What to do if your flight to/from Istanbul is delayed — compensation, refunds, practical tips
From messages by 8 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 7 days ago
If an airline cancels a flight (e.g. Iraero on the Istanbul–Sochi route) but the booking still shows as active on the website, refunds are not automatic — you must contact whoever you booked through. In a similar case with a different airline, the passenger got an email offering an alternate flight; after declining, the money was refunded, minus a small fee kept by the airline.
Iraero — Istanbul–Sochi flight cancellation
S7 Airlines: a Domodedovo–Istanbul flight was delayed by an hour due to fog — no major issues resulted, and the return flight had no delays.
S7 — 1-hour fog delay
An Aeroflot flight to Istanbul was delayed from 10:45 to 13:15 (about 2.5 hours); the crew only made up ~20 minutes in the air, so many passengers had to run for connecting flights upon arrival.
Aeroflot — ~2.5-hour delay risking connections
When rebooking a return flight date to avoid an inconvenient connection (low-cost carrier vs. Turkish Airlines timing), the airline charged a 60-euro rebooking penalty.
Rebooking penalty — €60
Booking through aggregators like Kupibilet can save money compared to airline websites, but resolving flight issues goes through the intermediary, not the airline directly. Ural Airlines seat selection fees were around 1,900 RUB one way and 1,400 TRY for two seats on the return.
Kupibilet — saves vs. airline direct
During an Ajet multi-hour delay at Istanbul airport, passengers received food court vouchers as compensation. If the delay gives extra time in the city, leaving luggage at a hotel and exploring is a practical option — track departure via the airport's own departure boards.
Food court vouchers — standard delay compensation
Yandex flight tracking is unreliable for Istanbul routes — use the airport's official departure boards or the airline's own app instead. Also note that some regional Russian airports have limited facilities for long waits.
Yandex flight tracker — unreliable
Under rules in force since early 2026, a 30-minute delay can be grounds for a refund on Russian carriers. How this applies to Turkish airlines like Pegasus is unclear. Force majeure events (e.g. drone activity) are often used by airlines to deny compensation as circumstances beyond their control.
Pegasus Airlines — force majeure refund unclear
Carrying around $300 in cash as a buffer is wise when transiting through Istanbul without onward tickets booked — covers emergency transport, a new ticket, or an unplanned overnight stay if your flight is delayed.
~$300 cash buffer recommended
If you booked through a third-party aggregator (like Ozon Travel) and your flight is rescheduled, change requests can take up to 10 days to process. Buying a new ticket and claiming a refund through the aggregator is very difficult — contact the airline directly instead.
Ozon Travel — change requests take up to 10 days
Paying for Istanbul–Sofia train tickets on the TCDD website fails with cards from certain foreign banks — the transaction is declined after entering the confirmation code. Try alternative payment methods or purchase directly at a TCDD ticket office.
TCDD website — foreign cards often declined