Menu
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines Customer Service Phone, Email, Contacts

Turkish Airlines
reviews & complaints

www.turkishairlines.com
www.turkishairlines.com

Learn how the rating is calculated

1.1 477 Reviews

Turkish Airlines Complaints Summary

15 Resolved
462 Unresolved
Our verdict: If considering services from Turkish Airlines with a critical resolution rate, extra caution is advised. Examine detailed customer feedback to understand the severity and nature of unresolved issues. Be prepared for the possibility of unsatisfactory responses and have contingency plans, including seeking assistance from consumer advocacy groups if necessary.
Verified
The authenticity of the customer service contact information for Turkish Airlines has been meticulously verified by representatives from ComplaintsBoard using our proprietary verification system.
Get notifications about new complaints and reviews of Turkish Airlines. We promise not to send you any unrelated messages.
Share
Claim Your Business
Take control of your profile: address complaints and engage with reviews
Write a review File a complaint

Turkish Airlines reviews & complaints 477

Sort by:

Newest Turkish Airlines reviews & complaints

ComplaintsBoard
M
2:23 pm EST

Turkish Airlines compensation for a ticket I was force to buy after missing my transfer flight

Paul Dikobe
Am Alfredusbad 5
45133 Essen
Germany
February 5, 2018
Turkish Airlines
Service Department
Dusseldorf International Airport
Flughafenstr. 120 (Terminal C)
40474 Dusseldorf
Germany
Dear Turkish Airlines,
I recently had a problem with your service and I am writing to obtain compensation.
On February 3, on my transit in Istanbul from Dar es Salaam, due to short transit time and extreme bad service of the Airport ground crew, I missed my corresponding Flight to Dusseldorf.

Instead of just re-booking me in the next plane (seats were available), the Airport staff in Istanbul obliged me to buy a new ticket for the next flight to Dusseldorf, threatening that I would have to sleep at the Airport, to take a plane the following day. This tactic was clearly a setup to oblige me to pay for a new ticket.

Upon arrival at the Dusseldorf airport, we learned that our flight was redirected to Cologne Airport. We landed in Cologne very late and boarded a transfer bus to Dusseldorf Airport, which was completely closed at that time. As a result, I had to order a special Taxi to drive me to my destination to the city of Essen.

As a further consequence, I missed the primary Taxi my wife organized to pick me up, but the Taxi Company still charged me because the flight was delayed and I was not able to give sufficient cancellation notice.
The experience was difficult and frustrating, and it cost me $413.98. I believe your agency is responsible for the following fees:
• Extra new Ticket: $244
• Taxi (Dusseldorf - Essen): $84.99 (= 68.50€)
• ordered Taxi for initial pick-up (receipt not available): $84.99 (=68.50€)

Please find receipts for these expenses enclosed and call me at +[protected] before March 18 to confirm that you will honor our requests.
Sincerely,

Paul Dikobe
Enclosures:
- The Additional Ticket
- The Taxi receipt

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
View 0 more photos
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
K
9:14 am EST

Turkish Airlines service

My son decided to send my husband and myself on a holiday to Turkey
As my husband was diagnosed with
Cancer and is going to bave major surgery once we return home
We flew from king shaka aorport
Tk43 on 8 Feb 2018 @ 4pm
Seats 32 J abd 32 K

Its the 1st time we flew with turkish airlines .Seating was most uncomfortable hardly in leg space and very restricted space

The service of the flight attendents was pathetic. We felt as of they think they are doing us a favor
Absolutely unfriendly, no smile and definstely not polite
We rewuested for watee seceral times as my husband wanted to take is medication was told to wait but nothing was brought
We rewuested for veg meals
There was a mix up
The toilets were also not cleaned
Absolutely disappointing
You expect to get pleasant attendants who enjoy what they doing
I regret booling on Turkish airlinez
I dread going back home on the same flight

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
H
11:46 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines customer service, delay of flight

