Flight delayed by Turkish Airlines: Passengers have rights to defend
Air travel has become a common part of our daily lives. Whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, air travel is often a stressful experience. If your flight is canceled or delayed, you may be wondering what to do next.
There are several things you can do if your flight is delayed or cancelled. The key is knowing what options are available to you.
Here are some suggestions to help you through the situation:
– Ask for an alternative flight
If possible, try to take another flight. For example, if you are on a long-haul domestic flight and there are no other flights until later in the day, find out about connecting flights to your destination.
– Contact the airline for compensation
Turkish Airlines offers compensation for delays and cancellations. Find out how much you can claim by contacting the airline directly. You should also check with your credit card company. Some cards will offer refunds for time lost while traveling as well as fees charged for cancellation.
Your right to compensation is relative to the origin of the incident causing the theft. It must not be linked to an event beyond the control of the airline, such as severe weather, strike or breakdown at the airport, …
Otherwise, Turkish Airlines will owe compensation if your flight is delayed from an airport in the European Union, provided the following conditions are met:
– Flight delays reaching or exceeding three hours
– The flight departs from an airport located in an EU country
– In the event of a two-hour delay: Passengers are entitled to a meal/snack + two phone calls/SMS
– In case of delay during the night: He has the right to accommodation
– In the event of a delay of five hours: He can cancel his reservation and obtain a refund, and can always retain his right to financial compensation.
How to defend your rights while traveling on a connecting flight?
If you are a passenger on a connecting flight with Turkish Airlines and during the initial trip your flight had a delay which prevented you from reaching the connecting point early enough, you can cancel the trip, and you will have right to reimbursement and compensation.
In addition, passengers have the right to be compensated for the delay of their flight, but this applies when the delay is attributable to the airline. If the delay is between one and three hours, the passenger will receive a snack and a telephone call; and if it is between three and five o’clock, you will also be entitled to the respective meals of the time of day, i.e. breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The financial compensation to which one is entitled when one undergoes a significant delay or even a cancellation or an overbooking of which Turkish Airlines is at the origin varies according to certain factors:
– 1500km flight: 250€
– Flight over a distance of more than 1500km and less than 3500km: 400€
– Flight over 3500km distance: 600€
When the delay of the flight exceeds five hours, in addition to what has already been mentioned, the airline must offer additional compensation equivalent to at least 30% of the value of the trip, which can be given in cash, in ticket vouchers or miles, depending on the passenger.
If the delay is more than five hours, and the passenger is stranded at the airport overnight, he will be entitled to be covered for accommodation and fees and transfers to and from the airport, if he is not in his city of residence. All of the above should be remembered, in case the delays are attributable to the airline.
The above applies to delays, however, in the event of permanent cancellation of the flight, travelers have the right to forfeit the trip, which gives rise to a refund. If you wish to keep the trip, you can request to be covered for accommodation and transport costs, as well as an additional compensation of 30% of the value of the trip.
In addition, in case of overbooking, Turkish Airlines must board the passenger on the next available flight and grant him compensation equivalent to 30% of the value of the trip in cash unless he expressly agrees to another means.
If the Turkish company does not serve another flight, it must make the necessary arrangements to board it on another airline.
Contact Turkish Airlines for more information
When calling customer service, be sure to explain exactly why your flight was canceled or delayed. This way the agents can better assist you when changing your itinerary and/or refunding money.
Try not to stress yourself out over a minor inconvenience. Instead, focus on preparing for whatever comes next.
I’m claiming for the flight delay compensation on behalf of 4 passengers (reservations code SXNUSW). Our return flight from Colombo (flight TK731 18. November 2023 Colombo Istanbul) was delayed more than 3 hours and we missed the connecting flight to Tallinn. Then the new offered connection flight TK1421 19. Nov 2023 to Tallinn was canceled and the next proposed flight to Tallinn was TK1423 on 19. Nov 2023.
So, basically, we arrived in Tallinn with 24 hours of delay.
For spending the night in Istanbul the free Hotel was given but we had to pay for a transfer to BAF travel agency 7920 Turkish lira (260 EUR)
Waiting for further instructions.
Thank you,
Vello Muursepp