SAS flight delay compensation.
How to claim for delayed flight? And how much can you get?
In Europe, air travellers are more protected than ever. You may know it already, or you may not, but in many situations you can claim compensation for delays. There is a special regulation regarding this — the European flight compensation regulation. So, if your SAS flight is delayed for 3 hours or more, you might be entitled to compensation. How to claim compensation from SAS?
One of the options is to let professionals deal with this.
Or, you can pursue flight delay compensation on your own.
1. SAS Flight Delay Compensation: EU Regulations
Overall, the EU flight delay compensation rules are simple.
If your flight is late, and it’s due to airline’s fault, you can get compensation. This applies to all SAS flight delays of 3 hours and more. If you reach destination 3 or more hours later than planned, and it is due to SAS fault, you can get flight delay compensation from SAS.
If you’re flying to or from Europe, you may get up to €600. If you are flying with a non-EU airline like Thai Airways or Etihad, then these rules apply only to flights departing from European airports. But here we are talking about SAS. With SAS it applies to all their flights to and from Europe.
Could you be entitled to SAS flight delay compensation?
Yes, if:
- You arrive with a 3+ hour delay;
- Your flight problem is due to SAS fault;
- Flight is to/from the EU, EEA, UK.
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
There are situations when you can’t get compensation.
If your flight is delayed due to “extraordinary circumstances”, you can’t get compensation. Extraordinary circumstances are situations, that no airline has control over. These are things like bad weather, national strike, terrorism threat or other security issues at the departure or arrival airport. Speaking of strikes, in many situations you can get compensation. As long as it’s a strike of SAS employees, not someone they have no control over. A thing to remember about situations like this — always double check what you’re told.
Because sometimes airlines lie about real reasons behind delays. One of the options, how you can check the information that you are being given, is to file a claim with a flight compensation company. So, if the airline rejects your claim, you can hand it over to a flight compensation company. And they do their own investigation.
Just fill in the claim form on our website, and our partners will do that for you.
1.2 How to Calculate the Delay Time?
What matters is the time of arrival to your destination.
Not the time of departure, but the time of arrival.
The same is true also regarding connecting flights. You should be looking at the real time of arrival to your final destination. If the doors of an airplane are opened 3 or more hours after the original arrival time, you can get compensation from SAS. Did you miss a connecting flight due to delay? See our guide to SAS missed connection compensation. In short – the rules are the same, you have to look at how much later, when compared to original arrival time, you have reached the destination (in this case, SAS gives you a new flight for free).
1.3 Right to Care
In Europe you also have a right to care.
Whenever a flight is delayed, and you have to wait at the airport, SAS has to help you. If the delay is at least 3 hours, they are obliged to provide certain services for free. With European airlines like SAS it applies to all their flights. All passengers have a right to these services.
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 it’s an overnight delay, you should be offered accommodation and free transfer as well. You don’t have to have insurance to be eligible for this type of care.
2. How to Claim SAS Compensation For Delayed Flight?
How to claim flight delay compensation SAS owes you?
There are two ways you can do it online.
One of the options is to contact SAS yourself. Contact SAS, claim compensation and wait! If you can find it, fill in the SAS flight delay compensation form on their website. Not all airlines have special form for this. If you can’t find it, use any relevant contact form. Be prepared to wait 1-2 months until you hear back from the airline. Unfortunately, but it may take 1-2 months. Just to get a reply.
The second option is — legal representation.
It’s the easiest of the two options.
In this case everything is done by a team of legal professionals. You fill in a claim form. They do the rest on your behalf and without your involvement. Our partners offer such services.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Read more:
2.1 How Long Does It Take?
No matter how you proceed, it isn’t a short process.
Up until 2020, it was more or less 2, sometimes 3 month long process. Now, however, there are more situations when it takes longer than this. Especially if you do it yourself, and if the airline decides to reject your compensation claim. Yes, you won’t be receiving your SAS flight delay compensation in your bank account right away. It will take time.
3. How Much Can You Claim for Flight Delay from SAS?
The compensation amount is fixed and range from €250 to €600.
How to calculate your SAS delayed flight compensation?
Use this simple flight delay compensation calculator.