To whom it may concern,
My name is Hiba el hajj, i am a doctor working in Brussels and i take every two weeks a flight to go see my family in Lebanon. I took the flight from Brussels to lebanon, round trip(departure from Brussels February 1st, return from Lebanon February 4th)
When coming back from Lebanon to Brussels (flight number: Turkish airlines 825, ticket num: [protected]/3 ) there was a delay of 53 minutes.
We waited in the plane all this time and we were informed after 30 min of waiting that there is a technical problem regarding the music and movies, they were not functioning properly. After this delay with departure, no one explained to us the security measures, neither on the tv nor in person.
After landing at 7h33, I had to run like I never did in my entire life to catch my next flight. I was the first to arrive at the boarding gate at 7h40 and there were waiting a man and a woman.
I saw the bus that was supposed to get us to the plane in front of the gate. When the man screened my boarding pass, I wasn't identified on the system because as he explained they removed our names from the system. He told me u can't get on that plane and they don't accept any modification now because of a problem that may issue with the luggage transfer.
I explained that I had no luggage, neither a carry on nor a suitcase.
He told me again that I can't get on that plane. Few minutes later a couple came by and got their boarding pass verified and took the bus to the plane and at that moment I was shocked and furious.
Arrived at the transfer desk, I knew that the next flight is on the next day at 9am. The person in charge called Eva told me that there is no place on that plane and I told her that I am a doctor and I have to be at the hospital. I asked if there was any business seats she told me: yes but can u afford it?!
I had to take the flight at 12h45pm and missed a day of work when I had to see many patients.
I was shocked from the way she treated me, it was like I was the one responsible for the delay of the first flight.
I know that such delays happen but I'm sure when it is the case, clients must be treated properly and an effort should be made to make it up.
I was really disappointed especially that I was intending to take this flight every 2 weeks to go to Lebanon!

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
K
6:40 am EST

Turkish Airlines delayed luggage

I flew with Turkish airlines from Vienna to Muscat with a change in Istanbul. Our flight from Vienna to Istanbul was late because of the bad weather conditions. So they decided to leave my luggage in Istanbut and send it with another flight the next day. Since I didn't have anything with me, neither clothes or toothbrush I had to buy some clothes and other articles today and want a full reimbursement for the articles and actually also some reimbursement for my time I had to spend on the airport and buying those things instead of enjoying my holiday.

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
C
1:30 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines my vehicle shocks missing

I traveled on Turkish Airline from USA to PAKISTAN and booked my luggage and payed $420 but when I reached Pakistan and collected my luggage that was under weight but tagged of 32 kg slip and when I opened my luggage my vehicle shocks were not found in it all proof are attached here
so it is requested to Turkish Airline Please check and inform me what happened
MANY THANKS AND PROFOUND REGARDS
Contact # +[protected]

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
View 0 more photos
Update by Chaudhry Khurram
Feb 02, 2018 1:14 pm EST

I have booked my vehicles shocks from usa to Pakistan but missing

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
D
6:23 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines delayed flight

Dear Turkish Airways,
I am writing to express my absolute dissatisfaction with the flight on 20/01/2018 flight number TK1972 to Istanbul and connecting to Hong Kong flight TK0070. Both of these flights were delayed, with the TK0070 flight clocking up 5hrs delay!
This has resulted in us (myself and partner) being stuck at the airport overnight with minimal services offered at the lounge. Throughout the whole experience there was no communication or explanation by your staff either on the plane or at the airport as what the problem was. The information desk in Instanbul was very unhelpful providing us with one sentence ‘write to customer services'.
The whole experience was very distressing for us both as we subsequently experienced difficulties with pick up at Hong Kong airport and a loss of a day of our holiday.
In addition, when on the Hong Kong flight the entertainment system had damaged/visibly burned out remote control and did not function thus my partner was left without this facility- an experience on a business flight we did not anticipate at all. To make things even worse our luggage in Hong Kong arrived soaking wet with clothes completely wet throughout and we wonder whether this was due to the bags being let outside during the long stopover as it rained badly in Instsnbul. We have used this luggage numerous times over the last years and never had this problem.
This was the first time we used Turkish airlines for the holiday of our lifetime and have been so disappointed that we are dreading the flight back nextThursday.
Details: Denisa Milucka and Alastair Irvine
E-ticket: [protected] and [protected].
Please take this email as a formal complaint, we hope to hear from you soon as what your compensations intend to be.
Kind Regards,
Denisa Milucka

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
A
11:25 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines baggage delay compensation

Hi there,

We are a team of 11 passengers who were travelling for only 4-5 days to attend the martial arts Euro Cup in Sicily, Italy. The trip was on 14-December-17 (Kuwait-Istanbul-Rome-Sicily) and back on 18-December-17 (Sicily-Rome-Istanbul-Kuwait). On our way there all our luggage was delayed for 3 days and received on 17-December-17 (before travelling back by 1 day).

