Turkish Airlines delayed or cancelled? Claim up to €600
Turkish Airlines flights fall under Turkey’s SHY-YOLCU rules, plus EU261, UK261, US DOT or Canada’s APPR depending on your route. See what you can recover, which rule fits your flight, and how to request cash.
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What Turkish Airlines owes you
Your route decides which passenger-rights rules apply. Refunds, compensation and care are separate rights, and you may qualify for more than one.
€100–€600
Turkey’s rules cover Turkish Airlines flights departing or arriving in Turkey. Technical or operational delays of 3+ hours may qualify, alongside eligible cancellations and overbooking.
Up to €600
Flights departing the EU or EEA. Compensation ranges from €250 to €600 by distance, including eligible connections through Istanbul on one booking.
Up to £520
Flights departing the UK. Eligible delays and cancellations can pay £220–£520 per passenger, based on distance and arrival delay.
Refund or compensation
US routes: a cash refund if your cancelled or significantly delayed flight is declined. Canada routes: up to CAD $1,000 for qualifying airline-controlled disruptions not required for safety.
SHY-YOLCU and EU261 allow miles or vouchers instead of money only with your signed agreement. Airspace closures may remove compensation, but refund and care rights remain. Gyro’s SHY-YOLCU claim handling is not confirmed; contact Turkish Airlines or SHGM for that route.
Are you eligible for Turkish Airlines compensation?
Check your route, arrival delay and the reason for the disruption. The operating airline and whether connections share one booking also matter.
Likely eligible
You arrived 3+ hours late because of a technical or operational problem
Your flight left Turkey, the EU or UK, or flew into Turkey on Turkish Airlines
Your flight was cancelled with under 14 days’ notice and no qualifying close reroute
You were denied boarding for overbooking after checking in on time
You missed an Istanbul connection on one booking after a late first leg
You are still owed a refund that was never paid, or received miles you did not accept
Unlikely to be eligible
Your arrival delay was under 3 hours
A genuine extraordinary circumstance: severe weather, ATC strikes or airspace closures
You were told about the cancellation 14+ days before departure
You cancelled voluntarily or did not show up
You want hotel, meals or lost earnings paid as fixed compensation; these are separate costs
How much can you claim?
Compensation depends on distance and the rules covering your route. SHY-YOLCU pays €100 for eligible domestic flights and €250, €400 or €600 internationally.
SHY-YOLCU / EU261 · up to
€600
UK261 · up to
£520
APPR · up to CAD
$1,000
Free to check. No win, no fee.
Four ways to get your money back
Explore compensation, fare refunds, card disputes and travel insurance. Gyro can check supported routes; SHY-YOLCU-only claims may need to be filed directly.
Statutory cash compensation
€100–€600 under SHY-YOLCU, €250–€600 under EU261, £220–£520 under UK261 or up to CAD $1,000 under APPR. Eligibility and reductions depend on your route and circumstances.
Fare refund
Cancelled or long-delayed and you decline the alternative? You may be owed the unused ticket price, including promotional fares. SHY-YOLCU provides a 7-day refund deadline.
Card chargeback protection
If a refund stalls, ask your card issuer about a chargeback, often within 120 days. Eligible UK credit-card purchases may also have Section 75 protection.
Travel insurance coverage
Depending on your policy, insurance may cover prepaid hotels, missed tours or separately booked onward travel. Check exclusions, retain receipts and avoid claiming the same loss twice.
Key rules & distinctions
Six details that help you identify the correct claim and avoid accepting less than you are owed.
The 3-hour arrival rule
SHY-YOLCU, EU261 and UK261 may provide compensation after a 3-hour delay at your final destination. Under EU and UK case law, arrival means when the aircraft doors open.
Extraordinary circumstances
Severe weather, ATC strikes, security risks and airspace closures may exempt compensation. Routine technical and operational problems can qualify; the airline must explain the cause.
Which rule covers your route
Istanbul to the EU or UK on Turkish Airlines generally falls outside EU261 and UK261. SHY-YOLCU covers Turkish Airlines flights to and from Turkey, subject to its conditions.
