Delayed and Cancelled Flights from Turkey: Your Compensation Options

Written By Amy Lancelotte

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

In early November 2023, Turkish Airlines experienced a significant disruption of service due to a technical issue. The result was that over 100 flights from Turkey were cancelled or delayed in a single day, according to Reuters. While this is certainly an anomaly, flights cancelled from Turkey are always a possibility.

On the other hand, Turkey flight delays happen a lot more often - daily, in fact. In 2023, based on stats from the Eurocontrol Aviation Overview, there was an average of 3,026 flights to and from Turkey every day.

The country’s main airport, IGA Istanbul Airport is responsible for nearly half of this traffic (1,375 daily flights). Additionally, Turkey’s main carrier, Turkish Airlines, skews below average for arrival flight delays. The European norm is an on-time average of 71%, and in 2023, Turkish Airlines’ flights were only on time 64% of the time. This means a huge number of potential passengers who can claim flight delay compensation in Turkey.

Whether you need to claim because you had your Turkey flights cancelled or encountered delayed flights from Turkey, we’re here to assist you. Our airline compensation experts are perfectly poised to file a claim on your behalf, as we’ve already done for over 240,000 satisfied customers. In all, over €49 million since 2017 has been successfully awarded through our efforts.

These are some of the key components related to flight interruption compensation in Turkey:

• SHY-PASSENGER, a regulation on air passenger rights, dictates airline compensation parameters for flight delays and cancellations in Turkey.
• There is no stipulation that flight delays in Turkey require monetary compensation.
• Passengers are entitled to care if flight delays are two hours or more.
• Compensation applies for Turkey cancelled flights provided passengers receive less than 14 days' notice.
• The cancellation compensation amounts range from €100 to €600, depending on the flight’s distance, paid in Turkish lira.
• Compensation is not required for disruptions in Turkey caused by force majeure.
• Using AirAdvisor is the best method to maximize your payout.

Are Turkey Flight Delays Common?

Flights to Turkey get delayed, as do flights leaving the country. As the most heavily used airline in Turkey, let’s delve into the likelihood of encountering a delay with Turkish Airlines. As mentioned, in 2023, this carrier’s flights arrived on time 64% of the time. This is down 4% from 2022 and down a staggering 18% from 2019.

Why the shift? More flight interruptions have occurred due to an increase in overall traffic through Istanbul (up 16% over 2022 and up 8% over 2019). Although the airport has undergone an expansion, handling all those extra flights and passengers can be tricky logistically.

So, if you’re flying with Turkish Airlines, you can generally expect one in every three flights to be delayed upon arrival.

Have you encountered an unexpected flight delay in Turkey? Use our compensation calculator to see exactly what you can claim.Check Your Flight

Flight Interruption Compensation - SHY-PASSENGER

The main thing you need to know when you have your Turkey flights cancelled or delayed, is that the compensation is covered by the Turkey Regulation on Air Passenger Rights, also called SHY-PASSENGER.

Notable SHY-PASSENGER Conditions

1. There is no requirement for airlines to issue compensation, other than due care, for Turkey flight delays.
2. Turkish passenger rights are dictated based on the time waiting at the airport and the overall flight distance.
3. To qualify for between €100 and €600 in cancellation compensation, the passenger must be notified of the cancellation less than two weeks prior to departure.
4. Payment of all compensation is made in Turkish lira using the exchange rate from the date of the ticket purchase.

Compensation - Turkish Air Passenger's Rights

If your Turkey flights are cancelled today, the route, and especially the flight distance, will factor into your compensation. Here’s what to expect:

* Note that these amounts may be reduced by 50% should the airline provide an alternate flight that arrives within two to four hours (depending on distance) of the originally scheduled flight’s arrival.

Flight Cancellation and Denied Boarding Options

Aside from the compensation above, passengers in Turkey are entitled to one of the following if their flight is cancelled or they are denied boarding:

• The earliest available replacement flight.
• A flight replacement on another day that you approve.
• A full refund.

In the event a delay exceeds five hours, according to Turkish law, you can request a refund and forfeit your original ticket.

The Right To Care

Although Turkey delayed flights are not eligible for blanket compensation like cancelled flights, they do require the airline to make sure the inconvenienced passengers are comfortable. In the case of delays, your Turkish passenger rights entitle you to care when:

What Exactly Is The Right To Care?

The right to care means that the airline is required to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible during a delay, and they foot the bill. You should receive:

• Access to phone calls, emails, or faxes.
• Refreshments of hot or cold drinks for airport wait times between two and three hours.
• Meals plus refreshments for waits between three and five hours.
• Extra snacks, drinks, and meals for delays exceeding five hours.

Additionally, should your delay extend overnight, airlines are required to offer complementary accommodation and transfers to and from the airport.

What Turkey Flights Are Eligible?

Not every Turkish flight that’s cancelled or delayed qualifies under SHY-PASSENGER. Any flight that departs from a Turkish airport is eligible, and if your flight only arrives at a Turkish airport, you need to be flying with a Turkey-based airline like Turkish Airlines or Pegasus Airlines. When in doubt, the easiest thing to do is use our free flight checker to determine whether or not you qualify.

