What you need to know if you are affected by the SAS strike



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When does the strike take place?

The airline and pilots had said they hoped to reach a resolution and avoid a strike.

But after the breakup of the negotiations, the members of the SAS pilot group withdrew on April 26th in the three countries. The group represents almost all (95%) of the airline's pilots in Scandinavia, totaling 1,500 people.

A total of 1,409 pilots left Friday, according to the SAS pilot group, including 372 in Denmark, 545 in Norway and 492 in Sweden. Thefts of ambulances and pilots working mainly in the administration are not part of the strike.

It is unclear how long the strike will last, so passengers on flights booked late April-early May should be informed of developments.

Why are the pilots on strike?

The strike comes after unsuccessful negotiations on a collective agreement between the pilot group and the airline. Salary increases are the main stumbling block, but other problems are related to work schedules and schedules.

The SAS pilot group stated that their salary claims corresponded to the market rate, while one SAS negotiator qualified their claims as "unreasonable and extreme".

IN DEPTH: Why are strikes so rare in Sweden?

How do I know if my flight is affected?

All flights are not canceled or delayed. Flights operated by SAS partners are not affected, but this leaves about 70% of scheduled flights, including most domestic, European and all long-haul flights.

SAS canceled 673 flights on Friday, affecting more than 72,000 passengers. He said that 100,000 additional passengers could be assigned over the weekend.

SAS has published a list of guaranteed flights despite the strike, which you will find here. You can also search for your flight number (which you can find by logging into SAS or by checking your flight confirmation email) to find out the status of your flight.

If your flight has not been guaranteed, it is a good idea to regularly check the SAS website to check the status of your flight. The airline said it was meant to keep customers informed via SMS.

If my flight is affected, what are my options?

SAS has offered a new free reservation to some passengers.

To be able to make a new free reservation, you must fulfill some conditions. Your flight must be with SAS and booked directly with the airline, booked from 26th to 29th April with the reservation made before 24th April. The flight number must begin with 117 and it must be a number that has not been guaranteed (see list above). If you meet these conditions but have booked via a travel agent, you must contact him for a new booking.

If you book again, the flight must take place between May 6 and September 30, 2019. You can read more here.

If you decide not to book again and see how things are going, you will have several options if a strike actually takes place.

Under EU law, you should receive food and beverages, as well as monetary compensation for delays of a certain duration, as well as compensation or a new free reservation if your flight is canceled. But the right of passengers to these benefits depends on the fact that the delay or cancellation is due to "extraordinary circumstances", defined as events that could not have been avoided even if the airline had taken all reasonable measures. Strikes are sometimes considered "extraordinary circumstances".

READ MORE: What are my rights if a flight is canceled or delayed?

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