SAS Flight Cancellation Compensation

SAS flight cancellation refund. SAS flight cancellation compensation.

What is the difference between the two? What applies to you? Can you receive both? How much is the cancellation compensation that you can get from SAS? The short answer is, yes, sometimes you can receive both. If a flight is cancelled due to the airline’s fault, you may get both — a refund from SAS and cancellation compensation up to €600.

With SAS, it applies to most of its flights to and from the EU / UK.

There are two ways you can claim flight cancellation compensation.

1. SAS Flight Cancellation Compensation: EU Regulations

What happens if your SAS flight is cancelled?

Will you get a new flight instead of the cancelled one? Compensation?

According to EU law, flight cancellation procedures are very specific.

If you are notified of the cancellation 7 – 14 days before the departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, which departs not more than 2 hours before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 4 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

If you are notified of the cancellation less than 7 days before the departure:

• You choose a new flight offered by your airline, which departs not more than 1 hour before the original departure time and you reach your destination less than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In this situation you are not entitled to compensation.
• In other situations you are entitled to compensation.

Could you be entitled to SAS flight cancellation compensation? 

Yes, if the below-mentioned conditions are met:

• It must be their fault — airline’s fault;
• It must have happened up to 14 days before time and date of departure (it’s considered a last-minute flight cancellation);
• You must be flying to or from Europe.

By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

1.1 Extraordinary Circumstances

Sometimes reasons for flight cancellations are out of the airline’s control.

Situations like these are called extraordinary circumstances. In these cases, you aren’t entitled to flight cancellation compensation. And it doesn’t matter how last-minute is the cancellation.

If your flight is cancelled due to bad weather, nationwide strike, security problems at the airport, or something similar, you can’t get SAS flight cancellation compensation. Because none of this is airline’s fault. These are things that no airline has control over. Speaking of strikes, don’t forget that in many cases — if it’s an airline staff strike — you can get compensation. If it’s a SAS staff strike, and that causes cancellation, make sure to make a compensation claim. 

Always double check what you’re told.

Because not always airlines are telling you the truth. 

Alternatively, hand the case over to someone to check it for you. Our partners — a flight compensation company — offer such a service. Just fill in the claim form on our website, and our partners will check your flight on your behalf. If you won’t be entitled to compensation, you won’t have to pay anything.

Read more: SAS strike compensation

1.2 Right to Care

Your SAS flight is cancelled last-minute.

Now you have to wait at the airport for a new flight.

In this case you have a right to receive care from the airline. All thanks to the EU Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and the UK Regulation UK261. If the waiting time is 3 or more hours, the airline is obliged to take care of you, by providing certain services completely for free.

Here’s what that means in real life.

SAS must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If your new flight is leaving only on the next day, and you aren’t in your hometown, a free hotel stay (including free transfer) must be offered.

It doesn’t affect your chances of getting compensation.

1.3 SAS Flight Cancellation Refund, SAS Refund Policy

And again, the rules are very specific.

Besides, same like with delays, they aren’t affected by SAS internal policies (SAS refund policy). If your flight is cancelled — it applies to 100% of flight cancellations, no matter the reason behind cancellation — SAS should offer you a choice between a new flight and a full refund for cancellation. You can choose whatever suits you the best.

If you choose a refund, it must be paid within 7 days.

You don’t have to agree to a SAS voucher refund.

Here’s an excerpt from the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004:

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 5

Cancellation

In case of cancellation of a flight, the passengers concerned shall: (a) be offered assistance by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 8.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, Article 8

Right to reimbursement or re-routing

Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered the choice between: (a) – reimbursement within seven days (b) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at the earliest opportunity.

It doesn’t cover cases when you yourself cancel a SAS flight.

2. How to Claim SAS Flight Cancellation Compensation?

There are two ways how you can proceed…

How you can claim SAS flight cancellation compensation.

One of them is more time-consuming, the other — easier.

One of the options is to contact SAS directly. Call or write an e-mail to SAS customer support center and request compensation for cancellation. Refer to the European flight compensation regulation. Don’t worry, they will know right away what you are talking about. This thing has been around for 10+ years. Don’t give up after first refusal.

You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.

In this case, all you do is fill in a compensation form.

You register your SAS cancellation compensation claim only once. The rest is handled by a flight compensation company. Our partners offer such services.

Read more:

• Your SAS Refund Is Taking Forever. What Can You Do About It?
• How to Claim SAS Compensation?

2.1 How Long Does It Take?

The industry average is around 2 to 3 months.

That’s usually if you are a bit lucky and things are going well. Sometimes airlines are super slow in communication. Other times they refer to false reasons, all in order to not pay you compensation. If the case has to be taken to court, it will take something like 6+ months. Depending from the country the case is take to court in.

3. How Much Can You Claim for Cancellation?

The compensation amount in the EU/UK go up to €600 per person.

Here is how you can calculate your SAS compensation:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

There’s one exception. When the flight distance is 3500+ kilometres and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later than planned, you are entitled only to 50% of the compensation amount (that means €300, not €600).

3.1 SAS Voucher Refund or Cash?

What if you are offered a SAS voucher instead of compensation?

This has been happening and is happening all the time. Airlines love to do so, which is understandable. It is cheaper for them to offer you a new flight with them instead of returning money. However, the question is — do you have to accept a SAS compensation voucher?

And the answer is — you don’t have to. You can ask cash.

With SAS, it applies to EU, EEA and UK flights (to and from).

4. What Happens If a Flight Is Cancelled?

What to do if your SAS flight is cancelled?

First of all, have you received an email from SAS?

If you have, check that message. Most likely it has all the most important answers — what’s happening next and what options do you have. If you have already arrived to the airport, and it’s a last-minute flight cancellation, keep following your SAS flight information and wait for the announcement from the airline. It should be coming soon.

In most cases, SAS will give you a choice.

Mostly it will be a choice between a new flight and full refund. 

The refunds must be made within 7 days (if you choose this). Don’t forget that in many cases you also have a right to SAS cancellation compensation. If your flight is cancelled up to 2 weeks before the departure, there is a high possibility that you are.

4.1 Connecting Flights

Do you need to be on time for another flight? 

If it’s a SAS connecting flight, don’t worry.

They will give you a new flight (if you miss the original flight).

See our guide to SAS missed connection compensation. In short – the rules are the same like with SAS flight delay compensation, you have to look at how much later, when compared to original arrival time, you have reached the destination.

But if it’s a self transfer connection, it’s your responsibility. If you book flights separately, it is your responsibility to make it in time. Even if these are separately booked SAS flights. A travel insurance that covers trip interruptions and changes may cover the costs, at least some.

SAS Flight Cancellation Compensation and Refund: FAQ

SAS Refund

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

Other Situations

What is your experience? Have you ever received SAS flight cancellation compensation? Do you still have questions about SAS compensation claim procedures and policies? Ask in the comments.