SunExpress cancellation compensation

Compensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c). You are also entitled to choose between a full refund and a replacement flight, whatever the notice.

Which SunExpress flights are covered

SunExpress is registered in Türkiye — outside the EU and UK — so only flights leaving Europe are covered.

Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
Flying into the UK or EU from Türkiye or elsewhere: not covered by either, because SunExpress is not a UK or EU carrier.
That means a return trip is usually half-protected: the outbound from Europe counts, the flight home does not.

Worked examples on SunExpress routes

Computed by our rules engine, assuming cancelled with 3 days’ notice, not re-routed.
Route	Distance	Rules	Per passenger
London (LHR) → Antalya (AYT)	2,939 km	UK261	£350
Antalya (AYT) → London (LHR)	2,939 km	—	Not covered
Paris (CDG) → Antalya (AYT)	2,642 km	EU261	€400
Antalya (AYT) → Paris (CDG)	2,642 km	—	Not covered

Notice the asymmetry: the same route pays in one direction and not the other, because SunExpress is not a UK or EU airline and only departures from Europe are protected.

What SunExpress is likely to say — and the answer

“You were offered an alternative flight” — only relevant if it fell inside the Article 5 windows. Check the departure and arrival times.
“We told you in advance” — the question is whether it was 14 days or more, counted from when you were actually informed.
“Operational reasons” — not a category in the Regulation.
A voucher offered instead of money — you are entitled to be paid in money.

Specific to SunExpress

A Turkish-registered joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa. Being half-owned by a German airline does not make it an EU carrier — only the outbound from Europe is covered.
Almost all of their flying is Germany and Central Europe to the Turkish coast, in the 1,500–3,500 km band.
Summer peak schedules with high aircraft utilisation produce long knock-on delays, which are within their control.
Claims on the covered leg escalate to the enforcement body of the European departure country.

Check it free, then send the letter yourself.

If your SunExpress cancellation appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with SunExpress’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.

SunExpress cancellation: common questions

How much can I claim from SunExpress for a cancellation?

Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of SunExpress’s routes.

SunExpress cancelled my flight and put me on another one. Can I still claim?

Possibly. If you were told less than 14 days before, the airline only escapes compensation if the replacement fell inside strict windows — for example, with under 7 days’ notice, departing no more than an hour early and arriving less than two hours late. Outside those windows, compensation is due, although it can be halved if you arrived within 2, 3 or 4 hours depending on distance.

What reasons does SunExpress give for refusing cancellation claims?

The most common are: You were offered an alternative flight; We told you in advance; Operational reasons; A voucher offered instead of money. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.

How long do I have to make a SunExpress cancellation claim?

It depends on where you bring the claim, usually where the flight departed or arrived. Six years in England and Wales; two to five years in most EU countries.