One of the most common causes of flight interruptions is flight strikes, which can be initiated by airline workers, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of EU Regulation 261, according to which you might be entitled to compensation of up to 600 Euros.
Continue reading to find out how you can get compensation and under what circumstances.
Your Passenger Rights
The good news is that every air traveler is protected by EU Regulation 261. The EU 261/2004 is a European Union regulation that sets the rules for compensation and assistance for travelers in cases of flight disruptions. Now, let’s take a closer look at passenger rights, under EU 261:
- The airline must provide passengers with information about their rights.
- In case of flight cancellation, a passenger has the right to choose one of the following options: either a ticket refund or rebooking to the final destination under similar conditions;
- Passengers can expect to receive meals and drinks; they are also entitled to have two free phone calls, e-mails, or faxes.
- If you decide to reroute, and it involves an overnight stay, the airline is required to provide hotel accommodation, as well as transportation between the airport and the hotel.
- Compensation from 250 to 600 euros per passenger
When You Are Entitled to SAS Strike Compensation
Often, SAS strikes involve their staff. These could be engineers, pilots, flight attendants, or any other crucial staff. As you now know, you may be eligible for airline strike compensation, if your travel was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you experienced because of the strike.
It is also essential to understand what “extraordinary circumstances” are. These are events outside of the airline’s control. If a strike is considered one of these circumstances, the airline is not obliged to provide compensation. It is important to note if a staff strike occurs, the airline could have potentially foreseen and handled such incidents, thus these situations are within the airline’s control. That is when flight disruptions are made by the airline’s own employees, they are not cases of extraordinary circumstances. As a result, passengers have a right to claim flight compensation.
However, you need to be aware that each incident is individual, meaning that every flight disruption caused by a strike must be carefully analyzed to determine whether the airline will pay compensation.
SAS Strike Compensation
Before seeking the airline strike compensation, it’s important to understand the criteria and the amount of compensation you might receive.
SAS Strike Flight Delay Compensation
The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it causes travelers. When airline staff go on strike, it can disrupt passengers’ plans and make them arrive at their final destination much later than expected. It is crucial to know that if your flight is delayed for more than 3 hours because of a strike, you have the right to seek compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.
When assessing the potential sum of compensation, passengers need to take two critical facts into account: the flight’s distance and the duration of the delay. It’s essential to understand these details, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you are entitled to. In the following, you can see a table with the amounts of compensation you could receive.
| Less than 3 hours | Between 3-4 hours | Over 4 hours | Distance |
| €0 | €250 | €250 | All flights up to 1500 km |
| €0 | €400 | €400 | All flights between 1500 km and 3500 km |
| €0 | €400 | €400 | All intra-EU flights over 3500 km |
| €0 | €300 | €600 | All non-EU flights over 3500 km |
SAS Strike Flight Cancellation Compensation
Sometimes, it also happens that airline strikes result in flight cancellations. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, you can claim compensation of up to 600 Euros. It’s important to know that the regulation also states that you are entitled to compensation in the case when the airline informed you about the cancellation less than 14 days before your travel.
However, there are always some exceptions to the rules, and here is the case. The airline is entitled to avoid paying compensation if it provides the passenger an alternative flight. This flight must meet the requirements listed below:
| Advance Notice | Re-routing Requirements |
| 14 Days | None |
| 7 – 13 Days | Alternative flight departing no more than 2 hours before and arriving less than 4 hours after the original flight |
| Less than 7 Days | Alternative flight departing no more than 1 hour before and arriving less than 2 hours after the original flight |
Importantly, if you used an alternative flight but your final arrival time at the destination point was still delayed, you have a right to claim compensation.
The amount of the compensation is based on the flight distance and the time of delay in arriving at the final destination. Check the table below for more details:
| Under 2 hours | 2-3 hours | 3-4 hours | Over 4 hours | Never arrived | Distance |
| €125 | €250 | €250 | €250 | €250 | All flights 1,500 km or less |
| €200 | €200 | €400 | €400 | €400 | Internal EU flights over 1,500 km |
| €200 | €200 | €400 | €400 | €400 | Non-internal EU flights 1,500 km- 3,500 km |
| €300 | €300 | €300 | €600 | €600 | Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km |
Which SAS Flights Are Covered by EU261?
Regulation EU261 covers every flight departing from airports in the EU, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from outside the EU when operated by EU airlines. It also applies to flights to and from Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway.
The table below shows which SAS flights are covered by EU Regulation 261/2004:
| Itinerary | Covered by EU 261 |
| Flights departing the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
| Flights arriving at the EU airports | ✅ Covered |
How to Claim SAS Strike Compensation
If you’ve faced flight cancellations or delays at least once, you understand how annoying it can be.
Travelers who face any of these issues on SAS flights have a right to claim compensation, according to EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:
- Complete our form. You’ll need to provide details such as your flight number, date, and the problem you faced.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will manage the process. We know the EU laws thoroughly and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.