Unfair Treatment by Turkish Airlines Staff on Istanbul-Antalya Flight
THY treated me unfairly. Despite arriving at the gate at 19:15 for the 19:40 flight from Istanbul to Antalya on 25.10.2023, and having checked in and dropped off my luggage around 18:30, the flight was already closed. The boarding time was listed as starting at 19:10. There were no staff at the gate, the lounge was empty, and the gate was completely closed. I was at the correct gate. I waited for 1-5 minutes and looked around, then a staff member in the lounge came and told me they had left 5-10 minutes ago when I asked. I was shocked. I couldn't accept it immediately because it was the first time I experienced something like this; there was still time, but everyone had already left. Then I went to the THY office, thinking they would immediately contact the staff on the plane or open the gate. Instead, they directed me to another office upstairs to buy another ticket, wasting time even though there was no one in line. By the time I reached the THY ticket sales office, it was 19:40. When I explained the situation in surprise, the staff coldly said the flight was closed, and there was nothing they could do. I showed them the time and my ticket, explaining it was now 19:40, but they continued to coldly repeat the same thing without any empathy. As I showed them the proof, they said, 'The flight closed 50 minutes ago, so the next available flight is in an hour for ₺1246.99,' and started selling me a new ticket. The previous ticket price was ₺1500. How does that make sense?! When I asked if the flight closed at 18:50 for a 19:40 departure, they couldn't give a clear answer and insisted it wasn't their fault. My ₺1500 ticket was wasted, and they sold me a new ticket instead of refunding the old one. This was not my first flight; in all airports (even in different countries), if someone is late, they are called first, and the gate remains open until the last minute, with staff waiting until the end. Even intercity buses don't leave without a passenger. That day, THY staff were terrible. The service was awful. Generally, I always commend THY to everyone. This was not my first time flying with THY, but this time the staff were indifferent and terrible, and I was shocked. If possible, I want my money back. ₺1500.
