Istanbul International Airport (IST)
reviews and complaints

Good day

I went to kuwait on a flight from South Africa on the 06/02/2023 @19:50pm and I arrived in Istanbul @6am. My handluggage was my handbag which had a rolled blanket which the attendant took from me and put in the cabin and assured me my bag would be safe. Fast forward to the flight landing and I only have my bag and realize my blanket is missing I even asked the attendants to check and the ladies who were rude to me the entire flight (Turkish airlines) didnt care to help. They told me they dont see it. FINE ! Mind you the temperature was -7 deg celsius I get to customs with my handbag I follow all protocols as they had me go to where it says non eu nationals. FINE ! I took everything out my bag and my pockets and walked through the metal detector only to have it go off. I then am strip searched and slowly my articles of clothing from jacket to my shoes in that freezing weather I had to take off. Now I am there being physically patted down and the lady is physically even pinching on my bra wire and I am still being searched and forced to go through the machine multiple times. I am TRAUMATIZED ! I am in Kuwait and my experience was horrible. I was harassed because WHY ? I am a young black South African girl who happened to be in that stupid airport over transit. Otherwise their racist tendencies I can not and will not forgive. WHY ME ? They did not subject anyone else to that hotrific treatment but decide to pick me because I happen to be from South Africa and African on top of that. I WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN TURKEY EVER !

To who may concern
I had been writing this email to istanbul airport from 23 Decemeber 2022 till today no one give a feedback.
Booking Ref: NW7H3D
Ticket no: 157 [protected]
Flight no: QR239
I was traveling with Qatar Airline QR239 arrival around 12:30. I was being accused of stealing money another passenger. The ground staff supervisor did not matter properly. He keeps siding the other Passenger without listen to me and my wife explanation. He is very impatient with us and shout at my wife. As an international airport the staffs are the image of your Country/Company.
On the 20 December 2022 Departure
My wife Ms Koh Hui Chin was not able board the plane, as her ticket was suspended.
Flight no: QR 246
Depart time: 2130hrs

Check In counter unable to provide any information why her ticket suspended, no assistant helps what to do. When request for the day Operation Manger of In-charge no one at the counter can make a call to the in-charge. In the end my wife is left alone behind the airport. Me & my kids we are very upset what going thru. My wife have to buy another air ticket, with additional cost

Kindly explain why these things help. I need explanation
Regards Edmund
Mobile: +65 [protected]

Email: [protected]@yahoo.com.sg
Email: [protected]@parker.com

Greetings,

I would like to raise a compline on customs officers at Istanbul airport.

I have dealt with many airports cross world. At Istanbul It was the worse experience ever for following reasons:

1- there were 3 desks yet only 2 staff were on desk. one staff goes on break for very long time. So more than 70+ passengers waiting. When the staff comes back the second staff goes on break!

2- the staff do not speak English!

I went to ask the staff to support as I was waiting for an hour and my flight was soon. She rudely with no respect said” I don’t know English”

I’m talking about one of the important busy airport in the world where thousand of different nationalities are visiting it. While there was another passenger talked to her as he was also late, and she supported him. She was very racism and treated myself in very rude and bad way.

Due to above I had to leave the que I did not manage to claim for tax free otherwise I would miss my flight.

The flght date was on 29th December 2022 around 12 pm.

This is to bring to your kind notice that I need help regarding my lost cabin baggage. Turkish Airlines is harassing and is not returning my very important luggage.

Details:

NAME : Himon Rai chowdhury

BOOKING REF : R42BWG

JOURNEY DATE: 5th September 2022

My journey was from Dallas-Istanbul (Flight TK 0192) ; Istanbul-Delhi (Flight TK 0716). On the Dallas-Istanbul Flight my cabin bag was lost in the flight. I couldn't find it upon reaching Istanbul. Ground staff asked me to go to the TURKISH AIRLINES CARE POINT at Istanbul airport but no one assisted me and instead persuaded me to contact Delhi airport even though my luggage was in Istanbul. Upon reaching Delhi Airport , I found nobody from Turkish Airlines there to speak to.

Again, I would emphasis that the bag was left inside the flight (TK 0192)

Sir/mam I am a filmmaking student and the bag is of utmost importance to me as it affects my work very much. I beg you to assist me and find my bag.

