Turkish Airlines delay and cancellation compensation

Checked 15 Sep 2026·10 min read · 5 tables

£220, £350 or £520 under UK261, or €250, €400 or €600 under EU261: Turkish Airlines owes this per passenger when a flight from a UK or EU airport lands 3 hours or more late or is cancelled at short notice, unless extraordinary circumstances caused it. Its flights into the UK or the EU are not covered.

• UK261 ££220–£520per passenger, 3 h or more late at arrival
• EU261 €€250–€600per passenger, 3 h or more late at arrival
• Claim serviceNo win, no feeHand the claim over →

Key facts: Turkish Airlines

Source: UK261 arts. 3 and 7 and UK limitation statutes — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 arts. 3 and 7 — eur-lex.europa.eu; EASA and CAA lists — easa.europa.eu, caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.

The airport you leave from decides every row above.

#Why do UK261 and EU261 cover Turkish Airlines only on flights departing the UK or EU?

TUR-0001 is the EASA third-country operator number of TURKISH AIRLINES INC., which is not on the CAA’s Type A airline licence list. UK261 and EU261 therefore cover its flights from UK or EU airports only. Inbound, EU261 needs an EU-licensed operating carrier, and UK261 a UK- or EU-licensed one into the UK.

Which rules apply to your Turkish Airlines flight

Source: UK261 arts. 2(c), 2(m), 3(1) — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 art. 3(1) and Commission Guidelines C/2024/5687, fn. 20 — eur-lex.europa.eu; EASA and CAA lists, checked 2026-09-15.

Only the first two rows can pay.

Article 3(1)(a) of each Regulation covers every passenger departing an airport in its territory, on any airline. An Istanbul to London flight booked on its own therefore earns no fixed compensation under either Regulation, even 5 hours late. That includes a return bought separately from your outbound flight.

In a Reddit r/travel post from January 2026 (passenger report), u/nicksizsovalye describes a Turkish Airlines return from Ankara via Istanbul to Hanover and writes: “Our flight originally started in Germany, so EU Regulation 261/2004 should apply”. If that flight home was booked separately, starting the trip in Germany does not bring it under EU261. Article 3(1)(b) covers a flight from Türkiye into the EU only on an EU-licensed operating carrier.

Check the departure airport on each boarding pass before you claim.

#How much does Turkish Airlines owe for a 3-hour delay from a UK or EU airport?

£220, £350 or £520 per passenger is the UK261 amount when a Turkish Airlines flight from a UK airport gets you to your final destination 3 hours or more late. From an EU airport, EU261 pays €250, €400 or €600. Great-circle distance sets the band, with steps at 1,500 km and 3,500 km.

Source: UK261 arts. 2(n), 6(3), 7 — legislation.gov.uk; CAA, Delays — caa.co.uk; EU261 art. 7 and Sturgeon (C-402/07 and C-432/07, 2009), para 63 — eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.

Pounds apply to UK departures, euros to EU departures.

Article 7(2) says “may”, so the £260 and €300 steps are Turkish Airlines' option. From 4 hours late, the full £520 or €600 is due, and routes up to 3,500 km have no reduced step.

Under UK261, lateness runs to the moment you are permitted to leave the aircraft. Arriving 2 hours 59 minutes late earns nothing; at 3 hours 0 minutes the band amount is owed unless extraordinary circumstances caused the delay.

A cancellation is judged on two things instead: how much notice you were given, and what the replacement flight does. Article 5(1)(c) of both Regulations sets the windows (UK261 delay guide).

When notice of a cancellation stops the payment

Source: UK261 art. 5(1)(c) — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 art. 5(1)(c) — eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.

Outside those windows the band amount is owed, unless extraordinary circumstances explain the cancellation. Article 7(2) still lets Turkish Airlines halve it where re-routing lands you within 2, 3 or 4 hours of the original arrival.

Check your band in the compensation calculator using your first departure airport and final destination.

#How does a connecting Turkish Airlines journey via its hub count?

3 hours or more late at the final destination is the test on a one-booking Turkish Airlines journey via Istanbul, not the first leg’s delay. The journey has to start at an airport in the UK, the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland; one starting in Türkiye gets no UK261 or EU261 cover.

Source: UK261 arts. 3(1A), 6(3), 7 — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 art. 7 and Folkerts (C-11/11, 2013) — eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.

#How does UK261 count a one-booking journey via Istanbul?

Since 14 December 2023, article 3(1A) treats a multi-leg flight booked as a single unit as a whole, departing from its first airport. In Gahan v Emirates [2017] EWCA Civ 1530, the Court of Appeal held that for a single booking from an EU airport on a non-EU carrier, Manchester to Dubai to Bangkok or Sydney, compensation is assessed on the delay at the final destination, including a missed onward connection outside the EU. The UK was then an EU Member State, and the decision binds lower courts in England and Wales.

By our calculation, London Heathrow to Istanbul is about 2,490 km, a £350 band. A one-booking trip on to Bangkok is about 9,580 km, so arriving there 4 hours 10 minutes late pays £520.

