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Turkish Airlines flight delay and cancellation compensation

Up to €600 compensation per passenger. Was your Turkish Airlines flight delayed or cancelled, or were you denied boarding? Turkish Airlines is not an EU or UK airline, so EU261 and UK261 apply only to its flights departing the EU or the UK. Here is what to expect and what to do.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: Reading time: 8 min How we write our guides

Check compensation or start a claim with AirHelp straight away

In short: On Turkish Airlines flights departing the EU you are entitled to €250–600 compensation for an arrival delay of more than 3 hours, a cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure, or involuntary denied boarding – unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. A Turkish (non-EU) airline: EU261 applies only to its flights departing the EU, e.g. from Paris, Berlin or Budapest. A flight from Istanbul to an EU city is not covered by EU261, but it is covered by the Turkish SHY-Yolcu regulation (with similar amounts between €100 and €600).

IATA code
TK
Headquarters
Istanbul
Hub
Istanbul (IST)
Type
Full-service
EU261 scope
flights departing the EU

Turkish Airlines flight delay: when is compensation due?

If your Turkish Airlines flight reached its final destination at least 3 hours late (counting from when the doors opened), and the cause was within the airline's control – a technical fault, staff shortage, a delay on the previous flight, a strike by its own staff – you are entitled to compensation. It is not due if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances (weather, an air traffic control strike, an airport closure). Read the full conditions here.

Typical Turkish Airlines routes: London Heathrow–Istanbul, Budapest–Istanbul, Istanbul–Bangkok, Istanbul–Tokyo, Istanbul–New York, Istanbul–Dubai.

Turkish Airlines flight cancellation: what are you entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, Turkish Airlines must offer you a refund of the ticket price (within 7 days) or re-routing on the earliest available flight – including another airline's, if that is quicker. If you were told about the cancellation less than 14 days before departure and the re-routing offered differed significantly from the original flight, you are also entitled to compensation. More on the 14-day rule.

How much compensation for a Turkish Airlines flight?

Flight distanceDelay on arrivalCompensation per passenger
Up to 1,500 km
e.g. London–Paris, Berlin–Rome, Dublin–Amsterdamover 3 hours€250UK261: £220
1,500–3,500 km, and every flight within the EU over 1,500 km
e.g. London–Athens, Frankfurt–Tenerife, Rome–Tel Avivover 3 hours€400UK261: £350
Over 3,500 km, to or from outside the EU
e.g. London–New York, Frankfurt–Dubai, Paris–Bangkokbetween 3 and 4 hours€300UK261: £260 (reduced by 50%)
Over 3,500 km, to or from outside the EUover 4 hours€600UK261: £520

Check your Turkish Airlines flight

Two minutes, free, no sign-up.

What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

How punctual was Turkish Airlines in the UK in 2025?

Turkish Airlines operated 12,616 flights at UK airports in 2025. 0.21% were 3 hours or more late and 0.58% were cancelled – see how that compares with the UK average below and in our UK delay statistics.

Flights operated
12,616

2025, at UK airports

On time (≤ 15 min late)
75.5%

close to the UK average (72.7%)

3 hours or more late
0.21%

1 in 476 flights · better than the UK average

Cancelled
0.58%

74 flights · better than the UK average

Average delay
11.4 min

UK average 15.1 min

Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority punctuality statistics 2025 – departures and arrivals combined, measured against the schedule at the UK airport. How we use this data

UK airportFlightsOn time3 h+ lateCancelled
London Heathrow4,61277.6%0.19%0.43%
Manchester2,66570.2%0.30%0.60%
London Gatwick2,55777.0%0.16%0.27%
Birmingham1,59374.3%0.12%0.69%
Edinburgh1,18777.5%0.33%1.66%

What to know when claiming from Turkish Airlines

  • On the outbound journey (from the EU) compensation is due under EU261 without complication; on the way back AirHelp can also pursue a claim under the Turkish rules.
  • Istanbul Airport is huge: missing a tight connection is common, and if both flights were on one booking, TK is responsible.

About Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline, and its Istanbul hub is one of the most popular transfer points for European travellers heading to Asia, the Middle East and Africa. It serves a long list of European cities, often several times a day.

The key legal difference: the first leg of a Paris–Istanbul–Bangkok trip departs the EU, so if a delay on that leg makes you miss the Bangkok connection, you are entitled to €600 under EU261. On the way back (Bangkok–Istanbul–Paris), however, EU261 does not apply – only the Montreal Convention and the Turkish rules.

How to claim directly from Turkish Airlines

  • Official online form: feedback.turkishairlines.com
  • Postal address: Türk Hava Yolları Genel Yönetim Binası, Atatürk Havalimanı, Yeşilköy, 34149 İstanbul, Turkey
  • There is no separate EU261 form; claims are submitted through the feedback form. UK ADR: AviationADR member.
  • Our complaint letter generator writes the letter for you – filled in, as a printable PDF.

We checked these claim channels on the airline's own website (10 November 2026).

Frequently asked questions

Am I entitled to compensation if my Turkish Airlines flight was at least 3 hours late?

Yes, if the flight departed from an EU airport and the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances. The amount depends on the distance: €250, €400 or €600.

How do I submit a claim to Turkish Airlines?

Directly through the airline's customer service form (https://feedback.turkishairlines.com/en), or through our partner AirHelp, which checks the flight data and, if the airline rejects the claim, takes the case to the enforcement body or to court – for a fee of 35% only if it succeeds.

How long do I have to claim for a Turkish Airlines flight?

Limitation periods vary by country and are set by national law – for example 6 years in England & Wales, 5 years in Scotland and Hungary, and 3 years in Germany (from the end of the year). AirHelp typically accepts claims for flights up to 3 years old.

Turkish Airlines offered me a voucher instead of compensation. Do I have to accept it?

No. Under the Regulation, compensation is paid in money; the airline may only give you a voucher with your written agreement. If you want money, do not accept it.

Flew with another airline?

The Turkish Airlines name and trademark belong to their owner; EU261 Flight Delay is an independent information site with no connection to the airline. The content is for information only and is not legal advice. We receive a commission when a claim submitted through our partner links succeeds.

Sources

  1. Turkish Airlines – official claim / complaints page – Turkish Airlines
  2. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex
  4. Delays and cancellations – your rights – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.