We have taken time off our work and our children took time off their schools just for this event. Having ALL our luggage lost really disrupted everything. The children performed poorly. The adults were stressed throughout the holiday. Our main concern each day was the bags - between purchasing essential clothing, jackets, underwear, pajamas, toothbrushes, everything! Not only that, but after the luggage arrived to Palermo airport (Sicily) after 3 days, nobody can deliver it because it was a weekend. We then had to leave the tournament, rent a bus to go get the 7 bags! No words can explain the frustration we have. This holiday was a nightmare due to this incident by Turkish airlines. I myself am a gold star alliance member and I don't think I will be taking their flights again. The whole team is frustrated and wants to escalate this.

We claimed only for our expenses borne due to this incident (items purchased during the 3 days). Total expenses are 3195.68 Euros and invoices for everything are available for three families of total 11 persons had their luggage lost for 3 days.

Also, as informed by Turkish Airlines, each person shall receive USD 50 compensation per day. This means an additional total of USD 1650.

We did not even claim for our flight tickets nor hotel accommodation as our travel was a disaster. We are only claiming direct expenses. If we take this case legally we will be claiming for all expenses, including flight tickets and accommodation for all 11 persons.

Thanks

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
H
2:54 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines broken suitcase

Good day I flew from Cologne to Istanbul flight (TK) 1674 on 22 January 2018 at 17.20 and Istanbul to Cape Town on 23 January 2018 flight (TK) 44 leaving at 2.25 arriving at
12.35, I checked in 2 suitcases. One of them arrived fine but the smaller one arrived broken. The handle of the suitcase was broken off from the wheels on one side. I can send you photos. The bag was not heavy weighing approximately 10 kg. I will not be a able to use the bag again. The size of the bag is 58 x 37.5cm. I can be contacted at +[protected] or [protected] or at [protected]@gmail.com. Thank you and
kind regards
Adelheid (Heidi) Kuesel

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
View 0 more photos
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
K
10:33 am EST

Turkish Airlines complaining about the bad treatment from turkish airlines

I mr ofuagbon kingsley chinedu. My ticket number is:etkt 235 [protected]. Booking ref:amadeus:uphyro, airline:tk/tk42lw. I bought a ticket to travel with turkishairlines on the 17th of december 2017. I arrived nigeria that same night to discover that of my 5 luggages, which I paid for 2 extra luggages, the sum of €435. The biggest bag among them was not among. I reported to turkish staffs at murtala mohammed airport that night. They gave me a form to fill, which I did. Then, the next day, I travelled back to delta state. I travelled to lagos 3 times of my bag. The christmas and new year presents in it was out of reach. I had to spend another €1450 rebuying things that I have bought because my bag returned 2 weeks after my arrival. They destroyed my stractic travelling bag I bought for €320. They also destroyed my big black bag. The sum of money expended totalled €1770. How can I get my money back?

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
View 0 more photos
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
V
8:37 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines connecting flight from thessaloniki, greece to london gatwick, uk via istanbul (12/1/2018)

I will like to complain about the service we received whilst waiting to check in for the turkish airlines flight from Thessaloniki. We were on a connecting flight and due to weather conditions and poor organised airport in Thessaloniki we were not able to fly out since airplanes were not coming in or out. Firstly I would like to complain that after booking our flights with Turkish Airlines we were never informed that there are delays or problems with flights on the day. Due to this we were stranded at the airport from 7am till 2.30pm.offcourse turkish airlines changed our flight since the one via Istanbul was cancelled. But even the person at the Turkish Airlines desk was very impolite and we were offered a drink and snack voucher for the 7h wait at the airport. Overall a very unpleasant experience and not only because Thessaloniki airport was not organised properly and weather was poor, but Turkish Airlines didn't do anything to assist us and make this unpleasant experience bearable. We arrived London at 10pm after being at the Thessaloniki airport at 7am.

