SAS Scandinavian Airlines denied boarding compensation
Compensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation. It does not depend on how late you eventually arrived. If you volunteered your seat in exchange for benefits, the fixed compensation does not apply.
Which SAS Scandinavian Airlines flights are covered
SAS Scandinavian Airlines is registered in Sweden, so it counts as an EU carrier and its flights are covered in both directions.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Arriving in the EU from outside Europe: covered by EU261, because SAS Scandinavian Airlines is an EU carrier.
- Arriving in the UK from outside Europe: covered by UK261, which also protects arrivals on EU carriers.
Worked examples on SAS Scandinavian Airlines routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockholm (ARN) → Copenhagen (CPH) | 547 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Stockholm (ARN) → Oslo (OSL) | 385 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Copenhagen (CPH) → Oslo (OSL) | 517 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Stockholm (ARN) → Paris (CDG) | 1,540 km | EU261 | €400 |
What SAS Scandinavian Airlines is likely to say — and the answer
“You arrived at the gate late” — ask for the recorded gate-closure time.
“You volunteered” — only if you actually agreed to give up the seat in exchange for benefits.
“Operational reasons” or a “change of aircraft” to a smaller one — still denied boarding against your will.
Documentation or safety grounds — legitimate if genuine, but the airline must justify them.
Specific to SAS Scandinavian Airlines
The Airhelp v SAS judgment — which established that a strike by an airline’s own staff is NOT an extraordinary circumstance — was brought against this airline. If SAS rejects your claim because its own pilots or crew were on strike, that case is directly on point and decided against them.
They operate across Sweden, Denmark and Norway with different limitation periods in each. Which country’s courts hear the claim depends on where you departed or arrived.
Scandinavian winter operations produce genuine de-icing and snow delays. A weather rejection in January at Arlanda is more defensible than one in July.
Their claims portal is functional and they will usually give a specific reason rather than a generic one, which makes the reason easier to test.
Time limit: SAS Scandinavian Airlines is based in Sweden, where claims run for 3 years from the date of the flight. How that works
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your SAS Scandinavian Airlines denied boarding appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with SAS Scandinavian Airlines’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines denied boarding: common questions
How much can I claim from SAS Scandinavian Airlines for a denied boarding?
Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of SAS Scandinavian Airlines’s routes.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines offered me vouchers to give up my seat. Should I take them?
That is your choice, but know what you are trading. If you volunteer, you get whatever you agree with the airline instead of the fixed compensation. If you are refused boarding without volunteering, you are entitled to the full fixed amount immediately, plus re-routing or a refund.
What reasons does SAS Scandinavian Airlines give for refusing denied boarding claims?
The most common are: You arrived at the gate late; You volunteered; Operational reasons or a change of aircraft to a smaller one; Documentation or safety grounds. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a SAS Scandinavian Airlines denied boarding claim?
Where SAS Scandinavian Airlines is based, the limit is 3 years. You can usually also claim in the country your flight departed from or arrived in, which may give you longer.
Other SAS Scandinavian Airlines claims
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines: cancellationCompensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c).
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines: denied boardingCompensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation.
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.