#How does EU261 count a one-booking journey via Istanbul?

Sturgeon (C-402/07 and C-432/07, 2009) gives compensation from 3 hours late, and Folkerts (C-11/11, 2013) counts that delay at the final destination of a connecting journey. In a Reddit r/Flights post from April 2026 (passenger report), u/Bruslaf describes a missed Istanbul connection on a single booking from Milan Malpensa to Samarkand: “All passengers from TK1900 missed the same connection.”

By our great-circle calculation, Malpensa to Samarkand is about 4,700 km, against about 1,680 km for the Istanbul leg alone. Arriving 3 hours or more late therefore earns €600, which Turkish Airlines may cut to €300 if you arrive less than 4 hours late.

Keep the confirmation listing every leg, and note when the doors opened at your final airport.

#How do you claim compensation from Turkish Airlines directly?

3 documents belong in a Turkish Airlines claim: the booking confirmation listing every leg, your boarding passes and the disruption message. Send them to Turkish Airlines first. AviationADR, the UK scheme, takes a complaint only after a final refusal or 8 weeks without a reply.

Source: UK261 arts. 5(1)(c), 6(3), 8(1) — legislation.gov.uk; EU261 arts. 7 and 8 — eur-lex.europa.eu; CAA, Alternative Dispute Resolution — caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.

UK search results for a Turkish Airlines compensation form on 14 September 2026 listed the Turkish Airlines feedback form, a Flight Disruptions page, a refund request form and a baggage follow-up form. Re-open each dated link below before you rely on it. Cite UK261 article 6(3) for a delay or 5(1)(c) for a cancellation, or EU261 article 7 from an EU airport.

A cancellation also gives you the choice of reimbursement within 7 days or re-routing. Lost baggage and delayed or damaged bags come under the Montreal Convention instead: a limit of 1,519 SDR per passenger for proven damage, and a written complaint within 21 days of receiving a delayed bag, or 7 days for damage.

#Turkish Airlines claim and complaint contacts

Set an 8-week reminder on the day you send the claim.

#Where do you escalate a refused Turkish Airlines claim from a UK flight?

8 weeks without a reply from Turkish Airlines, or a final refusal, opens AviationADR for a UK261 claim. The Civil Aviation Authority lists AviationADR as the approved scheme for Turkish Airlines (list checked 15 September 2026), and the scheme takes complaints about member airlines when the flight involves a UK airport.

Source: CAA, Alternative Dispute Resolution for air passengers — caa.co.uk; AviationADR, Airline and airport members — aviationadr.org.uk, checked 2026-09-15.

Submit within 12 months of Turkish Airlines' final response or last written communication, for an incident in the last 6 years (5 if you live in Scotland). ADR is free, and most cases are decided within 3 months. An accepted decision binds Turkish Airlines. If you reject it, court stays open. The ADR scheme guide and the ADR membership map compare other airlines.

#If Turkish Airlines rejects your claim

Ask Turkish Airlines in writing for the cause and the measures it took, then hold that answer against article 2(o): the reasons that meet it are set out separately. A valid refusal removes only the fixed payment; care and re-routing stay owed (refused compensation guide).

From an EU airport, complain instead to the departure country’s national enforcement body on the European Commission list updated 27 August 2026, such as the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt in Germany or the Irish Aviation Authority. Court is the other path. Keep Turkish Airlines' last written message.

Refused on a Turkish Airlines flight from a UK or EU airport and would rather not escalate it yourself? AirHelp (third-party claim service) can take on the claim, no win no fee, and keeps a fee from any payout; AviationADR stays free, and the routes above, including Turkish Airlines' own feedback form, stay open.

Do it yourself · freeClaim with the airline, then ADR

• Write to the airline and keep the reference
• Refused, or no answer in 8 weeks: its ADR scheme or the CAA, free
• You keep all of the compensation

Use the claim letter template →

Hand it overAirHelp takes the claim, no win no fee

• They deal with Turkish Airlines for you
• AirHelp's fee is 35% of the compensation, VAT included, and nothing if the claim fails.

Start with AirHelp →Third-party claim service

#How long do you have to claim against Turkish Airlines?

6 years applies to a UK261 claim against Turkish Airlines in England and Wales, because UK261 article 3(9) points to section 9 of the Limitation Act 1980; Northern Ireland also allows 6 years. The Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 sets 5 years, but no Scottish court has decided how it applies to UK261.

Source: UK261 art. 3(9); Limitation Act 1980 s.9; Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 art. 4; Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 s.6 — legislation.gov.uk; Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.

SI 2023/1370 added article 3(9) UK-wide from 14 December 2023, yet section 9 of the 1980 Act extends only to England and Wales. Northern Ireland reaches 6 years by either route.

From an EU airport, EU261 sets no period of its own: each EU country’s limitation rules apply.

File inside 5 years if a Scottish court might hear your claim, and compare time limits by country.