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
L
7:19 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines I am complaining about check-in in nairobi

I always split my tickets as it is cheaper for customers but constantly face the same problem in Nairobi at check in where turkish airlines staff refuse to print out a ticket for the second leg. Kindly clarify if i can split my tickets and buy two separate tickets for my one journey both with turkish airlines. If i can, i would be very grateful if you could sent advice not to disturb customers. Thank you.

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
A
11:18 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines complimentary hotel accommodation

To whom it may concern:

I'm Azam Ahmed from Sudan. I have booked a flight ticket on Turkish Airlines (ticket No. [protected]) from (PEK) to (KRT) which had a 15:25h layover at Ataturk Airport.
Before booking the ticket I read the Turkish Airlines layover policy that said: "A complimentary hotel accommodation (maximum 2 nights) will be provided to our valuable passengers when there are more than 10 hours (for economy cabin passengers)". But after arriving at Ataturk's airport I was surprised that the hotel was outside the airport and I needed a Visa to exit the airport. If I wanted to enter Turkey I need to apply for it at The Tutkish Embassy in Beijin or any other Turkish diplomatic missions before departing to Istanbul -because I need to apply for the visa at least one week in advance- due to the Turkish government Visa eligibility regulations.
Visa procedures are on every traveler's pre arrival preparations list, hence most well known Airline companies offering free hotel accommodation on long layovers provide a brief notice on visa requirements for it's passengers depending on the passport they hold so the passenger can arrange whatever he needs before departing to his destination. But in my case I didn't know that until I came here. And this is undoubtedly the Turkish Airlines fault.
If I knew that I am going to stay the whole 15 hours at the airport I wouldn't have booked the ticket in the first place . Now I'm stuck at the airport sitting on a chair for 15 hours.
Not forgetting to mention the unprofessional treatment I received from your staff. And the unplanned 100 US dollars I had to spend during my stay at the airport on food and other stuff, Plus all the stress and anxiety I had because of the circumstances of the situation I was forcefully put through.
What happened to me during this flight is a clear violation of my passenger rights. I herbey beleive that I must receive (not less than 200USD) as decent compensation for the moral damages and monetary losses mentioned above.
I look forward to a full response to this letter . If I do not receive a satisfactory response I will not hesitate in taking the matter further which will include, but not be limited to, informing the regulator and if necessary starting proceedings through the Small Claims Court.

Sincerely,

Azam Ahmed,

Passport: P01419201

mc.[protected]@gmail.com

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
S
7:23 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines paid for emergency exit seat was not provided.

My son and I flew Bangkok -Istanbul - Bangkok and I had purchased a seat upgrade for both of us at approx. USD 75 per person per one way e.g. USD 300+ in total. We had no issues from Bangkok to Istanbul but at time of return the check in counter staff refused to issue the ticket (for which you had already accepted payment AND had no issues with to provide him on our first flight) because he was 16 years old and apparently the minimum age for that seat was 18 years old. My two issues I have with this are 1) why does Turkish Airlines accept the purchase if the legal age is not in compliance? And 2) why was my son allowed the fly the first leg/ flight but refused for the second?
This is completely unreasonable and I would therefore insist on reimbursement of the one flight paid seat upgrade for my son. I am disappointed in Turkish Airlines as to how this was handled. I was very upset, as was my son, that we had to be separated on the flight from Istanbul to Bangkok. I normally enjoy flying with your airline and have several flights planned for this year via Istanbul for me and the family but do now have serious concerns and feel that perhaps no care is given to your customers due to the inconsistent service provision. I expect to hear from you on a solution.

