Turkish Airlines Early Gate Closure and False Statements
Turkish Airlines violated gate closure rules and caused me to miss my international flight by closing the gate more than 20 minutes early. They responded to my complaint both at the airport and through their website with the following 'false information': 'Boarding procedures end 20 minutes before the flight time.' Despite this clear rule stated in their response, they falsely claimed that they waited until 08:05 for the 08:20 flight. I have attached a photo taken at 07:57 showing the gate closed, with all details confirmed by the flight screen image.
Turkish Airlines makes passengers agree to various unfair terms during ticket purchase to legally protect themselves, such as overbooking and canceling tickets. However, providing false statements is not part of this agreement!
My complaints and discussions at the Turkish Airlines counter at the airport were recorded, and even the staff acknowledged my objection and confirmed that the ticket would be refunded. However, Turkish Airlines frequently violates passenger rights and responds to objections with false statements.
Beyond the ticket cost, the damages caused by the early gate closure and the cancellation of a business trip are much greater. Instead of compensating for these, Turkish Airlines management avoids responsibility with false statements.
The response to my objection is as follows:
Dear O*** S*** U*******,
We are sorry for the dissatisfaction you experienced.
Regarding your feedback, we have determined that for the TK1085 Istanbul/Podgorica flight on November 24, 2023, scheduled at 08:20, the gate was kept open until 08:05, and the last passenger boarded at 07:53.
Based on this information, we regret to inform you that we cannot respond positively to your request. One of our priorities is to ensure timely flights and get you to your destination on time. Therefore, boarding procedures end 20 minutes before the flight time to complete departure preparations. Unfortunately, we cannot accept late passengers to avoid any delays in the flight schedule.
We hope to connect you with new places and different cultures in your future travels.
Best regards,
M**** A.
Elite / Elite Plus Customer Representative