Similar airlines: Pegasus Airlines, third-country operator TUR-0004; Emirates and Kenya Airways, also covered only on UK and EU departures; Lufthansa, an EU carrier covered on flights into the EU and the UK too.

Not your situation? UK departures: UK261; EU departures: EU261; Canada: Air Passenger Protection Regulations; unsure: which law covers my flight. Flying in the US? US federal rules differ: see US DOT rules.

General information, not legal advice. For your specific case, contact the CAA, your EU departure country’s enforcement body, Citizens Advice or a solicitor.

Turkish Airlines complaints in the CAA figures

408 Reg 261 complaints about Turkish Airlines reached AviationADR in the CAA's 2025/26 figures (April 2025 to March 2026), an estimated 197 per million passengers, and 49.8% of cases were upheld. These are complaints the ADR body or the CAA received, not delays.

Turkish Airlines: complaints, April 2025 to March 2026

CAA figure	FY26
Handled by	AviationADR
Reg 261 complaints	408
All complaints opened	566
Per million passengers (CAA estimate)	197
Uphold rate	49.8%

1. Wizz Air629
2. Air France / KLM419
3. Ryanair283
4. EgyptAir273
5. TUI Airways259
6. Turkish Airlines197
7. TAP Air Portugal169
8. easyJet154
9. Air Canada129
10. Virgin Atlantic112

Source: CAA, Passenger Complaints Data FY26 (Q2 2025 – Q1 2026), data correct as of 3 June 2026 — caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-22. The CAA calls the per-million figure "an indicative estimated value only".

#Sources

• Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it forms part of UK law, arts. 2-9 - legislation.gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• The Aviation (Consumers) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/1370) - legislation.gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, arts. 3, 5, 7, 8 and 16 - eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.
• European Commission, Interpretative Guidelines on Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (C/2024/5687) - eur-lex.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.
• European Commission, National Enforcement Bodies (updated 27 Aug 2026) - transport.ec.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.
• Limitation Act 1980 s.9 - legislation.gov.uk; Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 art. 4 - legislation.gov.uk; Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 s.6 - legislation.gov.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• EASA, Authorised Third Country Operators (updated 14 Sep 2026) - easa.europa.eu, checked 2026-09-15.
• Civil Aviation Authority, Airline licence holders - caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Civil Aviation Authority, Delays - caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Civil Aviation Authority, Alternative Dispute Resolution for air passengers - caa.co.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• AviationADR, Airline and airport members - aviationadr.org.uk, checked 2026-09-15.
• Montreal Convention 1999, arts. 22 and 31 - eur-lex.europa.eu; ICAO, 2024 revised limits of liability - icao.int, checked 2026-09-15.
• Sturgeon (C-402/07 and C-432/07, 2009), CJEU - eur-lex.europa.eu.
• Folkerts (C-11/11, 2013), CJEU - eur-lex.europa.eu.
• Gahan v Emirates [2017] EWCA Civ 1530, Court of Appeal (Civil Division) - caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
• Turkish Airlines and AviationADR pages (listed in UK search results 14 Sep 2026): Feedback form home page, Flight Disruptions, Refund request form, Delayed, lost or damaged baggage follow-up form, Passenger Rights, Legal Notice, How to claim flight delay compensation for a Turkish Airlines flight.

#FAQ

How can I get compensation for a cancelled flight with Turkish Airlines?

14 days' notice is the line. A cancellation announced less than 14 days ahead pays £220 to £520 under UK261 from a UK airport, or €250 to €600 under EU261 from an EU airport, unless the replacement flight fits the notice-period time windows or extraordinary circumstances caused it. Its flights into the UK or the EU are not covered.

How do I claim compensation for my delayed flight?

3 hours or more late at your final destination is the UK261 and EU261 threshold. Write to the operating airline with your booking confirmation, boarding passes and arrival time, citing UK261 article 6(3) or EU261 article 7. If the airline belongs to a UK ADR scheme, the scheme can take the complaint after 8 weeks without a reply.

Does Turkish Airlines pay UK261 compensation?

£220, £350 or £520 is owed under UK261 when a Turkish Airlines flight departing a UK airport reaches the final destination 3 hours or more late or is cancelled at short notice, unless extraordinary circumstances apply. Its flights into the UK are not covered, because TURKISH AIRLINES INC. is a third-country operator, not a UK or EU carrier.

Does EU261 apply to Turkish Airlines flights into Europe?

No. EU261 article 3(1)(b) covers flights into the EU only when the operating carrier holds an EU licence, and TURKISH AIRLINES INC. is EASA third-country operator TUR-0001. Departures from the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland are covered, paying €250, €400 or €600 on a 3-hour arrival delay, absent extraordinary circumstances.

How do I claim compensation from Turkish Airlines?

8 weeks without a reply, or a final refusal, lets AviationADR take a UK261 claim against Turkish Airlines. Send the airline your booking confirmation, boarding passes and disruption message first, then apply to AviationADR within 12 months of its final response. Claims on flights from EU airports go to the departure country's national enforcement body instead.