Here are some examples:

Istanbul to New York

A flight from Istanbul’s IGA Airport to New York’s JFK Airport covers approximately 8,000 km. So, in the case of a flight cancelled with fewer than 14 days' notice and no offer of an acceptable route change arriving within two hours of the original flight, passengers would qualify for the maximum of the equivalent of €600 in Turkish lira.

If we flip the flight route and leave from JFK instead, passengers would only qualify for the same compensation if they flew with a Turkish airline.

Trabzon to Ankara

Flying domestically from Trabzon Airport to Ankara Esenboga Airport is a route of about 580 km, but the distance doesn’t really factor in since this is not an international flight. The airline doesn’t matter, either because passengers both depart and land at a Turkish airport. In this case, the expected flight cancellation compensation would be the equivalent of €100.

Istanbul to Paris

A flight from Istanbul Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport generally spans 2,240 km. This puts it in the middle tier of potential compensation of €400. Reverse the flight and depart from Paris instead, and if you’re not flying a Turkish airline, compensation does not apply.

But, in this case, all isn’t lost, because Europe has its own regulation called EU261/2004 that covers both delays and cancellations. It applies to flights that leave European airports, so you would be eligible to claim cancellation or delay compensation. Plus, for delays, you can claim between €250 to €600 as long as the delay upon arrival is at least three hours, so that’s a bonus.

Think you qualify for Turkey flight cancellation compensation? Click here and start a claim today!Check Your Flight

Force Majeure

Not every disruption is preventable by the airline, and Turkish air passenger rights depend on what exactly caused the interruption. Circumstances that would fall under the force majeure exception to compensation include things like severe weather, security issues or terrorism, wars, and strikes. But, the good news is that the airline is still responsible for onward transportation and care.

Flight Compensation Turkey - The Major Airlines

Turkish Airlines

We know that one in every three Turkish Airlines flights arrives late. On the other hand, in 2023, 71% of the airline’s flights departed late as well. This is also below the European network’s average of 78% and is a 12% decline from 2019. This means that quite a few passengers would qualify for care as long as the delay was two hours or more.

Flight cancellations with Turkish Airlines also occur when there are issues with technology and staff management, and when aircraft become unavailable.

So, if you need to claim for flight cancellation with Turkish Airlines, we can help.

Pegasus Airlines

Pegasus Airlines is Turkey’s main low-cost carrier and the second-most popular airline in the country. The carrier flies to over 134 destinations and transports passengers annually in the 27 to 30 million range.

To file a compensation claim for between €100 and €600, you’ll need to fill out their “contact us” form or call them. Sound like a lot of hassle? AirAdvisor can do all the work for you if you prefer!

Check your flight

Turkey Flight Interruptions - Expert Tips

To avoid wasting time submitting claims for flights that don’t qualify for compensation, remember the following:

• Turkey flight delays only entitle passengers to care, not compensation.
• Flights from Europe to Turkey, regardless of the airline, do qualify for flight delay compensation according to regulation EU261.
• Force majeure circumstances negate the requirement for a payout.
• You must adhere to the airline’s rules - check in on time and have a confirmed reservation.
• Keep all relevant documentation related to the incident and get the reason for the interruption from the airline as soon as your flight is significantly delayed or cancelled.

Turkey Flight Compensation - 3 Simple Steps

We have a 98% claim success rate and when you partner with us, your chances of actually getting paid are higher. We know the ins and outs of claiming cancelled flights in Turkey, so to expedite your claim, head to our website and:

1. Add a few details regarding your situation right on the homepage.
2. Click check compensation.
3. Attach any necessary supporting documents and relevant information.

We’ll file and monitor your claim until it’s resolved. The only thing to note is that for our services, we charge a small percentage. But, this is only on successful compensation claims, so there’s really no harm in trying!

Think that you have a legitimate claim but are too busy to constantly follow up with the airline? It’s quick and easy to let us handle everything. Just click here.Check Your Flight

FAQs

How much can passengers claim in flight cancellation compensation in Turkey?

Based on flight distance and how much notice of the cancellation was provided by the airline, passengers can claim between €100 to €600, paid out in Turkish lira. If the airline manages to rebook your flight and you arrive within two to four hours of the original flight’s arrival time (also depending on the overall flight distance), these compensation amounts may be reduced by 50%.

Is there flight delay compensation in Turkey?

No, not unless you arrive in Turkey from an EU airport as regulation EU 261 would mandate compensation between €250 and €600 for delays of three hours or more. In Turkey, Turkish Air Passenger Rights only entitle you to care in the form of communication (phone calls), drinks, and meals based on the total wait time and flight distance.

What flights are eligible for flight cancellation compensation in Turkey?

If you’re on the receiving end of Turkey flights cancelled today, any flight leaving from a Turkish airport on arriving in Turkey on a Turkish airline qualifies for compensation up to €600 based on certain parameters.

What is force majeure? How does it impact flight cancellation compensation?

Force majeure refers to events that cannot be prevented by the airline and are therefore outside their control. This can be everything from political instability, terrorism or security threats, strikes by non-airline staff, and severe weather conditions. The bad news is that if your Turkey flight cancellation today was due to force majeure, the airline is not required to issue any compensation.