SAS Strike June 2022?

[hallasm]

7 hours ago, AdventureKenandCar said:

What would you do in a situation like mine?

It migh be that SAS has included som LH or UA codeshare flights - try to see epwhat is available. 

[hallasm]

8 hours ago, AdventureKenandCar said:

Now that this situation seems to be coming into light, I have more questions (sorry to put you on the spot.)

1. How worried are you about this current strike situation?

2. What did SAS do to reroute you with other Star Alliance partners?  How were you notified?  What did you have to do?

3. What would you do in a situation like mine?

It does not look positive and we do not know anything for sure until Wednesday 29 June.  

SAS will do everything possible to rebook - if not, compensation must be paid in accordance with the EU 261 the rules - see post #17. 

My personal experience with tickets booked directly with SAS is that I have been rebookek with Star Alliance partners in case of cancellations and made it to my final destination- often with two to four hours delay, a few times the following day.

I either went to the airport or called SAS - in many situations received an e-mail/SMS with changes.

Check for available flights day before/after - if no alternatives for rebooking on flysas.com to a  reasonable price with code share partners I would contact SAS on Wednesday.  
But the situation is not that positive.

[CruiserBruce]

15 hours ago, AdventureKenandCar said:

I received this email today for my flights on Friday, July 1:

 

Dear Traveler,
The pilots' unions in Denmark, Norway and Sweden have given their notice of a potential strike with earliest possible start Wednesday June 29th.
Mediation is ongoing and we all strive to find a solution to avoid a strike.
If strike will be initiated your trip might be affected.
As a precaution we therefore offer you a rebooking option free of charge.
If you want to rebook you trip you can do this via “My bookings” https://flysas.com/managemybooking
If you have made your booking through a travel agency please contact them for further assistance.
We truly apologize for the inconvenience this will cause you.
Best regards,
SAS

 

I'd like to rebook on a different Star Alliance airline, but I don't know how.  Any suggestions? When they say "rebooking free of charge" is it for the same dates on a different airline?

I would be calling them and getting switched now, before the mad rush. I would be, as mentioned before, maybe connecting through Toronto on Air Canada. A day or two earlier, if possible. 

[netteseth]

If SAS advises that the pilot strike is "settled", do the pilots still have the right to strike AFTER 29 June given that they provided SAS the required the advanced strike notice or do they have to re-advise intent to strike and a new 14 day clock starts running ? The concern here is that since they provided notice, outbound flights may leave but return flights cancelled if the pilots strike anyway prior to your return trip. 

[hallasm]

1 hour ago, netteseth said:

If SAS advises that the pilot strike is "settled", do the pilots still have the right to strike AFTER 29

There are currently three options.
 (i) The strike can start from June 29, (ii) the pilots and SAS before June 29 agree on new working agreements.  (iii) or the conciliator chooses to postpone the strike for up to two times 14 days. Postponing is a very likely option.
Personally, I would rather end a holiday with a strike than at the beginning.  Airlines are more motivated to help on the return journey as they have to pay for accommodation and meals in addition to compensation for delays according to the EU 261 charter.

[netteseth]

If there is a strike postponement, does that mean that a strike can still happen within the14 days after June 29? or can customers be assured that there will be no strike in the 14 days after June 29? 

[hallasm]

25 minutes ago, netteseth said:

If there is a strike postponement, does that mean that a strike can still happen within the14 days after June 29? or can customers be assured that there will be no strike in the 14 days after June 29? 

If the strike is postponed 14 days the earliest day of strike is Wednesday July 13. 
There is  absolutely no news from the negotiations, which can be a good sign - initially a postponement for two weeks.

[lionheart]

3 hours ago, hallasm said:

There are currently three options.
 (i) The strike can start from June 29, (ii) the pilots and SAS before June 29 agree on new working agreements.  (iii) or the conciliator chooses to postpone the strike for up to two times 14 days. Postponing is a very likely option.
Personally, I would rather end a holiday with a strike than at the beginning.  Airlines are more motivated to help on the return journey as they have to pay for accommodation and meals in addition to compensation for delays according to the EU 261 charter.

Ok it’s tough as SAS is the only direct flight from Newark area 

all other flights are layovers and get late into Sweden 

debating on canceling flight and booking with another airline 

[AdventureKenandCar]

40 minutes ago, lionheart said:

Ok it’s tough as SAS is the only direct flight from Newark area 

all other flights are layovers and get late into Sweden 

debating on canceling flight and booking with another airline 

Have you checked the rates for booking another airline, especially at such late notice?  Rates are sky-high (no pun intended.)

[lionheart]

5 minutes ago, AdventureKenandCar said:

Have you checked the rates for booking another airline, especially at such late notice?  Rates are sky-high (no pun intended.)

I know so 

wait and hope SAS strike resolve and if doesn’t than I have to scramble to find a flight 

or book a more stable airline 

not easy decide 

[netteseth]

To Hallasm....thanks for the information! Even if there's a postponement and any strike is delayed 14 days, there would still seem to be a risk as I think SAS pilots have engaged in at least one wildcat (unannounced) strike in the past, stranding thousands. . 

[hallasm]

44 minutes ago, netteseth said:

…there would still seem to be a risk as I think SAS pilots have engaged in at least one wildcat (unannounced) strike in the past, stranding thousands.

yes, it has happened,  but not in connection with an announced strike.

[hallasm]

2 hours ago, lionheart said:

SAS is the only direct flight from Newark area 

all other flights are layovers and get late into Sweden 

 

1 hour ago, AdventureKenandCar said:

Have you checked the rates for booking another airline, especially at such late notice?  Rates are sky-high

 

You might want to check availability and prices for Icelandair. I know it’s not non-stop but the stop in Keflavik (KEF) is relatively short and airport not that big. Very efficient.

