SHY Regulation: Your Guide to Turkey Flight Passenger Rights

Turkey is one of the world's busiest aviation markets, with Istanbul Airport serving as a major global hub. If your flight was delayed, cancelled, or you were denied boarding on a flight departing from or arriving in Turkey, you're protected by SHY-YOLCU — Turkey's air passenger rights regulation.

Following a significant amendment in December 2024, the SHY regulation now covers flight delays as well as cancellations and denied boarding. Passengers can claim up to €600 per person paid in Turkish lira, plus care and assistance during disruptions.

This guide explains how the SHY regulation works, what Turkish air passenger rights you have, the compensation amounts, which flights are covered, and how FlyPayout handles the claim process for you.

What is the SHY Regulation?

SHY stands for Sivil Havacılık Yönetmeliği — Turkey's Civil Aviation Regulation. The specific regulation covering passenger rights is known as SHY-YOLCU (SHY-Passenger), issued by the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM).

SHY-Passenger originally entered into force on 1 January 2012. On 10 December 2024, a major amendment was published in the Official Gazette (No. 32748), extending compensation to flight delays for the first time. The Turkish regulation on air passenger rights now covers three situations: delays of 3+ hours, cancellations notified less than 14 days before departure, and involuntary denied boarding.

Which flights does the SHY Regulation cover?

SHY-Passenger applies based on where the flight departs and which airline operates it:

Flight route	Turkish airline	Non-Turkish airline
From Turkey to Turkey (domestic)	Covered	Covered
From Turkey to outside Turkey	Covered	Covered
From outside Turkey to Turkey	Covered	Not covered
From outside Turkey to outside Turkey	Not covered	Not covered

All departures from Turkish airports are covered. Any flight leaving Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, or any other Turkish airport falls under SHY, regardless of the airline. Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, AnadoluJet, Ryanair, and easyJet are all covered when departing from Turkey.

Arriving flights — only Turkish carriers. A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul is not covered by SHY, but it is covered by EC 261 because it departs from an EU airport.

Connecting flights through Istanbul. If your ticket is a single confirmed reservation with the first segment departing from a Turkish airport, SHY-Passenger covers the entire journey to your final destination.

How much compensation under the SHY Regulation?

Flight type	Compensation amount
Domestic flights	€100 (in Turkish lira equivalent)
International flights up to 1,500 km	€250 (in Turkish lira equivalent)
International flights 1,500 km to 3,500 km	€400 (in Turkish lira equivalent)
International flights over 3,500 km	€600 (in Turkish lira equivalent)

Payment is in Turkish lira, converted using the Central Bank of Turkey's selling rate on the date the compensation is paid. A 50% reduction applies if the airline offers an alternative flight and you arrive within 2 to 4 hours of your originally scheduled arrival, depending on flight distance.

These amounts are per passenger. A family of four on a qualifying Istanbul to New York flight can claim €2,400 equivalent in total.

When do you qualify for compensation under SHY?

Flight delays

You are entitled to compensation when your flight arrives at the final destination 3 or more hours late due to technical or operational reasons within the airline's control. The delay is measured at arrival, not at the departure airport. Even if a flight departs late but arrives less than 3 hours delayed, no compensation is due.

Flight cancellations

You are entitled to compensation when the airline cancels your flight and notifies you less than 14 days before departure. The airline must offer you a choice between a full refund of the ticket price including taxes, rebooking on the next available replacement flight, or rebooking at a later date.

Denied boarding

If the airline involuntarily denies you boarding due to overbooking, you are entitled to immediate financial compensation plus rebooking or a refund. Airlines must first seek volunteers before involuntarily bumping passengers. Passengers with reduced mobility and those requiring priority assistance must not be denied boarding except on safety grounds.

Your rights to care under SHY-Passenger

Regardless of whether compensation is due, the airline must provide care during delays:

Wait time	What the airline must provide
2+ hours	Refreshments (hot or cold drinks)
3+ hours	Provide meals plus refreshments
5+ hours	Additional meals, plus option to request a full refund
Overnight delays	Hotel accommodation plus airport transfers to and from the hotel

The airline must also provide two free communications — phone calls, faxes, or emails — during any delay. Passengers should retain their boarding passes and booking confirmation as these are required when submitting a compensation claim.

When airlines don't have to pay under SHY

The SHY regulation recognizes extraordinary circumstances — also referred to as force majeure — that exempt airlines from paying compensation but not from providing care: severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security threats, political instability, natural disasters, and hidden manufacturing defects.

