Security Officer Issue on Turkish Airlines' Istanbul Connecting Flight
On March 20, 2024, I had a flight from Izmir to Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a connection in Istanbul, along with my son. I had planned a 15-day trip. However, despite having all our documents in order, including hotel reservations, round-trip flight tickets, and the address, phone number, name, and company details of our relative in Brazil, the security officer Y**** K. caused problems. I even showed that I had ₺4 million in my Turkish bank accounts. He took our passports and tickets, asked how many suitcases we had, and told us to wait while he went to his area. I suspect he called the plane and had our luggage removed. When boarding started, I approached him and asked if there was an issue. Unfortunately, he said we couldn't board and that we were waiting in vain. When I asked for a reason, he said 'suspicious travel.' I asked for a legal justification, and he replied, 'I don't have to.' He turned his back and walked away dismissively. I asked for the police and a report, but he said there were no police available. After an hour of struggle, we missed the flight and had to buy new tickets to return to Izmir, along with paying for luggage fees. I have filed complaints with all relevant authorities, including the Police, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Consumer Arbitration Committee. I will take this matter to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. I will oppose any restrictions on my travel freedom, the demeaning of my passport, and being labeled as a 'low profile.' A paper stating 'We do not accept the counter station' was given. What does that have to do with you? This is a matter for the Brazilian government. You cannot disregard people's money and efforts. When I called THY, they said, 'We cannot refund the ticket; you missed the flight.' I replied, 'I didn't miss the flight; I wasn't allowed to board.' They said, 'That's how it was noted here.' I will spend ten times the ticket price, but I will not let this matter go. This is a matter of honor. Best regards.
