SAS Canada flight: APPR, EU261 and Montreal claims
An SAS-operated journey between Europe and Canada can engage both EC261 and Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations. EC261 can cover both directions when SAS is the qualifying European operator; APPR applies to flights to, from or within Canada under its own control and safety categories. A passenger must request APPR compensation within one year, SAS must answer that request within 30 days, and the same inconvenience cannot be compensated twice under overlapping regimes.
Free eligibility check
Check your case in the form
Enter your route, date and type of disruption. We will check whether your case qualifies for a claim under EU 261/2004 or UK261.
What happened to your flight?
Claim up to €600 for a delayed or cancelled flight.
Choose the situation that applies to your flight:
Montreal baggage or passenger-delay damages form a third, loss-based claim. Keep the legal bases and amounts in separate sections.
Direction and operator table
| Journey | EC261 | APPR |
|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA to Canada, SAS operated | Normally within scope | Canadian rules can also apply |
| Canada to EU/EEA, SAS operated | Normally within scope because SAS is European | Canadian rules can also apply |
| Canada to EU/EEA, Canadian partner operated | Normally outside EC261 for the direct flight | APPR remains relevant |
| Canada domestic connection on the same itinerary | EC261 connection analysis depends on the whole protected journey and operator | APPR applies according to its rules |
| Separate Canadian domestic ticket | Usually outside EC261 | Assess APPR independently |
An SK marketing code does not turn a Canadian partner into SAS. Preserve the operated-by statement for each flight.
EC261 on SAS-operated Canada services
A protected itinerary over 3,500 km can support EUR 600 per passenger for a qualifying three-hour final arrival delay, short-notice cancellation or involuntary denied boarding. On one booking with a connection, the last affected destination can control arrival and distance.
SAS may reduce the long-distance amount to EUR 300 in qualifying rerouting situations when arrival is no more than four hours late. It can also defeat fixed delay or cancellation compensation by proving extraordinary circumstances and reasonable measures. Refund, rerouting and care remain separate.
The SAS long-haul guide gives the European calculation.
APPR classifies the reason
Canadian rules distinguish disruptions within the carrier's control, within carrier control but required for safety, and outside carrier control. Fixed compensation for inconvenience generally applies to a large carrier when the event is within its control and not required for safety, subject to the detailed conditions.
For a large carrier, the published delay amounts are CAD 400 for arrival three to under six hours late, CAD 700 for six to under nine hours, and CAD 1,000 for nine hours or more. Small-carrier amounts are lower. Verify SAS's applicable classification and the current rule rather than assuming the table from branding alone.
Safety-required events can still produce standards of treatment and rebooking duties without the same fixed amount. Outside-control events have another set of obligations. Request the precise APPR category and factual reason when SAS refuses.
One-year request and 30-day response
SAS's conditions state that an APPR compensation request must be made within one year of the disruption. Once it receives the request, the airline has 30 days to pay or explain why compensation is not owed. Preserve the complete submission and proof of delivery.
These are current Canadian rules, unlike the EU's future nine-month and 30-day procedure adopted in July 2026 but not yet applicable. Do not confuse the two calendars.
If SAS asks for missing information, answer under the same reference. Track the one-year deadline even if an agent or travel seller is involved.
Avoid double recovery
The same disrupted flight can satisfy more than one geographic regime, but passengers cannot collect two fixed awards for the same inconvenience. Present both legal analyses transparently and credit any payment against overlapping relief as required.
A fare refund is different from inconvenience compensation. So are documented care expenses and Montreal damages. The no-double-recovery principle does not mean only one remedy of any kind can ever be paid.
State currency clearly. EC261 amounts are in euros and APPR amounts in Canadian dollars. Do not convert one table into the other or compare headline values without the legal trigger.
Rerouting and refunds
Both systems address cancellation and significant disruption, but their precise choices and time thresholds differ. Record the original itinerary, every replacement offered and whether the passenger travelled. On a covered EC261 cancellation, the choice normally includes reimbursement, earliest rerouting or later travel.
Under APPR, refund and rebooking duties depend on the disruption category and whether the carrier can complete the itinerary within the prescribed framework. Use the current Canadian Transportation Agency guidance for the event date.
If the passenger self-books, preserve SAS contact attempts, available seats and proportionality. A cost claim is stronger when the airline failed to provide a timely required option.
Montreal baggage and actual damages
For delayed, lost or damaged baggage on an international itinerary, obtain a PIR and send the written claim within the relevant period. Damage notice is generally seven days after receipt; delayed-baggage notice is 21 days after delivery. Legal action normally has a two-year limit.
The revised baggage liability ceiling is 1,519 SDR per passenger. It caps proven loss; it is not automatic compensation for every late bag. Keep receipts for necessary replacement items and evidence of value or repair.
Passenger delay damages under Montreal have a revised 6,303 SDR ceiling, again subject to proof and defences. Do not duplicate an expense already reimbursed under another basis.
Claim structure
Create sections headed EC261 compensation, APPR compensation, refund or rerouting, care expenses and Montreal loss. For each, identify the operator, event, timing, amount, currency and evidence. Name every passenger and state any payment already received.
The SAS claim-form guide helps prepare the common facts. Preserve the airline reference and do not let a baggage process delay the one-year APPR request.
Canadian and European sources were checked on 26 August 2026. Always verify current CTA guidance for a later disruption date.
FAQ
Can a Canada-to-Europe SAS flight qualify under EC261?
Yes, when the actual operator is a qualifying European SAS entity and the other EC261 conditions are met.
How long do I have to request APPR compensation?
SAS's conditions state one year from the disruption, with a 30-day airline response after the request is received.
Are APPR amounts always CAD 400, 700 and 1,000?
Those are the published large-carrier delay bands for qualifying controllable events. Verify carrier classification and the exact category.
Can I receive both EUR 600 and CAD 1,000 for the same delay?
Not as duplicate fixed compensation for the same inconvenience. Overlapping entitlements must be coordinated and prior payment disclosed.
Is the 1,519 SDR baggage ceiling automatic money?
No. It is a liability ceiling for proven loss under Montreal, subject to evidence and the Convention's rules.