Cabin bag description: Black, elongated bag with zipper. Company name- Manfrotto.

Bag contents: Video Tripod (Manfrotto)

May God bless you,

Have a nice day

Himon Rai Chowdhury

Respected madam/sir, it is requested that due to misbehaving and mismangemant of ur staff during immigration process half of our family stucked n missed their flights. First of all i have Ikamat resident card and I also applied for citizenship through investment for whole family.Citizenship process is under process and in final stages.At 12th of August when we reach istanbul International Airport We were late for only one day from visa limit period but reached on time for already reserved flights.I gave all 7 family passports to your staff for fine but they issued fine slips for four family members and said now you can go. we paid fine in visa affice and go for immigration. the immigration officer again made the issue for two people. He allowed 5 family members to avail flight n my wife n daughter were stucked again for which they did not issued slips for first time n said again go n pay the fine. We went again to pay fine to visa office in the meanwhile flight time was over and flight was missed. Moreover they were not guiding n listening to us properly n miss behaved a lot. It was all botheration to us as no flight was there to reach n half family was gone n half remained. I hope u can investigate n kindly compensate us for flight expanses extra for my wife n daughter at least. We r too much disappointed from ur staff behaviour.I have invested a lot in Turkey not for insult.

Regards

Dr Asad Ullah Saif

Dear Sir / Madam,

While returning from an 8 days holiday in Marmaris back to Dubai, and when we were going through the passport stamping stage at the Istanbul International Airport on August 11th at 11:30PM local time, when there was no rush (there was no one behind us in line at such time), the Turkish Male Immigration Officer in Booth #15 was extremely rude, disrespectful and using offensive language to me, my 80 years old Mother, and my twins 10-years old kids...! He was literally screaming at us to step up infront of the camera at the time when both myself and my 80-years old Mother were sick having severe influenza! Me and my two kids are of Lebanese Nationality while my Mother is a US Citizen.

After he stamped our Passports and we passed beyond him, I approached a passing Officer asking him as to whom in charge of such Male Immigration Officer for me to complain about. So he directed me to a Lady Officer that was sitting in a glass cubical booth on the side. She came to us and I was sharing my experience with her and that this should not have happened as there was simply no rational reason for it and that them as Officers are the front representation image of their Country, she didn't even talk to such Officer, she started defending him and she told me in a sarcastically that if I have an issue, then I need to complain to the Turkish Airways (when they absolutely have nothing to do with it), or contact my Embassy, or contact my country's president...!

You can review the surveillance cameras at such time to get further confirmation on the same.

I was coming to USA while boarding the security asked me to open my cap but it was my religious belief to wear the cap which was easily recognizable. And I went through multiple scanning before opening my cap. I have seen them double standard for me while they were respecting other religious people like Sikh and Jews to allow to wear their caps. I feel very offended on this because of their double standard towards Muslim passengers.

I visited turkey with my wife and 3 children for a 1 week holiday on my way back to the uk we had a stop at istanbul airport. Me and my family were waiting for our turn, we were then called by a male on the 07/06/22 (on the stamp it says D190) I did not note this persons number on the badge. I handed him all my families passports and was taking out the boarding passes from my bag which mustve taken a couple of seconds, this officer was very impatient and said very rudely give me the boarding passes he, I said to him brother relax im giving then im just a little tired I have been travelling for long. He then got very angry purposely took a very long time to check our passports I have small children with me. My youngest son has a disability and was very tired but he did not care then he gave my families passports and started shouting at my wife and children go stand there stay back, stay back! He was saying things about me to his collegues and was looking at me aggresively like he wanted to fight or something. He then showed me his phone and translated in english ‘what is your problem dude?’ I said I have no problem you are the one being rude, you are treating your visitor rudely. He then gave my documents to me and shouted at me very loud ‘im not your brother, not your brother!’. My wife called a female officer who was with this officer ‘why is he being so rude?’ the officers reply was he did not like your husband now he is purposely delaying you and your husband he is angry he does not care’

Istanbul airport has the WORST wifi system and if you can avoid flying through this airport and having a connection - avoid it.

The stupid IT person who limits use for 1 hour with a password/passport system that doesn't work 50% of the time and when it does give a slow internet should be fired.

