FlySAS

Donstar

I had flights booked with SAS Airlines from Athens to Aberdeen via Copenhagen in April 2020, these flights were cancelled because of the Covid lockdowns and travel restrictions. I put in a claim with SAS and was informed that I would receive a refund. SAS then went dark, removing every means of contacting them apart from a telephone number which if it was ever answered, you were left on hold for hours. I contacted them on this number in August as I'd still not received my refund, I was informed that the refunds were complicated, and being done by hand so they'd take time to process. Last week I received an email from SAS advising that my refund had been processed, attached was a pdf file showing a refund of £36 on a £160 flight, with no explanation as to how they came up with this derisory figure, and a footnote advising the email address its from is a non reply email address. I contacted my card provider, Mastercard, who advised that they cannot back charge as its passed the 120 days. So it looks like I've been played deliberately by Fly SAS. What are my options now? I don't want to waste any more time trying to contact them. Can I just go straight in with a small claim court case? Is there any group actions against either Fly SAS, or the airline industry that I can join in with? I look forward to hearing your options. 

Caz3121

Donstar said:

these flights were cancelled because of the Covid lockdowns and travel restrictions.

were the flights cancelled by SAS or were you unable to travel but the flights operated?
was this a single or a return flight, had any legs been flown?
Their conditions of carriage state

12.2.1 If you are entitled to a refund in accordance with article 11, the amount of the refund shall be as follows:

(a) If no portion of the Ticket has been used, an amount equal to the fare paid;

(b) If a portion of the Ticket has been used, the refund will be calculated in accordance with applicable laws and will not be less than the difference between the fare paid and the applicable fare for travel between the points for which the Ticket has been used.

Donstar

Flight was a single journey over 2 legs, Athens to Copenhagen, Copenhagen to Aberdeen. Flights were cancelled by SAS and no part of my booking was used. 

Westin

My immediate thought had I think been like Caz3121 that the small amount offered on the refund may have been down to this being the flight segment/s of a return flight. Thank you for clarifying that this not the case. 

If you look at your original purchase confirmation it should tell you the breakdown of the fare.  I can't replicate your exact flight but the below I pulled off the same airline/routing for a date next year.

Carrier SK UEOGHT ATH to ABZ (rules) Passenger type ADT, ONE-WAY-ONLY fare, booking code U Covers ATH-CPH (Economy), CPH-ABZ (Economy) €78.00 Denmark Passenger Service Charge (ZO) €12.76 Carrier-imposed surcharge (YQ) €90.00 Greece Airport Development Charge (GR) €12.00 Greece Passenger Terminal Facilities Charge (WP) €12.69 Greece Passenger Security Charge (WQ) €5.00 Subtotal per passenger €210.45 Number of passengers x1 Subtotal For 1 adult €210.45

This ticket is non-refundable.

Fare Construction (can be useful to travel agents)

ATH SK X/CPH SK ABZ 91.67UEOGHT NUC 91.67 END ROE 0.85086 XT 12.00GR 12.69WP 5.00WQ 12.76ZO 90.00YQ

Total Airfare & Taxes

€210.45

Very roughly it would appear possible they have refunded only the taxes, charges and airport fees. Not sure however why this would be the case on their own.

I can't think why a full refund would not be made or given in one go.  If the email address given on the paperwork does not accept emails, all I can suggest is contract via SAS customer services.  A polite request for a breakdown and reason for the short refund should I hope gain a response back.

sheramber

Have  you tried webchat?
https://www.flysas.com/en/customer-service/contact/

DW190

Donstar said:

I contacted my card provider, Mastercard, who advised that they cannot back charge as its passed the 120 days. . Can I just go straight in with a small claim court case? Is there any group actions against either Fly SAS, or the airline industry that I can join in with? I look forward to hearing your options. 

120 days applies to Debit Cards.  With Credit Cards payments of any amount  (Even a small deposit) for a contract between £100 and £30,000 Credit Card company are jointly and severally liable with the retailer.  If you proceed to sending a letter before claim and small claim, include the Credit Card company as second defendant.

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/section-75-of-the-consumer-credit-act

joncombe

DW190 said:

If you proceed to sending a letter before claim and small claim, include the Credit Card company as second defendant.

I am also trying to get a refund from SAS. They are desperate for people to take a voucher and keep telling me I can have a voucher now whilst a refund will take months. Now they have apologised for the delay and started offering a voucher for more than the cost of the flights, which I suspect is a tactic to try and make me cave in and accept the voucher I want a cash refund (and the law says they are supposed to do within 7 days).

I tried to send a letter before claim to

SAS
1 World Business Centre Heathrow,
Newall Road
London Heathrow Airport
Hounslow
Middlesex
TW6 2RE

I sent it "Signed for" and it was returned as "Sender has gone away"
I am not sure if that means the address is no longer valid (but they are listed on the Royal Mail website as at that postcode too) or if the office is simply empty and there was no one there to sign for it. Or they deliberately returned it, not sure.

So be aware that a letter before claim also seems not to be enough because they have either closed their UK office or there is no one there.

DW190

Better to just get a receipt of posting.  They are then assumed to have received it in the normal course of the post.  If you put you house number and postcode on the back it will come back if they cant deliver.

Westin

DW190 said:

Better to just get a receipt of posting.  They are then assumed to have received it in the normal course of the post.  If you put you house number and postcode on the back it will come back if they cant deliver.

I wouldn't recommend that, or to guess at the address to use.  As with any contract you need to know and understand the party that you are transacting with.  Contracts will also indicate where notices are to be served.  If not served corrected and to the correct party at a valid address they mean diddly. 

For the OP, the following might help as contact points to ask SAS to their calculation of the refund.
https://www.flysas.com/gb-en/customer-service/

natalieandmonkey89

Don't know if this will help. I had a cancelled flight in May 2020 which was refunded about 3 weeks ago. SAS are super hard to get hold of but do reply on Facebook Messenger and can check into refunds (I messaged them and refund was processed next day).

joncombe

natalieandmonkey89 said:

Don't know if this will help. I had a cancelled flight in May 2020 which was refunded about 3 weeks ago. SAS are super hard to get hold of but do reply on Facebook Messenger and can check into refunds (I messaged them and refund was processed next day).

I have got hold of them on the telephone but they just tell me they are working through it in order and they are months behind and that you just have to wait. I was also told, rather rudely that "just because you ring up, you can't jump the queue".