Missed connections in Istanbul
On one booking, a late first leg that costs you your onward flight is assessed by your final arrival delay. Separately booked tickets do not have the same connection protection.
Distance bands
International bands are up to 1,500 km, 1,500–3,500 km and over 3,500 km. For eligible connecting journeys, the distance to your final destination can determine the band.
Refund or rerouting
After a cancellation, you may choose a refund or rerouting. A sufficiently long delay can also trigger refund rights. Accepting a refund does not automatically waive separate compensation.
How long do you have to claim?
Each claim has its own clock, and the country where you file matters. Do not assume every booking has the same deadline.
| Claim type | Time limit |
|---|---|
| SHY-YOLCU | Confirm the applicable deadline with SHGM or Turkish counsel; file promptly |
| EU261 / UK261 | EU deadlines vary nationally. UK: 6 years in England and Wales, 5 in Scotland |
| Canada APPR / US DOT refund | APPR: claim to the airline within 1 year. DOT refund: 7 business days for cards, 20 calendar days for other payments |
| Montreal Convention | 2 years to bring an action; written baggage notice within 7 days for damage or 21 days for delay |
| Card chargeback / UK Section 75 | Chargebacks: often 120 days, depending on issuer and scheme. Section 75 time limits depend on jurisdiction |
Limits differ by claim type and country. Ask the airline or relevant authority promptly; do not rely on an unconfirmed two-year SHY-YOLCU deadline.
What documentation do you need?
Keep the booking, disruption notices and receipts together. Gyro can retrieve booking evidence from connected email for supported claims.
Strong documentation
- E-ticket (usually starts with 235) and PNR
- Boarding pass or check-in proof
- Dated delay or cancellation SMS or email
- Proof of actual arrival time
- Card payment record
- Receipts for meals, hotels and transport
- Written reason for the disruption
Weaker documentation
- Miles credit with no stated reason
- Undated screenshots
- OTA confirmation without the airline PNR
- Codeshare confirmation without the operating airline
Gets
rejected
- Lost wages
- Missed events or tours
- Separately booked non-refundable hotels
- Onward flights on separate tickets
- Emotional-distress claims
Tip: save Turkish Airlines emails and SMS now. Travel insurance may cover some costs that fixed compensation does not.
Claim yourself or use Gyro?
Gyro can help with supported claims. For a claim relying only on SHY-YOLCU, confirm support before relying on Gyro to file or escalate it.
Factor | Claiming yourself | Claiming through Gyro |
|---|---|---|
Time to submit | Research, forms and follow-ups per flight | About 2 minutes to connect your inbox |
Cost | Free | 30% on success, no upfront cost |
You keep | 100% if the airline pays | 70% of what’s recovered |
Knowing which rule applies | You work out SHY-YOLCU, EU261 or UK261 | Supported rules checked; confirm SHY-YOLCU coverage |
Deadline tracking | Your responsibility | Tracked for supported claims |
Documentation | You gather it | Pulled from your booking emails |
Airline pushback | You contact the airline and relevant authority | Support and escalation depend on the regime |
Other recovery paths | Easy to miss | Supported refund and recovery options checked |
The work often starts after the first email: challenging an unwanted miles offer, checking the airline’s explanation and filing on time. For SHY-YOLCU-only claims, contact Turkish Airlines and, where appropriate, SHGM directly.
Common Turkish Airlines claim mistakes
Eight assumptions that cost travelers money, and what’s actually true.
“I accepted the miles, so I’m settled.”
Miles or vouchers replace cash under SHY-YOLCU or EU261 only with your signed agreement. Check exactly what you accepted before treating the claim as settled.
“They said it was a technical issue.”
SHY-YOLCU’s December 2024 amendment added compensation for qualifying technical and operational delays. EU and UK rules also generally treat routine faults as the airline’s responsibility.
“It left Istanbul only two hours late.”
