SAS SkyTeam codeshare: identify the operating carrier
SAS joined SkyTeam in September 2024, but alliance membership does not decide an EC261 claim. On a codeshare, the airline beside "operated by" normally answers for fixed compensation. An SK code can therefore lead to SAS, Air France, KLM, Delta or another partner. This distinction is especially important on a return from outside Europe, where a European operator can be covered while a non-European operator on the same route may not be.
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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:
Separate three roles before contacting anyone: the marketing carrier shown in the flight number, the airline that issued the ticket, and the company that actually operated or intended to operate the disrupted sector.
Codeshare role table
| Booking fact | Role | Usual relevance |
|---|---|---|
| SK number displayed in search | Marketing carrier | Branding and commercial sale |
| Ticket stock and payment recipient | Ticketing or contracting party | Refund processing and ticket changes |
| "Operated by" airline | Operating carrier | Primary EC261 compensation respondent |
| SkyTeam logo or benefits | Alliance relationship | Connections, status and commercial services, not statutory liability |
| Airline on replacement boarding pass | Rerouting operator | Actual arrival evidence; not necessarily liable for the original cancellation |
Save the original itinerary because a reissued ticket can hide the first operator and flight.
Direction can change EC261 coverage
Any flight leaving an EU or EEA airport is territorially covered by EC261, regardless of whether SAS, Delta or another airline operates it. Other legal conditions still apply. A partner cannot escape scope simply because it is based outside Europe when the flight starts within the protected area.
For a direct flight entering the EU/EEA from a third country, the operator must generally be a qualifying European carrier. A New York-Copenhagen service operated by SAS can fall within EC261. A Delta-operated service on the same direction normally does not become covered just because the ticket also shows SK.
Test each direction and operating flight. Buying a return ticket in Europe, paying in euros or holding EuroBonus status does not extend the regulation to a non-European partner's inbound service.
For United Kingdom journeys, use the SAS UK261 guide because territorial rules and amounts are distinct.
One ticket and final destination
A codeshare itinerary can still form one protected booking. If an Air France-operated flight sold under SK arrives late and causes a missed SAS connection, the final destination on that one ticket can control arrival delay. The fixed claim generally follows the operator of the flight that caused the disruption.
Provide the complete itinerary so the operator can see the protected connection. Do not submit only the first sector when relying on a later final arrival. Conversely, do not combine independently ticketed partner flights simply because both airlines belong to SkyTeam.
Minimum connection time accepted on one ticket is part of the carrier arrangement. The passenger must still follow transfer, security and document instructions without avoidable delay.
Who handles cancellation and rerouting?
The operating carrier normally carries the EC261 duties for its cancelled flight, including the travel choice and care. The ticketing carrier or agent may carry out reissue functions in practice. Record every referral and insist that the passenger is not left moving indefinitely between commercial partners.
When rerouted on a different SkyTeam airline, keep both the cancelled and replacement operator records. Accepting the partner flight does not automatically settle fixed compensation. Notice, replacement timing, distance and cause still need examination.
If the replacement arrives at another airport, retain the onward transfer arrangement. Final arrival may include travel to the original airport or another nearby place agreed with the passenger.
Refunds, upgrades and loyalty benefits
Ticket reimbursement can follow the seller's payment chain even where the operator owes compensation. Ask for a breakdown of fare, taxes and any unused extras. Do not let the ticket issuer treat an operator referral as an answer to a money-back request it controls.
EuroBonus points, SkyTeam status benefits and lounge access are separate from statutory payment. A publicly available award ticket can qualify under EC261. Missing mileage credit or a lost same-cabin seat selection is not calculated using EUR 250-600.
If an SAS Upgrade was confirmed and disruption returned the passenger to the original cabin, examine the upgrade terms and statutory downgrade rules separately. The EuroBonus and upgrade guide maps those remedies.
Baggage on a multi-airline itinerary
Baggage claims arise under the Montreal framework and conditions of carriage, not the EC261 operating-carrier rule alone. Report the missing or damaged bag at the airport, obtain a PIR and preserve tags for every sector. Depending on the carriage structure, contracting and actual carriers can have defined roles.
Do not wait for a delay-compensation answer before meeting the seven-day damage or 21-day delayed-baggage notice period. Expenses for replacement essentials must be necessary, documented and connected to the bag delay.
Build a codeshare evidence sheet
For each sector, write the marketing code, operated-by airline, ticket number, original schedule and actual status. Add the event that broke the itinerary, final door-opening time and every rerouting operator. This one-page map prevents a claim from being sent to a company that only marketed a different sector.
Attach the PDF ticket, boarding passes, airport records and disruption messages. If the operated-by line is absent or contradictory, ask the ticketing and marketing carriers to identify the responsible operator in writing.
The SAS operator guide addresses group entities and wet leasing when the question is not an ordinary codeshare.
Corporate ownership does not replace the test
SAS is a SkyTeam member, and corporate transactions involving airline groups can alter ownership. Neither an alliance nor a shareholder automatically becomes the operating carrier. Use current official corporate information for background, then return to the particular flight contract and operation.
This guide was verified on 26 August 2026. SAS's September 2024 SkyTeam entry is established; any later ownership proposal should be described according to its actual approval and closing status at the time of use.
FAQ
Does an SK number mean SAS operated the flight?
No. SK can be a marketing code, so read the operated-by line on the original ticket and boarding pass.
Is Delta liable for an EU departure sold by SAS?
If Delta actually operated the disrupted EU departure, it is normally the EC261 respondent despite being a non-European airline.
Is a Delta-operated US-to-EU return covered by EC261?
Normally not, because the flight starts outside the protected area and the operator is non-European, even when SK also appears on the booking.
Does rerouting on KLM remove my SAS claim?
No by itself. Identify who operated the original disrupted flight, then test notice, arrival, distance and cause.
Can I complain to SkyTeam for compensation?
SkyTeam is not the operating airline. Direct the statutory claim to the responsible carrier and use alliance channels only for relevant service issues.