Turkish Airlines Transit Passenger Luggage Issue
On February 4, 2024, due to a mistake made by Turkish Airlines staff in Edinburgh, UK, I had to rush around Istanbul Airport to find the transit desk to prevent my luggage from being sent to a different city. After being asked to sign a document without any explanation of its content, I had to wait for about 40 minutes in the waiting lounge before I could retrieve my luggage. Later, I was forced to move to a location near the customs area with other affected passengers because my bag needed to go through an X-ray machine. An unidentified man in his 50s with gray hair and gray clothing, whose authority was questionable, started pressuring us to leave the customs area after the X-ray check. Despite informing him that my family was there and I wanted to shop, he rudely insisted, 'Call your family too, they should leave this area quickly,' even though he was not a customs officer. Unable to find a place to file a complaint at that moment, I had to leave without lodging a complaint, and my right to shop in the duty-free area was restricted. Additionally, unpleasant remarks were made about my family. I am complaining about the lack of explanation during bag retrieval, the document signed without showing the bag, and the subsequent actions taken by individuals acting beyond their authority and treating us poorly. I believe my rights as a passenger were restricted after the flight.
Progress
For my trip from Edinburgh to Istanbul on February 4, 2024, I purchased plane tickets for 4 people from Kiwi.com. However, I was forced to repurchase the ticket for the 4th person at a cost of £430.91 because their age did not meet the requirements. Shortly before the flight, I had to pay an additional £430.91 on top of the €770.97 already paid for my 15-year-old son's ticket due to an error in his birth date registration with Kiwi.com and the corresponding PNR number given by Turkish Airlines. Despite presenting documents and receipts to the front desk staff and the necessary supervisors, my request was not accepted. I had to strain my financial resources to buy the ticket again. Despite suggestions to leave my child in Edinburgh and have him come later due to no available seats, I managed to secure a problematic flight on the same plane by paying £430.91 (which they claimed was a gesture). I was financially and emotionally exhausted.
