Turkey’s flagship carrier, Turkish Airlines (THY), is preparing to overhaul its flight crew compensation and overtime calculation system. The new procedure, which has been circulating among staff and whose draft details have leaked, is expected to take effect in January 2027 pending official finalization.

Directly targeting pilots and cabin crew, this permanent procedural shift has sparked widespread debate across the aviation sector and among Turkish Airlines personnel.

55 → 70 Hours

New Base Threshold

40 Hours

Guaranteed Minimum

10% – 20%

Projected Pay Cut

January 2027

Expected Rollout

How the New System Works (Replacing the 55-Hour Threshold with 70 Hours)

Under the current system, flight crews' hourly rates and guaranteed flight rights are calculated based on a 55-hour baseline. According to the leaked draft, this threshold is being raised to 70 hours. The core logic of the new framework is to curb guaranteed payouts for lower flight hours and tie total earnings directly to actual hours flown.

Key calculation criteria under the new model include:

0 – 40 Hours

Personnel logging very few flight hours in a month will receive a guaranteed minimum payout equivalent to 40 hours.

40 – 70 Hours

Staff will be compensated strictly for the number of hours actually flown.

Over 70 Hours (Overtime)

Overtime multipliers will kick in for flights exceeding 70 hours.

  • 1.5xFlights between 70–80 hours
  • 2xFlights exceeding 80 hours

Current Model vs. Proposed New Model

Parameter Current Model Proposed New Model (Jan 2027)
Base Threshold 55 Hours 70 Hours
Guaranteed Minimum Hours Higher floor protection 40 Hours
Overtime Trigger Exceeding 55 hours Exceeding 70 hours
Affected Groups — Cockpit and Cabin Crews Only

Critical Risks Regarding Income Loss and Annual Leave

Reports indicate that the new calculation method will disproportionately impact staff whose monthly flight hours fall below 70 as well as flight crew members who also handle administrative or office duties.

Lower Hourly Rates

Raising the baseline from 55 to 70 hours is expected to dilute the underlying hourly rate. Consequently, overtime premiums paid at 1.5x and 2x multipliers after 70 hours would also be calculated against a lower baseline value.

Projected 10% – 20% Pay Cut

Simulations run across personnel groups suggest that employees could experience a 10% to 20% drop in total monthly earnings, even when flying the exact same hours as before.

Impact on Annual Leave

A flight attendant or pilot taking 15 days of annual leave in a month will find it extremely difficult to clear the 70-hour threshold during the remaining days, leading to a sharp drop in salary during months with vacation time.

Internal Pushback and Approval Process

The leak of the draft document has already triggered initial objections from flight crews submitted directly to Turkish Airlines management. Once the formal procedure is published, management is reportedly planning to notify employees of the changes via email.

While Turkish Airlines has yet to issue an official, binding statement, cockpit and cabin crews are closely monitoring how these developments will align with existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) terms.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

According to the leaked draft, the new procedure is expected to take effect in January 2027 if officially approved. Currently, Turkish Airlines has not released any official or binding statements regarding the change.

The modifications apply exclusively to cockpit and cabin crews—namely pilots and flight attendants.

Under the existing setup, hourly rates and guaranteed flight entitlements are calculated over a 55-hour baseline. The new proposal raises this threshold to 70 hours, tying total compensation directly to actual hours flown.

Staff logging very low monthly flight hours will receive a guaranteed baseline payout equivalent to at least 40 hours.

Crew members flying between 40 and 70 hours will be paid strictly based on the number of hours they actually fly.

Overtime will kick in only after 70 hours. Flights between 70 and 80 hours will be paid at 1.5x, while flights exceeding 80 hours will be paid at 2x. By contrast, overtime currently begins after 55 hours.

Moving the baseline from 55 to 70 hours is expected to depress the baseline hourly rate. This introduces the risk that 1.5x and 2x overtime multipliers will also be applied to a lower base value.

Simulations run by employee groups indicate that total monthly earnings could drop by 10% to 20% even when flying the same hours. Note that this figure is based on internal staff calculations rather than official data.

A pilot or flight attendant taking 15 days of annual leave during a month will struggle to hit the 70-hour threshold in the remaining days, potentially causing a notable reduction in salary during vacation months.

Following the leak of the draft, flight crews have already voiced initial objections to Turkish Airlines management. Management is expected to formally release the procedure and notify staff via email. Crews are closely tracking how the process will unfold under Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) guidelines.