All the world leading airports give unlimited free easy internet access - only Istanbul, controlling everything and makes you feel like a prison

I Crisdale Ciano, in behalf of my friend Axel Omar De la Rosa Castillo would like to make a complaint against the personnels who did an unethical behaviour. My friend booked a ticket from Bucharest to Guatemala via Istanbul and Panama through Turkish Airline and the flight was on October 24, 2021. On that day when he was already at your airport while he was about to find his gate there were some of your personnels approached and brought him to a desk where they asked for his passport and ticket. So since he just thought it might be something important information they needed or for security reason he handed it but to his dismay they had accused him for saying he falsify his document without a proof and to make things worst they brought him in a room where he waited for 4 hours. He just simply told them to just let him go on with his flight to Guatemala but they insisted of let him go back from where he came from. So on that eve they flew him back with only his hand carry luggage with him. He just had his passport when he was in Bucharest, his ticket two luggages weren't given to him.
Of his thought to take back the luggages cause they said will be arriving back within a week so he needed to stay in a hotel cause his house then wasn't located at the main city. He then booked for another ticket which was then successful for he passed through Paris on Novemver 3 but while he was in Bucharest he had known that your personnels who took his ticket sold it and another problem is one of his luggage is still missing until now. Due to this fraudulent act of some of your personnels it brought much trouble and him to spend... People rely in what is written regarding this airport IST which stated safest airport but why it came the other way around.
I would like to request a refund for everything that is needed to.
Ticket cost 970 euro
Hotel bill cost 222 euro (1100.57 lei)
And the luggage with a content that cost to 1000 euro..
Thank you

We've traveled to Afghanistan from Turkey and came back at 29th Jun. we were told to quarantine for 14 days they took our signature and paperwork's and then let us wait here for ages it's been over 5 hours and we are still waiting here for them to show up and take us. We got none of our baggage and nothing. This is ridiculous

My family and I had flight reservations from Istanbul to Jeddah on January 11, 2020, on Saudi airlines (five members). 

Our flight was canceled two weeks prior to the above date and we had to reschedule it on that date due to the COVID-19 flight cancellation to Saudi Arabia. Anyhow, on January 11, we came early to IST airport. We have completed the boarding (attached the boarding tickets). Then, the airport officer requested us to go to a different line to pay certain fees since we were 3-4 days overstaying after suspending all the flights. We had to wait too long in that line with no one of the employees cared about our flight which was missed. No one cared about the people who missed their flights too, there was another woman who missed her flight and she was about to cry. We couldn't catch our flight, and since the officer has just stamped our passports, we had to leave Turkey ASAP since we were unable to go back to Istanbul. We had to pay $3,403.65 to Turkish Airlines to fly to Jeddah.

I am requesting that you refund my credit card the money paid for that flight. Booking Reference# RP4JA6 - Flight# TK 4944.

Thanks,
Diaa Eddin

Dear Sir/Madam

I lost my phone on 20th of last Faburary from toronto to Next destination Iran. I searched as I had about 5 hours stop but your staff declared they did not find it. In my arrival to my country I emailed to customercare@igairport. aero and they told me that they have found my phone. But due to corona I could not go or find somebody to retrieve my phone.

Recently after that there are some flights to Istanbul I found an agancy which are active in pick up visa in my country and they introduced me one of their staff who is in Istanbul and I pointed him and gave neccessary documents to him and lots of money to this agancy to take back the phone.
But as I followed it. The agancy told me that he referred to airport today, but airport told him, because you have come too late, So Turkish government has confiscated the phone.
Therefore I am writteng to ask as IGA department told that they handed over my phone after some time to custome department but IGA did not give any email of custome department just two telephone numbers which is always engaged and it is impossible to contact them and IGA says you must follow your case with custome department, how can I take back my phone after lots of effort and payment.
I will be appreciative me if you help me to retrieve my phone.
I attached the documents as well.

Unfortunately I travelled through this airport twice.. One was for transit and thecsecond one was direct landing and tsking off.. If you guys has to go this airport think thrice:
Worst international airport ever
Zero customer care or service
Language barrier
Wifi biggest issue now that this is a must
Poeple at the information desk or counter have no education or are not cultivated.

