I Was Denied Boarding on a Connecting Turkish Airlines Flight
On 24/05/2024, I purchased a ticket from Turkish Airlines for a flight from Istanbul to Indonesia. During my return trip, I had a connecting flight from Malaysia to Indonesia, which was operated by a partner airline of Turkish Airlines. Unfortunately, the partner airline did not allow me to board the flight.
As a result, I was stranded at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia airport for an extra day and had to purchase a new ticket from another airline to reach Indonesia with a one-day delay. Due to this issue, I contacted Turkish Airlines customer service four times to file a complaint regarding my financial and emotional distress. However, Turkish Airlines did not take responsibility for the ticket they sold and repeatedly dismissed my complaints despite providing all necessary documents.
Their initial response claimed that I was late for the flight. I disputed this, and their second response stated that I was denied boarding due to passport and visa issues. Their third response claimed I was not allowed to board because I did not have a ticket. Turkish Airlines ignored the ticket I purchased from them and blamed their partner airline, asking me to contact them. Their fourth response was that I was denied boarding because I did not have a return ticket to Turkey, despite having a two-year residence visa for Indonesia.
I have previously flown from Istanbul to Indonesia via Malaysia without any issues. Additionally, the next day I flew from Malaysia to Indonesia with Batik Air without any problems. Friends who came to meet me also faced inconvenience as they had to take an extra day off from work.
Due to the one-day delay, I had to cover hotel and vehicle rental expenses for the people who came to pick me up in Indonesia. Since I am currently abroad, I do not have the option to file a lawsuit at this time. I urge Turkish Airlines officials to address this matter promptly.
