Cancelled Flights: Your Rights and Compensation
When a flight is cancelled the airline owes you two separate things: first, to get you to your destination or give your money back; second — unless you were warned well in advance — €250 to €600 in compensation. One does not replace the other: putting you on the next flight does not cancel the compensation debt. This page explains which cancellations pay, how the notice periods work, and how to choose between a refund and re-routing.
Which flights are covered?
- EC 261/2004: all flights departing from the EU/EEA/Switzerland and flights arriving in the EU on an EU airline; the UK applies UK 261.
- SHY-Passenger (Turkey): all flights departing from Turkey and flights arriving in Turkey on a Turkish airline.
The typical gap: a non-EU airline flying from outside the EU into Turkey (for example Dubai–Istanbul on Emirates). Use the calculator to see which rule covers your route.
Notice period: the key to compensation
| When you were told | Compensation | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| More than 14 days before departure | None | — |
| 7–14 days before | Yes | if the alternative departs more than 2 h earlier or arrives more than 4 h later than scheduled |
| Less than 7 days before | Yes | if the alternative departs more than 1 h earlier or arrives more than 2 h later than scheduled |
The airline must prove that the notice actually reached you. If you booked through an agency that never passed the message on, the airline is still liable — notifying the agent is not notifying the passenger.
Compensation amounts
| Distance | Compensation | Reduced by 50 % if re-routing arrives within* |
|---|---|---|
| Turkish domestic | €100 | — |
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | 2 hours |
| 1,500 – 3,500 km | €400 | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 (€400 within the EU) | 4 hours |
*Of the originally scheduled arrival time.
Refund or re-routing — your choice
- Full refund of the unused segments within 7 days, by the original payment method; if the trip no longer serves its purpose, the used segment too, plus a free flight back to your starting point.
- Re-routing at the earliest opportunity, on another airline if necessary. "First seat in three days" is not acceptable if another carrier has space today.
- Re-routing on a later date of your choosing, subject to availability.
The refund must be in money; vouchers require your written consent. While you wait, the care rights described under delayed flights apply. Details of the refund process: flight refund.
The extraordinary-circumstances defence
If the airline proves the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided by any reasonable measure, no compensation is due — the refund or re-routing duty always remains. Weather, air-traffic-control decisions, airport strikes and security threats qualify. Technical faults, crew shortages, strikes by the airline's own staff, rotation problems and merging under-booked flights do not, however often airlines call them "operational reasons". A general statement is not enough; the airline must produce evidence.
Steps to take
- Keep the cancellation notice (SMS, e-mail, app) and your booking reference. At the airport, ask for the reason in writing.
- State your choice — refund or re-routing — in writing; do not rely on verbal promises.
- Collect receipts for extra costs: meals, hotel, taxi, replacement tickets.
- Submit the claim form. We assess the file free of charge within 48 hours and, if you have a claim, handle the airline and any legal proceedings. Fees apply only on success.
Frequently asked questions
The airline rebooked me for the next day and paid the hotel. Can I still claim?
Yes. Hotel and re-routing are the airline's care and carriage duties; compensation is a separate right and is paid in full if the arrival delay exceeds the limits above.
The flight date was changed but nobody said "cancelled".
Any change of flight number or date that moves passengers to another service is legally a cancellation. The facts decide, not the airline's wording.
I booked through a tour operator.
Compensation is owed by the operating airline; package passengers have the same rights. The refund is claimed from the operator under the package contract.
How far back can I claim?
Turkey: 10 years; EU countries: 2–6 years depending on national law. Cancellations from 2016 onward are usually still claimable.
See also denied boarding and airline-specific pages.
Flight cancelled? Start your claim — no win, no fee.
Informational only; based on EC 261/2004 and the Turkish SHY-Passenger Regulation as in force at publication. Not legal advice.