SAS compensation claim deadline: which limitation period applies?
There is no single current deadline for every SAS passenger claim. EC261 court limitation usually follows the law of the competent country; Canadian APPR requires a compensation request within one year; Montreal baggage rules require written notice within seven days for damage or 21 days for delay and generally allow two years for court action. The EU nine-month filing period adopted in July 2026 is future law, not a deadline already applying on 26 August 2026.
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Submit a complete request promptly even when a longer court period may be available. Time spent in airline correspondence does not automatically stop or extend the limitation clock.
Deadline map
| Type of SAS claim | Current timing question | Main warning |
|---|---|---|
| EC261 delay, cancellation or denied boarding | Which national law governs court limitation? | Do not assume the departure country always supplies the answer |
| Canadian APPR compensation | Request within one year of the disruption | SAS conditions state a 30-day response structure for this regime |
| Damaged checked baggage | Written complaint within seven days after receipt | A PIR at the airport may not replace the later written claim |
| Delayed checked baggage | Written complaint within 21 days after delivery | Claim actual proven loss, not EC261 distance amounts |
| Montreal court action | Generally within two years | Starting and ending points follow the Convention's calculation rule |
| Future revised EU process | Nine months to file; airline response within 30 days | Not yet applicable on the review date |
Ticket refunds and contractual service disputes can have additional time rules. Identify the remedy before calculating anything.
EC261 leaves limitation largely to national law
Regulation 261/2004 establishes passenger rights but does not currently impose one EU-wide court limitation period for compensation actions. The competent national system therefore matters. Jurisdiction, applicable law and procedural limitation are related questions, but they are not always answered solely by the airport where the journey began.
Relevant connections can include the places of departure and arrival, the operating carrier's establishment, contractual jurisdiction and consumer rules. Connecting itineraries, codeshare operation and assignment to a claims company can add complexity. Obtain jurisdiction-specific advice when a claim is old or close to expiry instead of relying on a generic number found online.
An SAS acknowledgement or ongoing investigation may affect time only if the governing law gives it that effect. Do not assume that a case reference suspends limitation. Put the potential court date in the claim file from the beginning.
The future EU nine-month period
The EU reform received final Council clearance on 13 July 2026. It includes a passenger filing period of nine months and an airline response period of 30 days. The adopted text also provides for later entry into force and application rather than immediate operation on the press-release date.
As at 26 August 2026, do not reject an otherwise timely current-law claim merely because more than nine months have passed. Equally, do not wait nine months on the assumption that every existing national period is longer. Verify publication, application date and transitional rules when making any later request.
The SAS claim-status guide explains why the future 30-day rule must not be presented as a present promise for every European case.
Canadian APPR uses a defined request period
SAS's current conditions state that a passenger seeking compensation under Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations must make the request within one year after the disruption. The airline then has 30 days to pay or explain why compensation is not owed.
APPR coverage and classification still require analysis. The event may be within carrier control, within carrier control but required for safety, or outside carrier control. A transatlantic itinerary can also engage EC261, but overlapping regimes do not permit double recovery for the same inconvenience.
Preserve proof of delivery before the one-year point. A draft, unsent email or agent dashboard without evidence of transmission is not enough. The SAS Canada guide compares APPR, EC261 and Montreal remedies.
Baggage deadlines are short and separate
A passenger should report missing or damaged baggage at the airport and obtain a Property Irregularity Report. That record is important, but the Montreal Convention and carrier conditions also require a written complaint within the relevant period.
For visible or discovered damage, send the complaint no later than seven days after receiving the bag. For delayed baggage, submit the written demand no later than 21 days after the bag is delivered. Retain the PIR, baggage tag, photographs, repair assessment, delivery date and receipts for necessary replacement items.
Legal action under the Montreal Convention is generally extinguished if not brought within two years, calculated from the date the aircraft arrived, ought to have arrived, or carriage stopped. National procedural details still matter. The SAS baggage guide provides the complete evidence sequence and current 1,519 SDR liability ceiling.
Codeshare and entity mistakes consume time
Sending a claim to SAS because the ticket carries SK can waste a significant part of the limitation period when another airline operated the flight. Read the original operated-by line and redirect promptly if the response identifies a genuine partner operator. Keep the first submission because it may evidence diligence, but do not assume delivery to the wrong company preserves the claim.
SAS Connect, SAS Link and the SAS consortium should be identified precisely. For an old claim affected by the 2024 restructuring, date and debtor become especially important. The ordinary online form may not resolve whether a legacy claim was treated in a restructuring plan.
Practical deadline protocol
Create a calendar with the flight date, baggage delivery date if relevant, first airline submission, promised response date and earliest plausible external deadline. Work from the shortest credible period until the governing law is confirmed.
Send an organised request well before expiry. Include the complete itinerary, operator, event, final timing, passenger names and remedy. Preserve the confirmation and any authority given to a representative. If no answer arrives, send a reasoned reminder and move to the competent route without waiting indefinitely.
Do not let settlement discussions, a voucher offer or an agent's internal status replace limitation analysis. A payment for one passenger or remedy may leave other claims running on their own clocks.
This page was legally reviewed on 26 August 2026 and deliberately distinguishes current procedures from the adopted rules that will apply later.
FAQ
Is the SAS EC261 deadline always three years?
No. Current court limitation depends on the competent national law, and a single number should not be applied to every route or forum.
Does submitting the SAS form stop limitation?
Not automatically. The effect of a claim or acknowledgement depends on the governing law, so preserve external deadlines independently.
Is the EU nine-month filing period already active?
No, not on 26 August 2026. It belongs to the adopted reform and must be applied only after the relevant legal start date.
How long do I have for an APPR request?
SAS's conditions state that a Canadian APPR compensation request must be made within one year after the disruption.
Is a baggage PIR enough to meet the deadline?
Do not rely on it alone. Send the written damage or delay complaint within the applicable seven-day or 21-day period as well.