Turkish Airlines Holiday Travel Issue
I decided to go to my hometown on the eve of the holiday and bought my Izmir - Ankara connecting Mardin ticket. There were 45 minutes between the two flights, and I thought I could make it by running. Three weeks passed, and days before the flight, I received a message. My second flight was moved 20 minutes earlier, reducing the time between the two flights to 25 minutes. I called customer service to ask:
- How many minutes before the flight does boarding close?
- The gate closes 20 minutes before the flight.
- So, in this case, I won't be able to make it, right?
- Yes, sir, but if you wish, you can cancel your ticket without any penalty.
- Why would I cancel? I want to be with my family during the holiday. It's my only day off during those dates.
- Unfortunately, sir, all seats on other dates are fully booked.
- So, are you expecting me to jump out of the newly landed plane within five minutes, enter the airport, find the gate, and catch the flight?
- Unfortunately, sir.
- I understand, so basically you are telling me to cancel my flight, I said and hung up. Turkish Airlines is essentially telling me to spend the holiday at the airport or cancel my ticket. But why is there a last-minute change when there are no empty seats? Can we not trust Turkish Airlines? Is this our source of pride? Does Turkish Airlines really have the right to ruin a passenger's holiday at their whim?