Arrival at your final destination counts. A missed connection on one booking can push the total arrival delay past 3 hours.
“I booked through a travel site, so the airline won’t deal with me.”
The operating airline owes any statutory compensation, whoever sold the ticket. Keep the airline PNR as well as your booking-site confirmation.
“It was over a year ago, so it’s too late.”
Some EU and UK claims remain possible for several years. The exact deadline depends on the rule and country, so check the flight date and filing location.
“I only checked the one bad flight.”
Frequent travelers may have several eligible flights. Gyro can check up to 3 years of booking emails for claims under supported rules.
“My ticket was cheap, so the payout is small.”
For distance-based regimes, a cheap ticket can carry the same fixed compensation as a costly one on the same flight. Your fare does not set the band.
“My flight was cancelled over an airspace closure, so I’m owed €600.”
Airspace closures may be extraordinary circumstances. Fixed compensation may not apply, while refund, rerouting and care rights can remain.
Don’t miss your
recovery window.Don’t miss your
recovery window.
2 minutes. A 30% success fee. No upfront cost. Confirm coverage for your route.
Have Questions?
Answers about Turkish Airlines refunds, compensation and claim options.
Am I owed compensation for a delayed Turkish Airlines flight?
You may qualify if you reached your final destination 3+ hours late for a covered reason. Depending on the route, SHY-YOLCU, EU261, UK261 or APPR may apply. Technical or operational delays can qualify; weather and airspace closures may be exempt.
How much does Turkish Airlines pay for a cancelled flight?
Eligible short-notice cancellations may pay €100 domestically or €250–€600 internationally under SHY-YOLCU. Other route-specific rules may apply. If you do not travel, a cash refund may also be due. Notice periods, rerouting and extraordinary circumstances can affect compensation.
Does EU261 apply to Turkish Airlines?
EU261 generally covers Turkish Airlines flights departing the EU or EEA, including eligible connections through Istanbul. Istanbul-to-EU flights are generally covered by SHY-YOLCU instead. UK departures fall under UK261.
Is a refund the same as compensation?
No. A refund returns the price of flights you did not take; compensation is a separate fixed payment for an eligible disruption. You can sometimes receive both. Meals, hotel and other care rights are separate again.
What is SHY-YOLCU, and does it cover my flight?
SHY-YOLCU is Turkey’s air passenger rights regulation, enforced by SHGM. It covers flights departing Turkey and Turkish-carrier flights into Turkey, subject to its conditions. Amounts include €100 domestically and up to €600 internationally. Gyro’s SHY-YOLCU handling is not confirmed.
How long do I have to claim from Turkish Airlines?
The deadline depends on the rule and where you file. UK261 generally allows 6 years in England and Wales or 5 in Scotland; EU deadlines vary nationally. APPR requires a claim to the airline within 1 year. Confirm a SHY-YOLCU deadline with SHGM or Turkish counsel.
What if I booked through a travel site, a codeshare or AJet?
Claim compensation from the operating airline. For flights operated by AJet, claim from AJet. A partner-operated codeshare goes to that partner. Agency-booking refunds may need to go through the agency first; retain the airline PNR.
What counts as extraordinary circumstances for Turkish Airlines?
Events outside the airline’s control that reasonable measures could not prevent, such as severe weather, ATC strikes, security threats or airspace closures. Routine technical faults generally do not qualify. The airline must substantiate the exemption.
Does Gyro handle it if Turkish Airlines rejects my claim?
For supported claims, Gyro can handle pushback and escalation. SHY-YOLCU claim handling and escalation to SHGM are not confirmed, so check coverage with Gyro first. You can contact Turkish Airlines and the relevant passenger-rights authority directly.
I missed my connection in Istanbul. Am I covered?
You may be covered if both flights were on one booking and you arrived 3+ hours late for a qualifying reason. The applicable regime and final arrival delay matter. Turkish Airlines may owe rebooking and care; separately booked tickets do not have the same protection.
Flew another airline?
See what British Airways, United, Delta, Lufthansa and others owe you.