Flights will arrive to ARN or CPH just after noon.
Might even be an advantage with the short break.

[lionheart]

4 hours ago, hallasm said:

 

 

You might want to check availability and prices for Icelandair. I know it’s not non-stop but the stop in Keflavik (KEF) is relatively short and airport not that big. Very efficient.

Flights will arrive to ARN or CPH just after noon.
Might even be an advantage with the short break.

Thank you I will take a look 

 

I hate to cancel SAS flight which was good time and price but looking at backups 

[Neska]

On 6/17/2022 at 3:24 PM, hallasm said:

 

I have booked SAS myself - if a strike SAS will rebook you on alternative flights. 
How/where have you purchased your ticket? I do not know if it’s mattes but I have always bought my tickets direct with SAS and I have newer been left behind.

I have mainly flown SAS for 45 years at work and in private and I have never been worried when a strike was announced - and this is not the first SAS strike.  In all cases where there have been irregularities in operations, technical, weather or strike, SAS has rerouted me with other Star Alliance partners or SAS flights that were not covered by the strike - however some times a day late or maybe the day before. 
Technically SAS consists of three separate companies: SAS, SAS Select and SAS Direct - the latter two has not announced strike. And we do not know yet if there will be a strike - personally I believe that the current disagreement will be solved or the strike will be exposed.

I’m following the situation closely. 

Hello,

I have a flight that shows SAS connect. Is there a greater chance that this flight will go? LHR-ARN July 1st SAS Plus smart. Thank you very much for any help with your experience!

Neska

[hallasm]

33 minutes ago, Neska said:

I have a flight that shows SAS connect. Is there a greater chance that this flight will go?

yes, SAS Connect pilots do not strike so your July 1st flight is not affected by the strike.  
Unfortunately, the mechanics have witnessed a sympathy strike from 5th July - it will affect SAS Connect as it is the same mechanics who also service these aircraft - SAS link wil not be affected.  Also not aircraft operated by wetlease.

[Neska]

1 hour ago, hallasm said:

yes, SAS Connect pilots do not strike so your July 1st flight is not affected by the strike.  
Unfortunately, the mechanics have witnessed a sympathy strike from 5th July - it will affect SAS Connect as it is the same mechanics who also service these aircraft - SAS link wil not be affected.  Also not aircraft operated by wetlease.

Thank you so much for putting my mind at ease!! I really appreciate the help so much 🙂 so until July 5, the mechanics will be working? Their strike starts July 5?

[hallasm]

13 minutes ago, Neska said:

until July 5, the mechanics will be working? Their strike starts July 5?

yes, if the conflict is not resolved or start of strike postponed 14 days.

[lionheart]

1 minute ago, hallasm said:

yes, if the conflict is not resolved or start of strike postponed 14 days.

What I read and the restructure / the strike would be worse than settling the strike 

peak season 

SAS makes the money on the international flights not the local ones 

[hallasm]

15 minutes ago, lionheart said:

What I read and the restructure / the strike would be worse than settling the strike 

peak season 

In the long run, restructuring is necessary - if the necessary restructuring does not take place now, there will most likely not be a SAS in six months.  Wages and working conditions for SAS Scandinavian are a ‘relic of the past’.  
For SAS Connect and SAS Link, personnel are employed on market terms similar to other airlines.

[lionheart]

3 minutes ago, hallasm said:

In the long run, restructuring is necessary - if the necessary restructuring does not take place now, there will most likely not be a SAS in six months.  Wages and working conditions for SAS Scandinavian are a ‘relic of the past’.  
For SAS Connect and SAS Link, personnel are employed on market terms similar to other airlines.

Does not sound like the pilots will settle 

so the company goes under or someone folds 

 

[bobs1016]

I have a simple question, does the strike begin tue night into wed, or wed night into thu?

 

 

[bobs1016]

2 minutes ago, bobs1016 said:

I have a simple question, does the strike begin tue night into wed, or wed night into thu?

 

 

I am on a flight for 3 July from EWR-OSL and return 17 July. We are on a cruise and booked through the cruise line Hurtigruten. I spoke with Hurtigruten and they said they will take care of rebooking if needed. I also tried to call SAS here in the USA and their call waits were over 80 minutes.

[AdventureKenandCar]

8 minutes ago, bobs1016 said:

I have a simple question, does the strike begin tue night into wed, or wed night into thu?

 

 

I was wondering the same thing - IF they strike, will the strike begin at midnight on Wednesday morning?  And if so, I'd assume it's Central European Summer Time (CET), which is 7 hours ahead of Central Daylight Time Zone (mine) in United States.  Would the strike begin at 5:00pm CDT on Tuesday?  Is THAT when I should start calling SAS?

 

We are scheduled to fly from ORD to ARN on July 1, boarding a Royal Caribbean cruise from Stockholm on July 3.  Return flight is ARN - CPH - ORD on July 11.

Edited June 27, 2022 by AdventureKenandCar

[hallasm]

1 hour ago, bobs1016 said:

I have a simple question, does the strike begin tue night into wed, or wed night into thu?

Wednesday morning (technically from midnight).

1 hour ago, AdventureKenandCar said:

IF they strike, will the strike begin at midnight on Wednesday morning?

first SAS flight which may be affected from EWR will be Wednesday June 29 afternoon.

 

Negotiations are currently underway in the conciliation institution in Stockholm - I will update here when there is news.