The SAS strike lasted 15 days and was called off on 18 July. During the strike, over 3,700 flights were canceled and around 380,000 passengers were affected. Customers are entitled to get their money back within seven days of a cancellation. The Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority supervises that this is done. Quick repayment important The Norwegian Aviation Authority has received several inquiries from SAS passengers. They are calling for a refund of the ticket price after cancellations as a result of the strike, says the letter to SAS that news has seen. The inquiries, plus several media reports about hundreds of complaints and statements from the Consumer Council indicate that SAS is having problems meeting the time requirements in the regulations for the payment of refunds, the inspectorate informs. The requirements in the regulations set clear deadlines for payment of refunds for ticket prices after canceled flights. – No extended deadline has been set in the event of extraordinary circumstances such as a prolonged strike or a pandemic. This is according to Nina B. Vindvik, legal director of the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority. The Authority understands that the large amount of repayment claims has meant that SAS has not been able to fully meet the time requirement. But they stress in the letter to the company the importance of quick handling of the passengers’ refund claims. And that it is important that the company puts in extra resources to comply with the requirement of seven days. Asking SAS to explain measures quickly SAS is now being asked to explain the status of reimbursement claims after the strike. The authority wants answers to: How many reimbursement claims the company has for processing Total size of the claims When the company assumes that the claims will be effected. In addition, in the letter, the supervisory authority asks SAS to explain what measures they have put in place to ensure that the reimbursement payments take place as quickly as possible, and in line with the rules. – We expect the company to do what is in their power to ensure that the rights of the passengers are safeguarded and that payments are made without undue delay, writes Vindvik. During the pandemic, SAS was fined one million kroner by the supervisory authority for not having made enough refunds within the deadline. Is it relevant to impose compulsory fines against SAS again, as they received after late repayments during the pandemic? – When we receive the response from the company, we will consider this carefully. A fine is a strict measure which we will consider if the seriousness of the infringement warrants it. Legal director of the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, Nina B. Vindvik, tells news SAS that the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority has been asked to answer the questions as soon as possible, and by 15 August. Significant number of cases SAS has received a significant number of cases since around 380,000 passengers were affected by the strike, says Knut-Morgen Johansen, director of public relations at SAS. SAS will respond to the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority by the deadline of 15 August, says Johansen. Photo: Astri Husø / news Some have had large outlays after being SAS employees during the strike. He hopes there is an understanding that no organization is normally equipped to handle this within ordinary standards in the middle of summer. But in ordinary reimbursement cases where a 7-day deadline applies, you should not be too far from delivering on that claim, i.a. with the help of robots, he explains. People wait longer than seven days But on SAS’s Facebook page you can read about people who have waited several weeks for a refund. An example: “SMS from SAS on 6 July says that repayment of money should take place within 7 days. This is a lie. No money has arrived. We bought the most expensive ticket. Sas plus pro. Now SAS must do something.” To that Johansen replies: – We cannot possibly comment on individual cases, but use the contact forms on the website is good advice for the fastest processing. Many people struggle to get in touch with SAS both by phone, get an answer on their Facebook page or e-mail. news has asked why people do not get answers. SAS has not responded to this. Trebling of employees When it comes to compensation claims, Johansen points out that many of them are very complex and include a number of elements that come both within and outside of what a company is responsible for. – However, we can say with certainty that we shall fulfill the passengers’ rights, and that everyone who is entitled to receive money shall receive it, he writes in an e-mail to news. SAS has taken a number of measures. This involves, among other things, a tripling of employees to handle the complex case management. And employees have had their holidays postponed or interrupted, says Johansen. The Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority does not go into what specific measures SAS must take to reach the target according to the deadlines. But Vindvik has clear expectations. – We expect the company to do what is in their power to ensure that the rights of the passengers are safeguarded and that the payments are made without undue delay. Will respond to the Norwegian Aviation Authority by the deadline When news asks SAS about how many refund claims they have received and how many they have processed so far, Johansen writes that he does not have an answer to this now. But he adds that this information will be included in the response to the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority by the deadline of 15 August. And SAS will have ongoing updates and dialogue both with the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority and consumer authorities in the future.
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The SAS passengers must get their money back quickly – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
