How to Get Compensation from Turkish Airlines for Overbooked Flights
If you were involuntarily denied boarding from a Turkish Airlines flight, you could get as much as £520 (€600) in compensation!
Check if you are entitled to compensation with our free compensation calculator.
Turkish Airlines Overbooking: What it Means for Passengers
You’re at the gate, waiting to board when you hear the gate agent calling for volunteers to take a different flight because the current one is overbooked. Chances are you’re wondering how this could affect your trip.
In most cases, when a Turkish Airlines flight is overbooked, here’s what will happen.
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1. Turkish Airline agents will call for passengers willing to give up their seat
Rather than having to prevent a ticketed passenger from boarding, most airlines, including Turkish Airlines, will first make a bid to waiting passengers to see if anyone has the flexibility to take a different flight in exchange for an agreed upon compensation package. If you step forward to surrender your seat, it is called voluntary denied boarding.
Voluntary denied boarding packages can include:
- A new flight to your destination or a full ticket refund
- Vouchers for meals and lodging as well as related transport, if needed
- Cash, travel vouchers, and other perks like lounge access or seat upgrades.
2. If Turkish Airlines can’t get enough volunteers, they will choose passengers to deny boarding
This is known as involuntary denied boarding. Usually, they will begin the selection process with those travellers who checked-in last.
If you’re chosen by the airline to involuntarily give up your seat, you will receive the following:
- A new flight to your destination or a full ticket refund
- Vouchers for meals and lodging and related transport, if needed
- Cash compensation up to £520 (€600) that you should receive immediately
If you were involuntarily downgraded to a lower seating class on your rebooked flight, you will be compensated but if you are upgraded, you don’t have to pay the difference.
Who is Denied Boarding on Turkish Airlines?
Airlines usually follow certain rules when it comes to bumping passengers from an overbooked flight. The most likely candidates for involuntary denied boarding are:
- Passengers without a seat assignment
- Passengers who check-in and arrive at the gate late
- Economy passengers with the cheapest fares
- Passengers without frequent flyer or loyalty status
Turkish Airlines Compensation for Overbooked Denied Boarding
The UK and the EU have some of the most generous air passenger rights regulations in the world. So, thanks to UK261 and EU261 regulations, you are entitled to cash compensation if you are involuntarily denied boarding an overbooked flight.
The actual amount you receive is calculated, based on the distance of your trip as you can see in the following table.
Flight Distance | Compensation Payout |
Flights under 1,500 km | £220 (€250) |
Flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km | £350 (€400) |
Flights over 3,500 km | £520 (€600) |
Frequently Overbooked Turkish Airlines Routes
While you might not be able to avoid overbooked flights completely, it is helpful to know which routes are overbooked the most. Usually, the busiest routes are the ones most likely to be oversold, and this is especially true during peak travel seasons.
Some of the busiest Turkish Airlines routes are:
- Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Istanbul (IST)
- Amsterdam (AMS) to Istanbul (IST)
- Istanbul (IST) to London Heathrow (LHR)
- Istanbul (IST) to London Gatwick (LGW)
- Istanbul (IST) to Frankfurt (FRA)
What to Do if You’re Denied Boarding
- Ask why it happened. Turkish Airlines should give you a statement, outlining why you were refused boarding and the approximate compensation total. Keep this document because if you don’t receive your payout, you’ll need to file a claim.
- Decide on a new flight or a refund. Ask about a new flight to your destination. You do have the option to request a refund as well.
- Ask for meals and lodging. If you choose to be rebooked and you have a while to wait at the airport, ask for meal or hotel vouchers, especially for overnight delays.
- Avoid vouchers. You should be given your compensation immediately, but airlines like to push travel vouchers in place of cash. But remember, you have a right to cash if you prefer that over credits and vouchers.
When Compensation for Denied Boarding Doesn’t Apply
You will not receive compensation from Turkish Airlines if you were denied boarding because of the following reasons.
- You were intoxicated.
- You were interfering with or not following the instructions of the flight crew.
- You were displaying unruly behaviour towards the crew and other passengers.
- You were denied boarding because of other reasons aside from overbooking.
Need Help with a Claim?
If you’ve been bumped from a flight and need help getting compensated, AirAdvisor is happy to assist. We’ve been protecting air passengers’ rights since 2017, and our legal team has a 98% win rate for airline compensation claims. See if your flight is eligible by entering your basic flight details into our free compensation checker.
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