SAS strike 2022: What to do if your flight was canceled

SAS strike 2022: What to do if your flight was canceled

By Jaqueline Junginger・Last updated on 18 July 2022

You may have already heard that the pilots of SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) have been on strike. This began on the 4th of July 2022 and has continued so far for nearly two weeks. Without pilots to fly the planes, many flights were canceled, affecting nearly 30,000 passengers a day. As of  14th of July 2022, about 2,550 flights have already been canceled, affecting nearly 270,000 passengers.

If your flight was affected, there may be a chance to get SAS compensation for your canceled flight— up to €600. There’s no need to wait. If you submit your claim now AirHelp will kick off the process of getting you compensation while you enjoy the remainder of your summer.

Why are SAS pilots on strike?

One of the reasons behind the SAS strike is that the pilots are unhappy with the current wages and working conditions at SAS. On top of that, many airline pilots were fired during the height of the pandemic, but instead of rehiring their previous pilots, SAS instead hired new pilots on cheaper deals via SAS Link and SAS Connect, two subsidiaries created back when many of the original pilots were fired. 

The pilot union argued that the subsidiaries were a “form of union-busting and goes against the Scandinavian working model” according to a report by The Local. Instead, the union wants the old pilots rehired instead of having to compete with newer, cheaper pilots hired through the subsidiaries. There were even reports that pilots were willing to take on more hours and reduced wages in order to reach a deal with SAS. 

SAS has also applied for US bankruptcy protection on July 5th, in an effort to slash costs and attract new investors. They are already in discussions to get short and long term funding.

Your right to compensation after a strike cancellation

If your flight was canceled due to an airline staff strike — such as the SAS strike — you are entitled to up to €600 in compensation, depending on the distance of your flight and if you were informed of the strike cancellation less than two weeks before your scheduled departure. 

This is because strikes by airline staff are not considered extraordinary circumstances. As recently as 2021 AirHelp won a landmark case for air passengers at the European Courts of Justice. That case confirmed that airlines are always accountable for their employees’ actions, including strikes. Airlines should always be prepared to minimize delays and cancellations, and they are obligated to pay compensation to their customers when they fail to do that.

If you were one of the thousands of passengers whose summer flight was canceled due to the SAS pilot strike, you should claim compensation. AirHelp is prepared to help passengers get the compensation owed to them, and make it easy to see if you're eligible using our free Compensation Check

Submit your claim soon

As SAS has filed for bankruptcy in the US, it is a good idea to claim compensation as quickly as possible. Bankruptcy is tricky, and passengers may lose their chance to claim compensation, as they often come last in the long list of people and companies that the airline has to pay off. If an airline does go bankrupt and your flight gets canceled, you can read more about what you can do here

But don’t worry about that just yet. If you submit your claim as soon as possible, there is still a great chance for you to be able to get your compensation — and AirHelp is here to help you every step of the way.

Flight delays happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept them. You may be entitled to a much as €600 in compensation. If your flight was delayed, canceled, or overbooked within the last three years.

Header image by Andy H from Pixabay.

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