It snowed, so SAS refused. Is that final?

No. Ask what the specific cause was and what measures were taken. If other airlines operated normally that day, the defence weakens.

How long do I have to claim?

It depends on the country whose courts would hear the case: three years in Germany, five in Spain, six in the UK and Ireland, two in some others. Older flights are often still claimable, so it is worth asking.

Does SAS charge to process a claim?

No. Claiming under EU261 is free and the airline has to handle it, which is exactly why handing 25–35% to an agency is hard to justify.

Guida compagnia aerea

SAS compensation

SAS flies the Nordic markets from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, where winter weather is a genuine defence — but only for the flights it actually affected.

Quick answer

SAS flies the Nordic markets from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, where winter weather is a genuine defence — but only for the flights it actually affected.

Airline: SAS
Main hub: Copenhagen
Potential compensation: €250–€600 per passenger
Route coverage: EU departures; EU-airline arrivals

SAS deve pagare?

SAS vola da aeroporti UE e SEE, quindi il regolamento CE 261/2004 si applica a quelle partenze indipendentemente da dove va il volo. Intra-Nordic and European sectors sit in the €250–400 bands, with Scandinavia to the US in the €600 band. La maggior parte di quelle rotte rientra nella fascia dei 250 €, con quelle più lunghe che raggiungono i 400 €.

Cosa di solito decide il reclamo

Snow and de-icing delays can be extraordinary, but the airline must show the disruption was unavoidable that day.
SAS pilot strikes are the airline's own labour dispute and do not excuse payment.
Denmark, Sweden and Norway each have their own enforcement body — use the one for the departure country.
Norway applies the same rules through the EEA agreement.

Come inviare il tuo reclamo

SAS accepts claims through its online form; a written letter attached to the form keeps the legal basis clear.

Se rifiutano

Le compagnie aeree spesso rifiutano un primo reclamo con un riferimento generico a circostanze eccezionali. Chiedi loro di indicare la causa specifica e le misure ragionevoli adottate. Se la risposta non è convincente o non arriva entro 14 giorni, fai ricorso all'organismo nazionale di controllo del paese di partenza — per i voli con hub a Copenhagen è l'ente regolatore di quello stato — oppure a uno schema di risoluzione alternativa delle controversie approvato.

Domande frequenti

It snowed, so SAS refused. Is that final?: No. Ask what the specific cause was and what measures were taken. If other airlines operated normally that day, the defence weakens.
How long do I have to claim?: It depends on the country whose courts would hear the case: three years in Germany, five in Spain, six in the UK and Ireland, two in some others. Older flights are often still claimable, so it is worth asking.
Does SAS charge to process a claim?: No. Claiming under EU261 is free and the airline has to handle it, which is exactly why handing 25–35% to an agency is hard to justify.

Primary sources

Official guidance and legislation used to review this page.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — EUR-Lex
Air passenger rights in the EU — European Commission
SAS official claim information — SAS