Turkish regulations on air passenger rights

Turkish passenger rights provide compensation for flight delays lasting more than 3 hours, overbooking, and cancellations less than 2 weeks before departure.

The Turkish regulation sets compensation amounts. Factors that affect compensation include the distance of your flight and whether it was domestic or international.

There’s no set amount of time, but compensation typically arrives in a few weeks to a few months.

The reason that it’s impossible to predict exactly how long you’ll have to wait is that several factors can come into play. For example, some airlines are more cooperative than others, and we might need to take legal steps to get your compensation. No matter the circumstances, we’ll keep you up-to-date on your claim’s status.

You must file your claim within 1 year of the flight date.

Turkish air passenger rights say that airlines must display the following text in English and Turkish at the check-in counter or boarding gate:

Please request the text from the check-in counter or boarding gate which states your rights for the service you will be provided in case that your boarding is denied, your flight is cancelled or delayed at least for two hours.

In addition, if the airline denies you boarding or cancels your flight, it must provide a written notice that also spells out what compensation and assistance you’re entitled to.

Airlines must take care of you if your flight is delayed, cancelled, or overbooked.

Your right to care starts after a certain length of delay — and once it does, what you get depends on how long you’ve been waiting in total.

Step 1: when your care rights start

💡 Before these times, airlines don’t have to provide meals or drinks — but once the delay reaches these points, your right to care applies straight away.

Step 2: what you’re entitled to once care applies

Example:

If your long-haul flight is over 3,500 km and delayed for 4 hours, that’s when your right to care starts — and you’re immediately entitled to drinks and a meal.

💡 Even if the delay is caused by exceptional circumstances (like bad weather), the airline must still provide care and assistance.

Under Turkish air passenger rights, if your flight is cancelled or you’re denied boarding, the airline must offer you a refund or alternative flight to your destination.

Here are your 3 choices:

1. A replacement flight at the earliest opportunity

2. A replacement flight on another date that’s convenient for you

3. A full refund of the original purchase price of your ticket

If your delay exceeds 5 hours, you may also request a refund — even if you’ve already boarded the first flight of a multi-leg journey. If you decide not to continue, the airline must return you to your departure airport free of charge and refund you in full.

Turkish air passenger rights say that airlines must give priority to children travelling alone. This means if there’s a flight disruption, unaccompanied children must receive the care they’re entitled to as soon as the airline can provide it.

Passengers with restricted mobility and the person (or registered care dog) accompanying them, if any, also must receive the care they’re entitled to as quickly as possible if a flight is delayed or cancelled, or overbooked. In addition, the airline must provide appropriate communication methods for passengers with visual or hearing impairments.

Under Turkish air passenger rights, if the airline upgrades you, it can’t charge you an additional fee. However, if it downgrades you, it has to pay the difference between what your original ticket cost on the day you bought it and the new ticket, as well as:

Financial compensation under Turkish air passenger rights law SHY PASSENGER must be paid by the airline to passengers in cash, bank transfer, or check. Travel vouchers or other services are only acceptable as payment if a passenger agrees.

Top tip: Compensation amounts under Turkish air passenger rights are actually specified in euros rather than Turkish Lira. To convert to Lira, the conversion rate of the Turkish Republic Central Bank on the day the ticket was purchased is used.

You may also be eligible for compensation under other international air passenger laws. However, to prevent double compensation, any amount received elsewhere will be deducted from your SHY PASSENGER claim.

SHY PASSENGER is a Turkish law that protects air passengers. It provides remedies for flight overbookings, delays, changes, and cancellations, including alternative flights or refunds.

Turkish air passenger rights regulations specify how passengers must be treated. They require airlines to take care of passengers if flights are disrupted, including providing food, drink, and accommodation.

They also require airlines to get their passengers to their final destination (or pay a full and fair refund), and compensate them if a flight is cancelled or passengers are denied boarding.

Yes, the Turkish SHY PASSENGER is very similar to the European Regulation EC 261. It offers comparable protections and compensation amounts for flight delays, cancellations, and denied boarding for passengers flying to, from, or within Turkey. The main differences are the currency (compensation is paid in Turkish Lira) and some specific operational details.

UK passengers have the same right to claim compensation for Turkish flight delays as any other nationality. Under the Turkish SHY PASSENGER regulation, if your flight departing from Turkey is delayed by 3 hours or more on arrival, you could be entitled to compensation of up to £520. Check your flight now to see if you can claim.

This depends on how long the delay is:

• Any amount of time: Communication (2 phone calls, faxes, or emails)

• Between 2-3 hours: Hot and cold drinks

• Between 3-5 hours: Meals (breakfast or lunch)

• After 5+ hours: Additional drinks, snacks, and meals appropriate to the time of day

• If you’re going to be delayed overnight, the airline must provide you with accommodation and a transfer, if needed.

Here’s the official text of the Turkish Regulation on Air Passenger Rights (SHY PASSENGER).