British holidaymakers visiting Turkey to get compensation for return flight delays with Turkish airlines for first time
In 2024, over 4.4 million British tourists visited Turkey, a 16.6% increase from 2023.
Until recently those delayed on their return flights with Turkish airlines would not have been entitled to compensation. Now, Turkey has taken a significant step in enhancing passenger rights by introducing more stringent financial compensation for flight disruptions.
And with Turkey being a major hub for international travellers, especially for European tourists, the new rule is expected to improve flight punctuality, the passenger experience, and airline accountability. The new compensation mechanism mandates that airlines operating in Turkey must provide financial compensation for flight disruptions due to technical or operational reasons.
The key provisions include €100 for domestic flights delayed by more than three hours; €250, €400, or €600 for international flights, depending on flight distance. Ivaylo Danailov, co-founder of airline compensation specialists SkyRefund says: "Previously, the EU261 regulation only applied to Turkey-based airlines for flights departing from EU airports, meaning that passengers could only claim compensation for significant disruptions when leaving the EU, but not when returning from Turkey.
“The updated regulations now ensure that flights departing from Turkey with Turkish airlines are also covered. Turkish air passenger regulations previously provided compensation in cases of cancellation or denied boarding. Under the new rules, airline passengers are also entitled to compensation in cases of flight delays. In that sense, the Turkish regulation now more closely mirrors the European/UK one."