I recently had a confusing experience on SAS flight SK950 from Toronto to Copenhagen with a connection onward to Oslo.
At the gate, I was denied boarding and initially told it was because the aircraft might need to make an emergency landing in the United States, where I would not be admissible. This explanation didn't make sense to me since my itinerary was entirely within Canada and Europe, and I held all the necessary travel documents for Denmark and Norway.
After further discussions with airport staff, the real reason eventually became clear. My boarding pass had first been marked with an "S" and later upgraded to a "4S," indicating that additional security screening was required. However, the staff member responsible for conducting that screening was not available, and the process could not be completed before departure.
According to airport personnel, the additional screening was selected randomly and was related to requirements for flights operating through U.S. airspace. Because the screening could not be completed in time, I was ultimately denied boarding.
The original explanation about a potential emergency landing in the U.S. was incorrect. I later received written confirmation of the actual reason for the denial, along with a full refund and compensation of at least CAD $500.
While the situation was eventually resolved, the conflicting explanations and lack of clarity at the airport made the experience far more frustrating than it needed to be
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