Have you experienced a last-minute flight cancellation?
Unplanned flight cancellations can cause major disruptions to your schedule, especially if you have connecting flights or strict travel plans. However, there is some good news: both EU/UK law and Turkish Airlines’ flight cancellation policy provide certain protections for many of their flights. These regulations have been in place for over a decade, requiring Turkish Airlines to address your needs and offer a suitable solution in the event of a flight cancellation.
This law applies to Turkish Airlines’ flights from Europe.
1. Turkish Airlines Flight Cancellation: Last-Minute Flight Cancellation
Are you experiencing a last-minute flight cancellation?
With Turkish Airlines, you have certain rights in case of a sudden flight cancellation.
Turkish Airlines is not an EU airline. And EU laws do not cover all of its flights. Yet, many of its flights are covered by the EU regulation. If your flight originates from a European airport (including UK airports), you are under the protective umbrella of EU law, specifically Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. This ensures that your rights are defended in such circumstances.
- If the flight cancellation results in a prolonged wait at the airport, you have a right to care. For instance, if the delay spans 3 hours, you should be provided with a food voucher. If the delay is overnight, you should receive hotel accommodation and transfers, for free.
- If you decide against taking the replacement flight offered, you can claim a full refund from Turkish Airlines. This refund can be either transferred to your bank account or provided as a Turkish Airlines voucher.
- In case it’s a last-minute flight cancellation (i.e., flight cancelled within 2 weeks of the original departure date), and if it’s Turkish Airlines’ fault, you may request flight cancellation compensation from Turkish Airlines.
If you miss a connecting flight due to a cancellation on your Turkish Airlines flight, you could be eligible for compensation. Please refer to our Turkish Airlines missed connection compensation guide for further details.
Fundamentally, the rules are identical to those for flight delays. Your task is to determine how much later you reached your destination compared to your initially planned arrival time.
These compensation rules are applicable to Turkish Airlines flights from Europe.
By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
2. What to Do if Your Flight Is Cancelled Last-Minute?
The actions you should take in the event of a last-minute flight cancellation will be based on where you are when the cancellation occurs. Your response would differ significantly if you are already at the airport compared to if you are still at home.
2.1 If You Are Still at Home or Hotel
If you are still at home or your hotel and get notified about your flight’s cancellation, it’s recommended to stay put until you have more information. Get in touch with Turkish Airlines’ customer service to discuss the next steps.
Turkish Airlines will provide support and explain your options, which may include flying later that day or the next, depending on the availability of flights. Remember, you also have the option to request a flight from a different airline, or a full refund (if you don’t wish to travel anymore).
If your flight is cancelled due to the airline’s fault, you might be entitled to receive flight cancellation compensation from the airline.
2.2 If You Are Already at the Airport
If you’re already at the airport when you learn about the cancellation, it’s best not to go through airport security yet. A new flight ticket will be given for you (for free), and you’ll need to check in again, get a new boarding pass, and if you have checked baggage, check it in again and go through passport control.
If you’ve already gone through the security checkpoint, try to get back to the airport’s public access area.
It’s imperative to contact Turkish Airlines’ representatives at the airport to learn about the next steps. They will be there to help. Keep in mind that you have a right to care.
If your flight is cancelled due to the airline’s fault, you might be entitled to receive flight cancellation compensation from the airline.
3. Turkish Airlines Flight Cancellation Compensation
Can you get compensation if you have you experienced a last-minute flight cancellation?
The UK/EU has established specific guidelines for flight compensation. If a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before the intended departure date, it is regarded as a last-minute flight cancellation, and you may qualify for compensation.
Your flight is cancelled 7 – 14 days before the scheduled time of departure:
- You accept a substitute flight offered by Turkish Airlines, which departs no more than 2 hours prior to the original time and lets you reach your destination no later than 4 hours beyond the original arrival time. In such a scenario, you are not due compensation.
- In any other situations, compensation may be due to you.
Your flight is cancelled less than 7 days before the scheduled time of departure:
- You take a replacement flight provided by Turkish Airlines, which leaves no more than 1 hour before the scheduled time and gets you to your destination no later than 2 hours after the original arrival time. In such situations, you won’t be eligible for compensation.
- In all other situations, compensation may be due to you.
Conditions for applying for compensation:
- Flight called off due to Turkish Airlines’ fault;
- Flight originates in Europe;
- Flight cancelled at the last minute (less than 14 days prior to departure).
Read more: Turkish Airlines Flight Cancellation Compensation
As Turkish Airlines is a non-European airline, these EU regulations apply only to Turkish Airlines flights departing from the EU and the UK.
4. Turkish Airlines Flight Cancellation Refund
When Turkish Airlines cancels your flight, you have the choice to either accept an alternative flight or a full refund. If you opt for a refund, you can request for the amount to be directly credited to your bank account or have it issued as a Turkish Airlines voucher.
This choice depends on what best fits your personal travel requirements.
Refunds from Turkish Airlines are usually received within about 7 days.
It’s important to note that in UK/EU air passenger rights law, the entitlement to a refund and the right to cancellation compensation are separate. Even if you claim a refund, you may still be eligible for compensation based on the circumstances of your flight cancellation, as mentioned above.
Read more: Your Turkish Airlines Refund Is Taking Forever. How Can You Expedite It?
As Turkish Airlines is a non-European airline, these EU regulations apply only to Turkish Airlines flights departing from the EU and the UK.
4.1 What Happens If You Cancel a Flight?
If you, as the passenger, choose to cancel your flight, the terms for a refund may differ.
Predominantly, Turkish Airlines’ refund policies depend on the ticket type.
Tickets that offer greater flexibility are typically refundable, but budget-oriented tickets with less flexibility may not be eligible for refunds. To get more details, you can review the specific terms of your ticket or reach out to Turkish Airlines’ customer service.
Having travel insurance that covers flight cancellations could also provide an opportunity to claim a refund.
5. How to Claim Turkish Airlines Flight Cancellation Compensation and Cancellation Refund?
Should you want a refund for your ticket, you can do so via the “Manage Booking” section. The refund will be issued through the same payment method used to book your ticket.
And how about compensation for flight cancellation?
If your flight gets cancelled, you may be eligible for compensation from Turkish Airlines. The crucial step is to file a claim. Not doing so will result in no compensation. To start your claim, get in touch with Turkish Airlines’ customer service.
As Turkish Airlines is a non-European airline, these EU regulations apply only to Turkish Airlines flights departing from the EU and the UK.
Keep in mind that compensation is your right, and you are not obligated to accept travel vouchers as an alternative. As per EC Regulation 261, compensation for flight disruptions in the EU should be directly deposited into your bank account. The amount of compensation you may be eligible for is fixed, ranging from 250 to 600 euros.
Another choice you might consider is legal help.
Opting for this course means your claim will be managed by a flight compensation company. They will make the claim on your behalf and oversee the process until it is finalised.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Read more: How to Claim Turkish Airlines Compensation?
Have you experienced a last-minute flight cancellation? Do you still have questions about Turkish Airlines compensation policies? Ask in the comments.