Can I get a refund after the SAS pilot strike ruined my Copenhagen trip?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

Today’s reader was meant to fly to the Danish capital (iStock)

Q We booked a weekend in Copenhagen, flying from Manchester on Friday with SAS and back on Monday on easyJet. But SAS pilots went on strike and our flight was cancelled shortly before 7am on Friday. We were advised not proceed to the airport and instead to wait for a rebooking by text message.

We were offered a flight on Sunday via Heathrow which involved six hours for the connection and arrived shortly before midnight on the day before we were due to come back.

Please advise what are my options. Can I claim a refund for the hotel and the return flight with easyJet?

Jann C

A The SAS strike disrupted the plans of tens of thousands of passengers. But there was no excuse for the airline to book you on a flight that arrived more than 48 hours behind your intended schedule. On Friday, Finnair and British Airways had availability via Helsinki and Heathrow respectively on flights which would have required you to stay overnight at the connecting airport but would still have got you to Copenhagen by lunchtime on Saturday, in time for you to enjoy the weekend.

The fact that SAS chose not to meet its obligations under the European air passengers’ rights rules means that you can probably claim for the hotel and easyJet flight that you lost.

If the claim is refused, I advise you to press the case legally because I cannot see a reasonable defence of the airline’s behaviour.

In addition, you may be able to claim €250 (£215) in cash compensation, but legal precedents are cloudy.

Next time, bear in mind that booking with different airlines exposes you to the risk that you might not get to your destination. Buying both outward and return sectors with the same carrier means you that if the first flight is cancelled, you can automatically claim the second back.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder