Turkish Airlines Istanbul-Jakarta Flight Seat Issue and Passport Problem
I purchased a 10-day tour from Gazella Tour for 100,000₺ per person with my mother. During boarding for the Istanbul-Jakarta flight TK56 at 01:50 on June 16th, the gate agent at F13A checked my ticket and said, 'Your seat has been changed.' I explained that I had paid an extra 13,000₺ for extra legroom seats and to sit next to my mother. The agent refused, saying, 'The plane might have changed, and there are no available seats.' When we objected, the person I learned was the supervisor said, 'You are blocking the line, please wait over there for further explanations,' in a rude manner. Another staff member then checked the computer and said, 'No problem, you can sit in the seat you purchased.' During our argument, I didn't realize I had not received my passport back. Upon arrival in Jakarta, an official greeted me by name and informed me that my passport was left in Istanbul. I was not allowed to leave the airport. They said my passport would arrive on the next Turkish Airlines flight the following day, otherwise, I would have to return to my country. There were no proper seats or food, and we had to stay there for 24 hours. My mother also didn't enter the country and waited with me. We were treated as if we were criminals, constantly photographed, and repeatedly told not to leave the area. A few hours later, an official told me that Turkey had decided not to send my passport and that I had to return. They said there was a flight to Istanbul and it was boarding time. They also said my mother would have to pay if she wanted to return, but the company was sending me. I told my mother to enter the country and that I would find a way to return. During this time, my mother took a taxi to the hotel, but the driver drove her around for 2.5 hours and took 20,000-25,000₺ from her. I was rushed to the plane and returned to Istanbul on a 12-hour flight. I was taken to the police station, and after necessary procedures, I found and retrieved my passport. I then booked the Istanbul-Kuala Lumpur flight on June 17th at 15:50 to return to Indonesia, transferring with Air Asia to Yogyakarta. On my return flight, Turkish Airlines changed my Bali flight without informing me, causing further inconvenience. It has been five weeks since I filed a complaint with Turkish Airlines, and there has been no response. I am planning to file a lawsuit for financial and emotional damages.
Progress
I had a return flight ticket from Denpasar Bali to Istanbul on June 24 at 21:20. While doing online check-in a day before the flight, it did not accept my flight number when I entered it. I had purchased seats for my mother and myself for 13,620 TL with the reservation code PNR: U6IHG6. When I entered this PNR, only my mother's ticket appeared, and they gave seats from the back with narrow legroom instead of the seats we purchased. Since my ticket was not visible, I called Turkish Airlines customer service, and they told me that my ticket was changed and used for a Jakarta-Istanbul flight on June 16. They changed my return ticket without informing me and made me fly without my knowledge. Not only was I victimized on the way there, but my existing return ticket was also canceled, leaving me stranded. I had to buy a new ticket a day before for 61,242.38 TL. They do not have the authority to change my return ticket because they must cover it under the involuntary passenger concept, and I was not informed. The extra legroom seats I purchased due to my mother's health condition were canceled. My mother is still in pain even a month after returning, likely due to an embolism. She is receiving treatment in the hospital. Under the involuntary passenger concept, the company must cover the return ticket, and they cannot change my ticket. Moreover, the reason for this was that the Turkish Airlines supervisor and team did not return my passport to me and allowed me to fly without a passport. I have a loss of 86,375 TL and 172.03 USD, and two days of my extra vacation were wasted, causing a loss of 20,000 TL, plus airport transfer fees because I missed the tour. I have been waiting for an explanation from Turkish Airlines for five weeks. It still shows that the feedback process is under review. I will file a lawsuit for financial and emotional damages and defend my rights. I urgently request a response.
