Sunexpress, Claims and Refunds

Airline Sunexpress

Sunexpress is a Turkish low-cost airline. Based in Antalya, it was founded in 1989.

It has three bases in Turkey, at the airports of Antalya, Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen, and Izmir. In 2001, it became the first private Turkish airline to operate international flights. The first international flight was from Antalya to Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

With a fleet of 62 aircraft, this Turkish airline serves over 90 destinations in 35 different countries. 21 of these are within the European Community.

If you travel with SunExpress, there is a high chance that your departure or arrival airport will be in Europe.

Here’s what that means for your rights.

Reminder of the European regulations

In the European Community, civil aviation is governed by the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.

This regulation, alongside international regulations, outlines how your rights are enforced. It also sets out the specific measures that airlines must take.

SunExpress: which flights are covered by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004?

Although SunExpress is a Turkish airline, it is partially subject to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.

This regulation establishes your rights and the obligations they impose on airlines. It also has a scope of application. It applies to:

The latter point does not apply to SunExpress. However, the airline operates numerous routes with the European Union. Therefore, it is subject to flights departing from the EU.

These flights are indeed covered by European law.

Your rights on Sunexpress flights under European law

If your SunExpress flight departed from a European airport, the following applies to you. Turkish law also provides for passenger assistance in difficult situations, but these differ from European law.

Thus, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 primarily guarantees three rights.

The right to care until your arrival

You have paid for your boarding pass, your documents are in order, and you are on time for boarding. SunExpress must take you to your destination.

However, air travel often encounters unforeseen events. Sometimes, it's a slight delay. Other times, it could be a complete cancellation of your flight. You might also be denied boarding due to overbooking.

The airline is still obliged to get you where you want to go. Therefore, it must offer you a replacement flight.

While waiting for your arrival, it must take care of you. If you incur expenses, it must cover them. Thus, in the event of a significant delay, you are entitled to meals and drinks. If you need to stay overnight, the airline must cover your accommodation costs. Finally, if you need to make calls, SunExpress must reimburse you for two of them.

The right to a refund if no suitable solution is found

If no replacement flight suits you, or if your flight is delayed by more than 5 hours, you are entitled to a full refund.

This right is guaranteed, regardless of any other offer you have subscribed to. Even if your ticket is non-refundable, this is an exception.

The refund means giving up your journey. You also forfeit any care and compensation.

While a refund is possible, it is not always the best option.

The right, under conditions, to compensation in case of flight disruption

In cases of delay, cancellation or overbooking, the European regulation provides a fixed compensation scale.

The amount depends on the circumstances, but it ranges between €125 and €600.

This is not always owed, and you must request it.

Compensation, how does it work?

To request compensation, you can file a claim via the airline's website.

Please note, for SunExpress, this form is in English. You will find it under the "Help and Contact" section.

Your flight was delayed

 Delays are not uncommon in air travel. But most of the time, they are limited (30 to 60 minutes).

However, in some cases, they can be more significant and completely disrupt travellers. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 provides the following compensation scale :

Your flight was cancelled

In the event of flight cancellation, the same compensation scale applies. But even with a lesser delay, you are also entitled to compensation. This is reduced by half. You are therefore entitled to:

SunExpress denied you boarding due to overbooking

When SunExpress (or another airline) sells more tickets than there are seats available on a plane, it is known as overbooking.

This strategy relies on passengers not showing up for boarding. But when everyone shows up, some will not be able to travel. In this case, they are denied boarding.

If this happens to you, you are entitled to a fixed compensation, calculated on the same basis as for a flight cancellation.

In which cases is SunExpress not required to compensate you?

For an airline to compensate you, it must be responsible for the issue. In some cases, it will not be held responsible and therefore will not have to compensate you.

SunExpress will not have to compensate you:

The strike only concerns third-party employees. If SunExpress staff are on strike, the airline will be responsible and must compensate you.

Was your Sunexpress flight disrupted? Find out if you are entitled to compensation

Even though SunExpress is a Turkish airline, if your flight departed from the European Community, you are indeed covered by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.

However, knowing your rights and enforcing them are two different things, and it’s not always easy. Are you affected by this situation? Delayed can help you.

As specialists in air passenger rights, we assist you in claiming compensation from airlines.

Contact us and reclaim up to €600 on your flight ticket.