Camilla Waldenström's ticket between London and Miami was booked on SAS home page and the bar the airline's logotype. But when she and her family because of the delay, missed connection at New York airport Newark wanted the Scandinavian airline still does not provide help. Reason: it was the SAS partners United flown the route Miami-New York where the delay occurred.
The family turned to the consumer organisation Flightright as now filed a lawsuit against SAS.
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-SAS has designed and sold the trip and thus has a responsibility, "said lawyer Stephan Eriksson at the law firm of Liman and Partners for Flightrights action
The SAS is to a different view:
It is United's responsibility to take care of the family because United caused the delay, says Malin Selander, press officer at SAS.
What sets to it is the airlines ' cooperation within alliances. SAS is part of Star Alliance along with Lufthansa, Thai Airways and United, which means that when you book a ticket with SAS, it may in fact be another airline flying.
The advantage of alliances is that airlines have a much greater range than if they remained outside collaborations, the downside is that it is difficult for the customer to know which company the ticket really applies, and thus also which companies to turn to if something goes wrong.
When Camilla Waldenström booked his trip for just over a year ago she called SAS to make sure that the intermediate time of approximately 1.5 hours in New York was sufficient. SAS representative ensured that this was the case and that the family would be rescheduled to a later plan if they would miss the connection.
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The disappointment was great when SAS personnel in Newark, announce that the company did not take any responsibility for the family. Camilla Waldenström called SAS customer service in Sweden, only to be met with the same answer.
– They said that we had to blame ourselves because we opted for a cheap company United. But we didn't, we booked the via SAS website, says David W.
Malin Selander at SAS:
"We regret, of course, if the family had been badly treated, it may not happen. But the thing had our staff right. The responsibility lies in this case of United that caused the delay, "she said.
And that is precisely the question of liability as Flightright want to try with his lawsuit.
– Since the SAS has planned family trip and sold the tickets where the company's partners United flying leg Miami – Newark, SAS should have the same liability as if they themselves are flown each route, says Stephan Eriksson and continues:
The issue of an airline's responsibility when the company has designed and sold a trip but had a partner to fly part of the trip has not yet been tried on a European level. It is therefore a precedent-setting case that we would like to see the District Court take further to the European Court of justice. If the Court goes on our line will affect all airlines in the EU.
Camilla Waldenström's adventure ended with the family got a hotel overnight stays by United. The day after the American company helped the company to access travel codes in SAS reservation systems so that the tickets went to reschedule. The family landed at the airport a day later than planned.
– Everyone understands that it may be wrong, but as a traveler, you have to know whom to turn to for help, says David W.
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