A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question about Turkish Airlines due to “operational” reasons and whether they are eligible for compensation.
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You can access Turkish Airlines here.
Reader Question:
I am currently in transit at the Istanbul airport from Athens Greece to Hong Kong. Right before I boarded the first flight to Istanbul, I received a notification from TK that my 2nd flight was delayed for 5 hours and 40 minutes due to operational reasons.
I am wondering if I am entitled to any kind of compensation from Turkish Airlines?
The airline staff suggested that I send the airline a feedback on their website, would that actually help?
Turkish Airlines is not a community carrier, although Turkey also has some passenger rights legislation, but the reader’s trip started in Greece, which is part of the European Union, and the EC 261/2004 legislation applies.
The reader is eligible for 600 euro compensation from Turkish Airlines unless the airline can prove that the delay was due to an “extraordinary” circumstance.
For example, strikes by airline employees or mechanical issues are not considered extraordinary.
The reader should:
1. Claims EC 261/2004 Compensation from Turkish Airlines
The reader should send a message to Turkish Airlines and request 600 euros in flight delay compensation.
Note that the airline must pay this in CASH and not some funny money or credits. Don’t accept anything else.
If denied, the reader then has two options:
1. Contact EC 261/2004 Enforcement Body
The reader can contact the EC 261/2004 Enforcement Body in Greece, which should investigate whether Turkish Airlines is required to pay the delay compensation.
2. Use Claim Agency
The alternate option is to use a claims agency that does all the work for you. If a claim is successful, the agency takes a 30% to 40% commission.
Conclusion
Turkish Airlines would have been liable for F&B expenses during the delay in Istanbul per EC 261/2004.
The airline is not the easiest to work with regarding claims such as this, but if they don’t reply or the response is negative, the National Enforcement Body is likely the best option.