I arrived yesterday (24oct2019) with TK1952 from Amsterdam at istanbul airport with my parents. My mother had assistance(wheelchair reserved). At arrival 2 people came at the flightdoor with a wheelchair but the lady which started to talk rudely in turkish language to my mother and her collegue translated that my mother had to walk on her own all the way up and then she may sit in the wheelchair. I firstly requested to be respectful to my 73 yrs old mother and also i told her that my mother is not able to walk that distance and for this reason she had assistance. This lady kept being rude and screamed. This was a horrible first step into Turkey for my mother as she was horrified with this experience. We are not turkish and staff could not communicate well in english. Besides that the rude behaviour of the staff was not acceptable. Also after that this lady dropped us at the assistance corner where they came to pick my mother only with the electronic wheelchair. My father and i had to run after this person who took my mother away with this electronic wheelchair. No communication or information at all and no politeness of the istanbul airport staff at all.

Hello, today I float with my family, I wanted to get a tax refund but the officer refused to refund me because my items were in the luggage, inspit of all bills what I showed to her. Its not logical to have all items on me, do you imagine to comme with all what you buy into the plane?!
I think that you have to do thinks like in France to make thinks easier for travelers.
Your aeroport is very beautiful and all services were great except this refund tax ans the officer who work their, she was shouting on all travellers

Thanks

To whom it may concern,

My name is Salwa Jaffal. On Friday, August 9, 2019, I arrived to Istanbul International Airport with my twin girls. When we were going through security at international transfers, a man and his two kids had pushed past us to the front of the line, but I had just ignored them. But what had frustrated me the most was that the security guard who was working at that time was talking to the other people as if they were friends, ignoring me and my kids, and left me on the other side of the metal detector without my bags, carry-ons, shoes, and phones. I tried to ask the guard about my stuff in a loud voice so he could hear me, he began to laugh at me, telling me to come back to the other side to get my belongings myself. When I tried to talk to him, he was teasing me saying that I was a bad Muslim, and the other people who had pushed past us before were saying they were better because they are Christian. So I went up to the information desk, telling them what had happened, they didn't care about what I was saying until I had stated that I was an American citizen, then they gave me more attention because I had threatened to sue the airport. I have a picture of the complaint I wrote at the desk that includes all of my information, so please contact me through email, because I felt, as a Muslim woman, humiliated, in a Muslim country, feeling as if women with the hijab are not valued. For my next trip, I will be using airlines that respect women better than you have, and will be giving you bad reviews.

Thank you for your understanding and I hope to hear back from you,

Salwa Jaffal
[protected]@hotmail.com

The trolley service is designed as a rip off ! Luggage trolleys are available for deposit but that is not true. It is not possible to return the trolleys at the gates and even after taking them back the whole way the machines do not return the deposit ! It is not possible to contact the company or any staff member. Even friendly airport staff tried to help but were unable to solve the problem.
The truth is that trolleys are not available for deposit but only for a fee. The trolley service of the Istanbul Airport is the worst I have ever seen on earth. Turkey has build the biggest and most modern airport but betrays the passengers with the luggage trolleys by an amount of 1 € each.

From:
Siddharth Ratilal Shah
5, Divya Flats, Above Rajasthan Tourism office
Near Mithakhali Under Bridge,
Navrangpura, Ahmedabad-380009

To,

Dear Sir,

Sub: Bad experience from “share a Shuttle” service provider at
Istanbul Domestic Airport.

Booking Details: Reference Number: [protected]

Service Date: 02 August 2015

Arrival Flight : TK 2009

I have booked my “share a Shuttle” from Istanbul Airport to Hotel Basileus for 2 persons. I reached to Airport at 9:25 pm where the “share a Shuttle” representative asked me to wait for other passenger to come.

After some time no passengers have turned up and the representative left me in waiting area and he went to Istanbul International Airport. He arrived after around 50 minutes asked me to wait for more time to for passengers. Since I have waited for more than 75 minutes, I lost my patience & took taxi to reach to hotel.

I feel very bad for not providing me the contracted services.

I now want to put complain to higher Authorities and wanted to know that what are the action they are initiating against the service provider.

Thanking you
Yours Faithfully,

(Siddharth Shah)

Istanbul Airport Service can provide all your travel needs
We offer transportation to both of Istanbul’s Airports – Ataturk International & Sabiha Gokcen
Let us book your hotel reservation…Let us worry about your transfers to and from the airport…Let us get you to that meeting on time…Let us organise your tour of the city.