Were you turned away at the gate with the words "the flight is full" even though you had a ticket? Did you know that under SHY-YOLCU and EC 261/2004 you may be entitled to compensation of up to 600 Euros?.
- Overbooking is entirely a commercial choice made by the airline; you are not at fault in any way.
- If you were denied boarding against your will, you are immediately entitled to cash compensation of between €250 and €600.
- IN ADDITION to the compensation, you can request a full refund of your ticket or a new flight to take you to your destination.
- While you wait, the airline is obligated to cover your hotel, food and drink, and transfer expenses.
What Is Overbooking (Denied Boarding Due to a Full Flight) and Is It Legal?
Airlines statistically calculate that some passengers will not show up for the flight at the last minute, and so they sell more tickets than the aircraft's physical seat capacity. This practice is called Overbooking. While this commercial practice is considered legal under IATA rules, passing the bill on to the passenger when everyone shows up for the flight is strictly prohibited.
Voluntary Surrender of Seat
When there are more passengers than the aircraft can hold, the airline first makes an announcement seeking volunteers. Passengers are offered travel vouchers, cash, or a Business class upgrade. If you accept this, you waive your right to the fixed statutory compensation.
Involuntary Denied Boarding
If not enough volunteers come forward and you are forcibly denied boarding despite having completed check-in on time, the airline is deemed to have committed the most serious violation. In this case, payment of the standard cash compensation is a legal requirement.
How Much Is Overbooking and Denied Boarding Compensation in 2026?
The compensation you will receive when denied boarding is set as a fixed amount based not on your ticket price but on the flight's great-circle (straight-line) distance.
| Flight Distance | Cash Compensation Amount | 50% Reduced Rate* |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Flights (Within Turkey) | 100 Euros (TRY Equivalent) | 50 Euros |
| Short Haul (0 - 1,500 km) | 250 Euros | 125 Euros |
| Medium Haul (1,500 - 3,500 km) | 400 Euros | 200 Euros |
| Long Haul (Over 3,500 km) | 600 Euros | 300 Euros |
*Note: If, after denying you boarding, the airline offers you a quick alternative flight and your delay in reaching your final destination does not exceed 2, 3, or 4 hours depending on the distance, your compensation is paid at a 50% reduced rate.
Calculate Your Overbooking Compensation
What Should You Do at the Airport in an Overbooking Situation?
Don't panic the moment you are denied boarding. Follow the steps below in order so that the legal process runs smoothly.
Request Documentation
Immediately request an "Involuntary Denied Boarding Document" from the ground handling staff. This document is the strongest evidence in your compensation claim.
Keep Your Boarding Pass
You must prove that you were at the airport on time. Never throw away your physical or digital boarding pass.
Choose an Alternative Flight
Tell the airline staff to arrange the earliest flight that will take you to your destination. Your right to compensation remains intact despite this new flight.
Hotel, Meal, and Refund Rights in an Overbooking Situation
Receiving compensation does not mean you have to suffer at the airport. In addition to cash compensation, you are definitively entitled to the following rights:
Optional Refund Right
You may give up on flying altogether. In that case, the full price of your ticket is refunded and you also receive your fixed compensation. These two are not alternatives to each other — you receive both.
Hotel and Transfer
If the new flight arranged for you rolls over to the next day, the airline is obligated to place you in a hotel that meets the standards and to provide the airport-hotel transfer free of charge.
Downgrade to a Lower Class
If they downgrade you from Business to Economy in order to fit you onto the overbooked flight, they are legally required to refund you in cash a statutory penalty ranging between 30% and 75% of the ticket price.
Our Compensation Guides for Flight Cancellations and Delays
Pegasus Compensation Guide
Learn about your rights and the SHY-YOLCU application steps for overbooking, cancellations, and delays on Pegasus (PC) flights.
AJet Compensation Guide
Discover the current compensation procedures for flights on AJet, which separated from Turkish Airlines to become its own legal entity.
Corendon Compensation Guide
Examine your asymmetric rights between the European Union Regulation and Turkish law on Corendon Airlines flights.
Were You Denied Boarding? Let Us Claim Your Compensation!
You don't have to put up with airlines' bureaucratic stalling tactics or their "let us give you a flight voucher" impositions. Let our expert team quickly collect on your behalf the cash compensation of up to 600 Euros that is your legal right.
Create Your Free Claim Now ➔Frequently Asked Questions About Denied Boarding and Overbooking
Immediately request an "Involuntary Denied Boarding Document" from the ground handling staff. Do not throw away your boarding pass. Without this document, asserting your rights later becomes more difficult. Then request from the airline the cash compensation that is your legal right.
Absolutely not. A ticket refund is the return of the money you paid because you could not fly. Overbooking compensation, on the other hand, is the legal penalty for the airline having wronged you. You are legally entitled to receive both.
Yes, they apply. While you submit a refund request to the tour operator for the cancellation of the package holiday you purchased from the tour company, you must separately claim the flight compensation arising from being denied boarding directly from the airline operating the flight.