SAS compensation claim status and response delays
Track an SAS compensation claim through its original reference, preserve every submission and response, and send a documented reminder when there is no substantive progress. There is no universal current 30-day response rule for every SAS EC261 claim. Canadian APPR has a 30-day airline response requirement, while the EU reform containing a future 30-day rule was adopted in July 2026 but is not yet applicable on 26 August 2026.
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:
Status management should protect the claim rather than multiply it. Repeated new forms can fragment attachments, create conflicting passenger lists and make it harder to prove when SAS first received a complete request.
Build a status record
| Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Submission date and channel | Shows when the request reached SAS |
| Complete claim text | Prevents disagreement about the facts and remedies stated |
| Attachment inventory | Shows which evidence SAS received |
| Confirmation and case reference | Links all later contact to one file |
| SAS acknowledgements and questions | Reveals whether more information is genuinely needed |
| Payments or vouchers | Allows passenger count and scope to be checked |
| Limitation calendar | Prevents waiting from extinguishing external remedies |
Store the original files, not only screenshots inside an email thread. Note each contact date and the name or channel used.
What counts as meaningful progress?
An automated acknowledgement confirms receipt but does not decide entitlement. A request for a missing ticket number can be reasonable, while repeated demands for documents already supplied should be answered by pointing to the original attachment and resending it once under the same reference.
A substantive response should address the route, event and remedy. If SAS says the flight was outside EC261 or invokes extraordinary circumstances, the case has moved from status tracking to legal disagreement. Use the rejected-claim guide rather than sending a generic status request.
Partial payment also needs examination. Match the transfer to each passenger and head of claim. EUR 400 sent for one traveller does not necessarily resolve a second passenger, hotel receipts or an unused ticket.
There is no single SAS waiting period
The applicable framework matters. SAS's conditions state that a Canadian APPR compensation request must be made within one year and that the airline responds within 30 days. That rule belongs to APPR; it should not be copied onto every European flight.
EC261 currently leaves court limitation periods largely to national law. Airline correspondence does not necessarily suspend those deadlines. A passenger should identify the competent jurisdiction early instead of assuming that an open case preserves rights indefinitely.
The EU reform adopted in July 2026 introduces a future nine-month filing period and a 30-day response structure. It becomes operative only according to its publication and application provisions. Until then, describe it as forthcoming, not as a current promise SAS has already breached.
Montreal baggage claims use yet another timetable: written notice within seven days for damage or 21 days for delay, followed by a two-year period for legal action. A baggage reference must not be tracked as if it were an EC261 case.
When to send a reminder
A useful reminder quotes the reference, original submission date, flight, passengers and remedies. It states whether SAS acknowledged the request, answers any outstanding question and asks for a reasoned decision. Attach the prior confirmation rather than recreating the case from memory.
Choose a proportionate interval based on the channel, any stated processing expectation and the approaching legal deadline. Daily messages rarely improve a file. A single clear follow-up followed by the correct external route is more effective when the airline remains silent.
If a claim was submitted through an agent, determine who controls communication. The passenger should still retain the airline reference and full evidence. Do not rely solely on a dashboard that hides the text sent to SAS.
Avoid duplicate claims
Submitting the same passengers through SAS, a claims company and an OTA can create authority conflicts. Before appointing a representative, read the mandate, fee and termination terms. Tell SAS if representation changes and preserve proof.
If a duplicate already exists, ask SAS to identify the active reference and link the documents. Do not withdraw a valid case until the consequences are understood. A payment sent under one reference may be credited against another, so keep a single reconciliation table.
The SAS claim-form checklist helps create one complete record from the outset.
Escalate according to function
An enforcement body can investigate compliance but may not always recover money for the individual. ADR can offer a dispute-resolution route under national eligibility rules, and a court can issue an enforceable judgment. The departure country, operating carrier, consumer residence and contract can affect the available route.
SAS's conditions identify complaint bodies in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, among others. UK flights can involve UK procedures; Canadian claims follow the Canadian Transportation Agency framework. Do not send the same unresolved request to every institution without checking competence.
Escalation should include the complete airline case, not merely a complaint that the dashboard has not changed. Provide the original request, acknowledgement, reminder, any refusal and the deadline analysis. The SAS ADR and court guide maps the main destinations.
Watch payment details and fraud
SAS may need bank information to transfer compensation, but verify that requests arrive through a genuine channel linked to the case. Do not send passwords, full card credentials or unnecessary identity records. If account details change, confirm the update securely.
When payment arrives, record currency, exchange rate, bank fee and sender reference. Ask for a breakdown if the amount does not match the number of passengers or if a voucher appears instead of money. Do not mark the case complete until every accepted remedy is reconciled.
This procedure was reviewed on 26 August 2026. It deliberately distinguishes today's rules from the EU filing and response system that will apply only in the future.
FAQ
Does SAS currently have 30 days to answer every EC261 claim?
No universal current EC261 rule says that. APPR has its own 30-day requirement, and the adopted EU 30-day provision is not yet applicable.
Should I resubmit if the status has not changed?
Usually send a reminder under the existing reference with the confirmation and outstanding question instead of opening a duplicate case.
Does an acknowledgement stop the limitation period?
Not necessarily. Suspension or interruption depends on the applicable national law, so calculate external deadlines independently.
What if SAS paid only one passenger?
Compare the transfer with the complete request and ask for a breakdown, identifying the unpaid passenger and any unresolved remedies.
Can I track a baggage claim as an EU261 claim?
No. Baggage uses different SAS channels and Montreal deadlines, even when the bag problem followed a delayed flight.