SAS Commuter was established in 1988 and started operations in Northern Norway in May 1990. This involved a change to the operations so that all DC-9 services from Kirkenes to Oslo were terminated and instead Fokker 50 services were introduced to Alta and Tromsø. SAS was able to reduce costs by no longer operating local routes with the DC-9 and instead increased the number of flights. The new system was met with massive opposition in Kirkenes. Emergency meetings were being held between SAS Commuter and the ministry by June 1990 because of low regularity and many cancellations. Non-transfer flights from Kirkenes to Oslo were reintroduced on 1 April 1992, albeit with the services stopping at Tromsø.