When your destination is within the EU/UK:
€250
If the distance of your flight is
up to 1,500 km
€400
If the distance of your flight is between 1,500 – 3,500 km
When your destination is outside the EU/UK:
€250
If the distance of your flight is
up to 1,500 km
€400
If the distance of your flight is between 1,500 – 3,500 km
€600
If the distance of your flight is more than 3,500 km
There’s one exception. When the flight distance is 3,500+ 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?
You might be offered a SAS voucher or coupon instead of compensation.
Majority of airlines were doing so during the COVID pandemic (2020-22).
What you should know is that you don’t have to accept vouchers. You have a right to receive flight delay compensation to bank account. It can be the same bank account, from which you paid for your booking, or it can also be a different bank account. The same is true both in the EU and UK.
The same applies to flight cancellation refunds.
4. Your Flight Is Delayed. Should You Wait at Home or Hotel?
Your SAS flight is delayed. You see the flight status online.
Should you stick to your original plans and go to the airport?
It depends. If the check-in is delayed too, it is better to wait at home or hotel. If the check-in is not delayed, it is better to proceed as normal.
Read more: Your SAS Flight Is Delayed. Should You Wait at Home?
SAS Flight Delay Compensation: FAQ
My flight was super cheap. It was a last-minute deal. Can I get compensation from SAS?
Yes, because the price doesn’t matter.
The price of your ticket has no influence on this. If you are entitled to 600 euro compensation for delay, you will get 600 euro for delay, even if it was a very cheap ticket. The same rules apply also to low-cost airlines. They have to pay the same compensation like full-service airlines.
Do I need to have travel insurance for this?
No, you don’t. These are separate things.
You can claim delay compensation even if you don’t have a travel insurance. That’s actually one of the reasons why this law, this regulation — Regulation EC 261/2004, was created. It was created to protect all air passengers flying to and from Europe.
Can my kid get compensation from SAS?
Yes, 100%.
Thanks to the regulation we are talking about in this article, even infants can get compensation of up to 600 euro. In Europe, the rules are the same for all passengers.
Can I claim compensation for a friend?
Yes, you can.
You don’t even have to have a flight ticket yourself.
The only thing your friend will have to do is to give you all the paperwork (passport copy, boarding pass, etc.). And if you are doing this via a flight compensation company, your friend or relative will also have to sign any documents SAS and the company may ask to sign in order proceed.
How far back can I claim flight compensation?
It depends on the local laws of the country.
If you are flying from the EU, mostly you can claim SAS compensation also for 2-3 years old flights. At the same time, whenever possible, we would urge you to act as soon as possible. The sooner you do it, the higher chances of successful outcome and less problems.
What to do if SAS is refusing compensation claim?
SAS is refusing compensation claim even though you are entitled to it.
Try to contact the national enforcement body of the country your flight was from. There are national enforcement bodies in all the EU countries. If your flight departed from a third country, contact the NEB of your destination country. Alternatively, hand the case over to a flight compensation company — and let the professions do the job on your behalf.
EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists
I’m flying to the EU from a country outside the EU. Can I get compensation?
If you’re flying with SAS then yes, absolutely.
SAS is considered a European airline. Accordingly, you are protected on all their flights from and also to the EU, UK and EEA. You are basically protected on all their flights.
I’m flying from the EU to a country outside the EU. Can I get compensation?
With SAS you can.
You can and you should be making a claim.
I am not a European citizen. Can I get SAS compensation?
Yes, these laws protect everyone.
Your nationality doesn’t matter at all.
Other Situations
SAS provided me with a free hotel room and / or a free flight to my destination. Can I still get compensated for the disruption?
Yes, you can.
Because, in Europe, you are entitled to both right to care and a new flight to your destination. The airline has to provide both whenever it’s due. That’s the rules in the EU, UK and EEA countries. Receiving the care doesn’t affect your chances of receiving the flight compensation.
SAS took me to my destination. It was later, but I got there. Can I still get compensation?
You might get compensation for delay.
There are two things you should be paying attention to. Was it at least 3 hours later than planned? Was it due to SAS problems, SAS fault? If you answered yes to both, then yes — you can get compensation for delay. You have a right to compensation (of up to €600 per passenger).
What is your experience with SAS? Have you ever received SAS flight delay compensation? Do you still have questions about SAS compensation claim procedures and policies? Ask in the comments.