What does not count: technical faults from routine maintenance, crew illness or shortages, operational scheduling problems, and airline staff strikes. If the airline invokes extraordinary circumstances, they bear the burden of proving it. FlyPayout verifies every rejection against independent flight data to secure fair compensation for passengers owed it.

SHY vs EC 261: key differences

Feature	SHY-Passenger (Turkey)	EC 261 (Europe)
Delay threshold	3 hours (since Dec 2024)	3 hours
Compensation — domestic	€100	€250 (flights up to 1,500 km)
Compensation — international	€250/€400/€600	€250/€400/€600
Cancellation notice	14 days	14 days
Payment currency	Turkish lira (at Central Bank rate)	Euros
Care timing	2h/3h/5h	2h/3h/4h
Scope	Flights from Turkey + Turkish carriers inbound	Flights from Europe + European carriers inbound
Time limit	2 years from ticket purchase date	1–6 years (varies by country)

The main differences: SHY pays less for domestic flights (€100 vs €250), pays in Turkish lira rather than euros, and has a fixed 2-year limitation period from the ticket purchase date rather than the country-by-country variation in the EU.

SHY Regulation and flights from the Western Balkans

Belgrade, Sarajevo, or Podgorica to Istanbul: EC 261 applies because the flight departs from a European airport (€250 to €600). Istanbul to those destinations: SHY-Passenger applies because the flight departs from Turkey (€250, under 1,500 km). In all cases you are protected — the question is which regulation and which amount. FlyPayout determines the strongest claim for your specific route.

How FlyPayout Handles Your SHY Regulation Claim

Turkish flight compensation claims involve SHY-Passenger rules, Turkish lira conversion, and Turkish legal channels. FlyPayout handles the entire process for you.

1. Check your flight. Enter your flight details into our free calculator. In under 2 minutes, you'll know if you're eligible and how much you could receive.
2. Submit your claim. FlyPayout handles the documentation, airline communication, and case management. We determine whether SHY or EC 261 gives you the stronger claim and file accordingly.
3. Get paid. We negotiate with the airline on your behalf. If they refuse, our legal team takes the case forward at the earliest opportunity. We only charge when you receive your money.

Why Choose FlyPayout?

Claim for Turkish flight disruptions from the last 2 years. We cover flights departing from Turkey, Turkish carrier flights worldwide, and European flights to and from Turkey under EC 261. No win, no fee — you never pay upfront. Legal team experienced in both SHY passenger rights and EC 261 claims.

Frequently Asked Questions About the SHY Regulation

What is the SHY regulation?

SHY-YOLCU is Turkey's air passenger rights law, enforced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It was introduced in 2012 and significantly amended in December 2024 to include delay compensation. It covers delays, cancellations, and denied boarding on flights departing from Turkish airports and on Turkish airline flights arriving in Turkey.

How much compensation does the SHY regulation provide?

Since December 2024, the regulation provides €100 for domestic delays and €250, €400, or €600 for international flights depending on flight distance. Amounts are paid in Turkish lira at the Central Bank exchange rate. The maximum is €600 for international flights over 3,500 km.

Does the SHY regulation apply to all airlines at Turkish airports?

Yes. Any flight departing from a Turkish airport is covered by SHY-Passenger, regardless of the airline. For flights arriving in Turkey from outside, only Turkish carriers are covered.

What are SHY passenger rights for delayed flights?

Passengers on flights delayed by 3 or more hours at the final destination are entitled to compensation of €100 to €600 in Turkish lira equivalent, plus refreshments after 2 hours, meals after 3 hours, and hotel accommodation plus airport transfers for overnight delays. After 5 hours, you can request a full refund.

What is the deadline for filing a SHY claim?

You have 2 years from the ticket purchase date to file a claim. Contact the airline first — it has 10 days to respond. If unsatisfied, escalate to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM).

Can I claim under both SHY and EC 261?

No — not twice for the same flight. But some routes qualify under either regime. FlyPayout assesses which gives you the higher payout.

Does SHY cover Turkish Airlines flights from Europe?

No. Turkish Airlines flights departing from European airports are covered by EC 261. Flights departing from Turkish airports are covered by SHY. The departure airport and operating carrier determine which regulation applies.

Flying to, from, or through Turkey? Know your SHY passenger rights.

Turkey's passenger rights have improved dramatically since December 2024. With delay compensation now included alongside cancellation and denied boarding protections, SHY-Passenger puts Turkey among the strongest passenger protection regimes in the world. If your flight was disrupted, you likely have a valid claim.

Check your flight now — it takes less than 2 minutes, and it's completely free.

FlyPayout helps passengers claim compensation for flight delays, cancellations, denied boarding, overbooking, missed connections, and baggage claims. Our service is risk-free — you only pay when we succeed.