Turkish Airlines Denies Medical Refund for Cardiac Patient on Booking SSNVB7

Approximately three months ago, I purchased economy class tickets on Turkish Airlines via Trip.com for my 79-year-old friend and his caregiver, covering a departure flight from Istanbul to Bangkok on October 20, 2026, and a return flight from Bangkok to Istanbul on November 19, 2026. We paid a total of $2,426 for these two tickets. Our booking reference PNR is SSNVB7, and our e-ticket numbers are 235-2529455745 and 235-2529455746.

Recently, my friend suddenly suffered a severe heart condition; he is currently hospitalized and scheduled for a pacemaker implantation. His doctor explicitly stated that due to his medical condition, he absolutely cannot board an airplane and that traveling abroad is impossible. Upon receiving this medical opinion, I contacted Trip.com, explained the situation, and requested the cancellation of the tickets. Trip.com directed me to speak directly with Turkish Airlines and explain the situation to them.

Even after calling the Turkish Airlines call center and detailing both my friend's advanced age and severe medical condition, I was informed that the tickets could not be canceled. Despite a severe and fully documentable health emergency, explicit medical orders stating "unfit to fly," and significant advance notice prior to departure, neither Trip.com nor Turkish Airlines offered any flexibility or assistance to resolve our hardship.

Given that it is indisputable this trip cannot take place due to my friend's age and severe cardiac health issues, I demand a full refund of the ticket cost or a cancellation with reasonable deductions, or at the very least a usable alternative solution without penalty charges. By attaching the official hospital reports and physician statements, I demand that our hardship be resolved under these mandatory medical cancellation grounds.