Turkish Airlines Flight Delay and Poor Customer Service
On November 6, 2023, I checked in for the 13:20 Bergamo-Istanbul flight, selected my seat details, and received confirmation. Early in the morning, I was informed that my flight was delayed to 14:15. During this time, I tried to generate my boarding passes, but the system did not allow it. I took screenshots of my online check-in confirmation and my ticket and seat details from the Turkish Airlines app. At 12:00, I got in the security line, and by the time it was my turn at 12:40, security requested my boarding pass. I showed the documents on my phone, but they were not accepted. I went back to the kiosk, but check-in had closed by then. It was 12:50. I tried to find a Turkish Airlines representative but couldn't reach anyone. I called the help line and spoke to someone in English who said there was nothing they could do but change my ticket to the next day. Boarding was still ongoing, so I accepted in desperation. However, they said they couldn't cancel my check-in and would call me back, which they didn't. They called back the next morning. Since they didn't call back, I called again and spoke to someone named Çağlar, who quickly asked me to fill out a feedback form. After filling out the form, I was told I could either call them with the case number or they would call me. They said they could help without any fees if I applied with the form. I filled out the form, got the case number, and called. Someone named L*** said it would take 3-5 business days for a response. I explained that my mother was ill and I urgently needed to return to Turkey. I even mentioned that I had no money left and didn't know where I would stay, but they insisted on procedures. Despite explaining that staying in Italy for 5 days was not financially or emotionally feasible, they did not help. It is unacceptable for a prestigious company like Turkish Airlines to mistreat its customers this way. The worst part is the misleading information and the inappropriate behavior of L***, who acted as if they were the CEO of Turkish Airlines. I urgently request a refund for my ticket, reimbursement for my burned ticket on the Istanbul-Bodrum flight (with a different airline), and compensation for my hotel expenses during the days I was stranded here. I will also pursue necessary actions for the emotional distress caused.
