SAS Strike Compensation

One of the most common causes of flight interruptions is flight strikes, which are often arranged by the personnel, an airport itself, or an airline. As a passenger, you should be aware of EU Regulation 261, according to which you might be qualified for compensation of up to 600 Euros.

Read on to find out how you can get compensation and in which situations.

Your Passenger Rights

The good news is that every air traveler is protected by EU Regulation 261. The EU 261 is a European Union regulation that sets the rules for compensation and assistance for travelers in cases of flight delays and cancellations. Now, let’s take a closer look at passenger rights, under EU 261/2004:

• The airline must provide passengers with information about their rights.
• In case of flight cancellation, a passenger has the right to choose one of these options: either a ticket refund or rerouting to the final destination under similar conditions;
• Passengers can expect to receive food and beverages; they are also entitled to have two free phone calls, e-mails, or faxes.
• If you choose an alternative flight, 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 between 250 to 600 euros per passenger

When You Are Entitled to SAS Strike Compensation

Often, SAS strikes involve their workers. These could be flight attendants, pilots, engineers, or any other crucial personnel. As you’re now aware, you can seek compensation for airline strikes, if your travel was disrupted. The compensation will then cover the inconvenience you faced due to the strike.

It is also important 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. Importantly, if a staff strike occurs, the airline could have potentially foreseen and managed such incidents, thus such cases 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. Consequently, passengers are entitled to claim flight compensation.

Nonetheless, you should understand that each incident is unique, 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 compensation for an airline strike, you should be aware of the requirements and the amount of compensation you could be entitled to.

SAS Strike Flight Delay Compensation

The longer a flight is delayed, the more trouble it causes passengers. 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 essential to understand that if your flight is delayed for over 3 hours due to a strike, you have the right to seek compensation from the airline for the inconvenience caused.

In assessing the potential sum of compensation, passengers should take two critical facts into account: the flight’s distance and the delay length they experience. It’s crucial to understand these factors, as only that is how you can be calm regarding the fair flight delay compensation you deserve. Below you can find a table with the amounts of compensation you may 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 cause flight cancellation. Under EU 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 two weeks before your travel.

However, there are always some exceptions to the regulations, and here is the case. The airline has a right to avoid paying compensation if it provides the passenger an alternative flight. This alternative flight must meet the conditions 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 your destination was still delayed, you have a right to claim compensation.

The amount of the compensation fully depends on the flight distance and the time of delay in arriving at the final destination. Take a look at 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?

EU261 regulation applies to all flights departing from EU airports, regardless of the airline, as well as flights arriving in the EU from non-EU countries if they are operated by airlines based in the EU. The regulation also covers flights to/from Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway.

The table below shows which SAS flights are covered by EU Regulation 261:

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 have experienced flight delays or cancellations at least once, you know how annoying it can be.

Travelers who encounter any of these issues on SAS flights have a right to claim compensation, according to the EU regulations. Follow these steps to claim compensation:

1. Fill in this form. You’ll need to provide details such as your flight number, date, and what went wrong.
2. Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will take over. We understand the EU laws thoroughly and will do our best to obtain your rightful compensation. You are only charged if we win your case.