAS Group in March, the operator of the joint carrier Scandinavian Airlines reported Monday.

The SAS Group flew 2.6 million passengers in March, down 5.5 per cent compared to the corresponding business period 2007.

Scandinavian Airlines said that higher fuel prices also impacted first quarter earnings.

SAS chief executive Mats Jansson said in a statement that the group was considering a series of measures that would be "gradually" put in place.

Details were to be outlined end of April when SAS presents its first quarter results.

The governments of Norway, Sweden and Denmark together own a 50- per-cent stake in SAS, while private shareholders hold the rest. (dpa)