AJet Denied Boarding: Oversold Flights and What You're Owed

AJet, the low cost arm of Turkish Airlines, runs high load factors on its UK to Turkey routes and oversells like any budget carrier. Being refused boarding on an AJet flight raises an extra question that does not come up with British or EU airlines: which country's rules apply to you.

Which rules cover your bump

• Denied boarding at a UK airport, such as Stansted, Gatwick or Luton: UK261 applies in full, because every departure from the UK is protected regardless of where the airline is registered
• Denied boarding in Turkey on the way home: UK261 does not apply, because AJet is neither UK nor EU registered. Turkey's own passenger rights regulation, SHY-Yolcu, does apply, and it gives comparable rights to compensation, rerouting and care for passengers offloaded from oversold flights departing Turkish airports

So a bump in either direction is claimable. Only the route to the claim changes.

Check which airline operated the flight

AJet services are frequently sold under Turkish Airlines flight numbers, so passengers often think they were bumped by Turkish Airlines when AJet actually operated the aircraft. The claim lies against the operating carrier. Check the boarding pass before you write to anyone, because filing against the wrong airline is an easy rejection.

Volunteers are asked for first

The airline must seek volunteers before offloading anyone involuntarily. If you accept a voucher, a refund plus a later flight, or any other package at the gate, you have volunteered and given up the fixed compensation. Establish the cash figure before you agree.

How much can you claim?

• £220 or €250 for flights under 1,500km
• £350 or €400 for flights 1,500-3,500km
• £520 or €600 for flights over 3,500km

London to Istanbul is around 2,500km, so a UK bump on AJet normally pays £350 per passenger. There is no waiting period to satisfy, though the airline can halve the figure if it reroutes you and you still arrive within 3 hours of your original arrival time on a route of that length.

Cheap fare, same compensation

The amount is set by distance, not by what you paid. A £50 AJet ticket that gets you bumped is worth the same £350 as anyone else's on that flight, and frequently many times the fare.

When nothing is owed

Turning up after the gate closed, missing or invalid travel documents for Turkey or the UK, and refusals on genuine safety, security or health grounds are not denied boarding. Ask for the airline's reason in writing at the airport, since the whole claim turns on it.

How far back can you claim?

For UK departures you have 6 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 5 years in Scotland, which also covers older AnadoluJet flights before the rebrand.

How to claim

Klaimly identifies the operating carrier, applies the right regulation for your direction of travel and handles the AJet claim for a flat 5% fee, only if we win. No VAT, no minimum fee, and nothing to pay unless your claim succeeds.