Airlines to compensate passengers for prolonged delays in Türkiye

ANKARA

Türkiye has mandated compensation for passengers experiencing flight delays exceeding three hours, marking a major revision to civil aviation regulations.

Passengers will be entitled to compensation if their flight arrives at its destination three hours or more late "due to delays caused by technical or operational issues,” according to an amendment announced by the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry published in the Official Gazette in early Dec. 10.

For domestic flights, the compensation is set at 100 euros ($105), while the amount varies based on the flight distance for international flights.

Passengers on flights to foreign destinations within 1,500 kilometers from Türkiye are entitled to 250 euros. For distances between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers, the compensation rises to 400 euros, while flights exceeding 3,500 kilometers qualify for 600 euros.

The Turkish Lira equivalent of these amounts will be calculated using the Central Bank of Türkiye’s exchange rate on the payment date.

In a related regulatory update from August, Türkiye mandated physical searches at airport entrances when security devices are deemed insufficient. Passengers refusing manual checks, either of themselves or their belongings, are barred from boarding.

The new regulation came a day after Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced the initiation of simultaneous three-runway operations at Istanbul Airport on April 17, a system that he said would be a first in Europe.

“This innovation will significantly mitigate delays stemming from operational factors, enhance fuel efficiency and optimize flight performance,” Uraloğlu remarked.

Istanbul Airport, renowned as Europe’s busiest aviation hub, hosted an average of 1,318 daily flights between Nov. 18 and 24. It was followed by London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol and Frankfurt Airport. Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport ranked 10th with 648 daily flights.