SAS Flight SK916 Turns Back Over Atlantic: Passengers Stranded at Newark
SAS Flight SK916 diverted to Newark after a possible technical fault mid-Atlantic, leaving more than 100 passengers stranded overnight without luggage or clear information.
By The Aviation Hub
4 min read
SAS Flight SK916 turned back over the Atlantic on Friday 23 October 2026 and diverted to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) after the crew identified a possible technical fault, leaving more than 100 passengers stranded overnight without their checked luggage or any clear path home.
The flight had departed John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) 29 minutes late, at 7:24 PM local time, bound for Copenhagen Airport (CPH). It was scheduled to arrive in Denmark at 8:40 AM on Saturday morning. Instead, it landed at Newark at 10:58 PM after three hours and 34 minutes in the air, according to Aviation A2Z.
What Happened on SAS Flight SK916
Around two hours after departure, passenger Michael Flarup, who was travelling home to Copenhagen with his son, noticed on the in-flight map that the aircraft appeared to be heading in the wrong direction. Cabin crew told passengers the captain would make an announcement, and the announcement confirmed a possible technical problem. The crew did not consider it appropriate to continue the transatlantic crossing, Aviation A2Z reports.
The Airbus A330-300, registered LN-RKR, landed at Newark with fire trucks and ambulances waiting on the runway. SAS confirmed to Danish broadcaster TV 2 that the diversion was due to a possible technical fault, though the airline did not disclose the precise nature of the suspected problem.
The Scene at Newark After Landing
After touching down at Newark, passengers waited approximately an hour at baggage claim before being told that their checked luggage could not be removed from the aircraft. SAS then gave passengers a QR code to report missing bags, but Aviation A2Z reports that the reporting system rejected submissions because passengers had not reached their original destination.
Passengers were told to expect new flight information within a couple of hours. According to Flarup, several hours passed without any meaningful update, and his booking eventually disappeared from the SAS mobile app entirely.
Hotels After Midnight and No Luggage
By the time SAS communicated accommodation arrangements, it was past midnight. The airline emailed affected passengers asking them to arrange their own hotels and offered reimbursement of up to €250 (approximately $280) per room, according to Aviation A2Z.
Flarup said he managed to secure one of the last available hotel rooms in the area. He reported that many passengers were still at Newark when he and his son left. Multiple calls to SAS support failed to establish where the family's two suitcases were or how to formally register them as missing.
Flarup summed up the situation on X: "Safety comes first. But the handling of hundreds of stranded passengers afterwards really needs to be better. People need clear information and a way to get home, especially in the middle of the night."
What SAS Did Next
Flight-tracking data cited by Aviation A2Z shows that LN-RKR subsequently flew to Copenhagen the following day as Flight SK910, indicating the aircraft operated another service after the incident. A separate Danish report published on 24 October said SAS planned to rebook affected passengers on the next available flights to Copenhagen, though it did not establish when every passenger would reach the Danish capital.
The available information does not explain why the crew selected Newark rather than returning to JFK.
You can find further details on SAS and its fleet using our Airline Search tool.
What Passengers May Be Owed Under EU261
The incident raises clear questions about passenger rights. EU Regulation 261/2004, commonly known as EU261, can apply to flights arriving in the European Union from a non-EU country when an EU carrier operates the service. SAS is an EU carrier operating into Copenhagen, which places this flight within the scope of that regulation, according to Aviation A2Z.
Under the regulation's right-to-care provisions, airlines must provide hotel accommodation when an overnight stay becomes necessary, transport between the airport and the hotel, and meals and refreshments in reasonable proportion to the waiting time. These obligations apply regardless of whether fixed financial compensation is also owed.
Asking passengers to arrange their own accommodation and capping reimbursement at €250 per room, without providing direct assistance at the airport, may not satisfy those requirements. Passengers who paid necessary and reasonable expenses out of pocket should retain all receipts and may seek reimbursement beyond any cap the airline has set, the Aviation A2Z report notes.
The Bottom Line
SAS Flight SK916 presents two overlapping problems for the passengers involved: recovering their luggage and reaching Copenhagen on rebooked services, alongside pursuing the assistance and possible compensation the law may entitle them to. The airline's handling of the hours after landing, particularly the absence of clear information and the late, indirect approach to accommodation, is likely to draw scrutiny.
You can track this and similar events on our Squawk 7700 hub, which carries our live emergency board and incident archive. We will update our coverage if SAS or investigators release further information about the technical fault or the outcome of the inspection at Newark.
Continue to follow The Aviation Hub for more analysis and insight.
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