salut0

SAS cancelled our flight from Stockholm to London. Will they rebook on the BA flight leaving around the same time as the one they cancelled?

For comparison, BA have provided all sorts of options for rebooking on partners outside their own alliance when they cancel their flights; see this thread:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...ympic-aer.html

Would much prefer that than the option they’ve moved us to which is later, or the previous flight which is many hours earlier and leaves us with less time in Stockholm than we wanted.

Also, is there a quicker way to do this than calling their phone line? Wait time is 116 minutes!

Tomas E

I think it is "possibly" to the BA rebooking and unfortunately "no" to a quicker way than waiting for the long telephone queue.

JR67

I got a ticket rebooked on Emirates, so they definitely go off alliance. But it is a phone call that is required. Be friendly and they will do backflips to help you - right now most of the callers are pissed off so they really appreciate a friendly voice...

FlyingMoose

It is very likely that you'll just get rebooked on BA. SAS has rebooked on various non Star Alliance airlines. I know of people getting rebooked onto FI, KL, AF, VS and GF.

sydunipete

During a previous strike I was rebooked on BA and AZ.

salut0

So the BA 6pm flight ARN-LHR is zeroed out — first, do you know if that’s just to protect space or actually because it’s sold out? Wonder if airlines can see different inventory?

Alternatively, I wonder if SK would rebook on AY via HEL? Would prefer it because it’s closer to the original arrival time in London and doesn’t involve a much earlier departure from ARN.

That looks wide open but there’s a bit of a tight connection. Any experience with what might happen if AY ARN-HEL is late? Looks like there isn’t another HEL-LHR flight that night on AY or another airline so I wonder if they’d hold the plane for connecting passengers especially since the plane makes a night stop in LHR anyway and just needs to arrive before LHR curfew.

BA 781 ARN 6:00p → LHR 7:45p
J0 C0 D0 R0 I0 Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 N0 O0 Q0 S0 G0

compare to:

AY 814 ARN 4:55p → HEL 6:55p
J9 C8 D0 R0 I0 U0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M7 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 Z0 G0 X0

AY 1339 HEL 7:30p → LHR 8:40p
J9 C8 D0 R0 I0 U0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M7 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 Z0 G0 X0

Harper50505

ARN-HEL-LHR means you will have to clear the border at HEL. If you have an EU passport you should be fine, if not, the staffed control at HEL can be VERY slow and I often think I don't envy the people standing in it. A friend who has a UK passport and now can't use the e-gates says of all the EU entry points he now has to use, HEL is by far the worst both in and out.

salut0

After waiting 1h30mins on hold I've been speaking to an SAS agent who says they cannot book on other airlines' flights while they have space on their own flights. Is there a way to unblock this issue and convince them to do it? Such a waste of time on the phone and such bad customer service...

orbitmic

unfortunately, in terms of regulatory obligations, they are absolutely right: you are only entitled to being rebooked on other airlines if the airline cancelling your flight has no option to offer you on the same day (and even then, they can choose which alternative airlines they are willing to offer). You can of course also cancel for a full refund, but I don’t see them giving in on what you want since they don’t have to.

salut0

Thanks for letting me know.