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
T
11:43 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Turkish Airlines lost baggage

My brother was travelling from lax to mumbai in Turkish airlines on Nov-28-2017 tk0010..And when they reached to Istanbul the flight was delay so the missed the connection. And than Turkish airlines reroute their flight momma via singapore.When they reached momma after 48 hours they did not found their one check in bag. And now its been more than a month whenever we called they are not giving proper answer for our lost bag.First they told us that our bag is in momma airport but when we spoke to momma airport they confided that the did not receive bag from Turkish Arlie's and when they asked baggage loaded report from Turkish airlines they refused to give. And now they are not giving any proper answers and on top of it they give metal stress and harassment. I will like to file complaint against Turkish airlines for lost our bag and mainly for give mental stress and mental harassment. Because of Turkish airlines lost our bag we are in depression and we are not able to do anything right now. They are very rude and not helping us anyway to find our bag. My brother flew Singapore and Istanbul again to find out where is our bag but still we did not find it. And now I m depression and taking pills for Turkish airlines . So please help us to find our bag. Attached is the copy of complaint letter which we got from Mumbai airport along with bag Tag number and flight details. Please let me know if you need any more information.
Tejas Variya
[protected]

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
View 0 more photos
Update by tejasvariya
Jan 09, 2018 11:44 am EST

My brother was travelling from lax to mumbai in Turkish airlines on Nov-28-2017 tk0010..And when they reached to Istanbul the flight was delay so the missed the connection. And than Turkish airlines reroute their flight momma via singapore.When they reached momma after 48 hours they did not found their one check in bag. And now its been more than a month whenever we called they are not giving proper answer for our lost bag.First they told us that our bag is in momma airport but when we spoke to momma airport they confided that the did not receive bag from Turkish Arlie's and when they asked baggage loaded report from Turkish airlines they refused to give. And now they are not giving any proper answers and on top of it they give metal stress and harassment. I will like to file complaint against Turkish airlines for lost our bag and mainly for give mental stress and mental harassment. Because of Turkish airlines lost our bag we are in depression and we are not able to do anything right now. They are very rude and not helping us anyway to find our bag. My brother flew Singapore and Istanbul again to find out where is our bag but still we did not find it. And now I m depression and taking pills for Turkish airlines . So please help us to find our bag

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
Z
1:00 am EST

Turkish Airlines reimbursement (compensation) for the flight delay

My name is Jose Ignacio Alcon Rubio.

Below is the details of my booked flight from Turkey, Istanbul - to Tajikistan, Dushanbe. Boarding pass is attached to this complaint, as well.

Flight: TK 0254
Class: Y
Date and Time: 07 JANUARY 21:40

My fligh from Istanbul - to Dushanbe has been delayed and my bussiness day have been affected.
Compensation for delayed flights was established by EU Regulation 261/2004, guaranteeing up to €600 per passenger for flights which are delayed for three hours or more.
Please, I would like the Turkish Airlines to pay me the compensation for the delay in the Turkish Airlines Representation Office in Dushanbe.

My telephone number:
+992 [protected] / +[protected] (Tajikistan)
+[protected] (Madrid)
Email: joseignacio.[protected]@afconsult.com
[protected]@tajhydro.tj

Lookinf forward to your prompt reply and taking the appropriate measures.

Read full review of Turkish Airlines and 1 comment
View 0 more photos
Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
H
H
harry1991
, US
Jan 09, 2018 5:19 am EST

Hi,
I guess you should try a website like https://www.claimflights.co.uk, airhelp or flightright . They might be able to address your query in a better way. Otherwise it would be difficult if you try to claim compensation yourself.

ComplaintsBoard
X
9:38 pm EST

Turkish Airlines poor service for flight change

3 friends and I were booked to fly from Havana (9 Jan) to Johannesburg (Landing 11 Jan) via Istanbul. We were unable to get to Havana and called Turkish airlines to request a change of flights to fly from Miami (instead of Havana) and connect to Johannesburg. We made more than 6 calls (on the 8th of Jan) being constantly passed from one department to another by the call centre agent. The last call on the 8th was 1h25 min with a gentleman named Mert 1) communicated 2 vastly different refunds amount for the similar tickets, 2) refused to give me a supervisor to help note that we weren't a no-show 3) Refused to give me a reference number for the call or give me his full names as reference for the call made 4) Kept me on hold for more than half the call until I hung up. The service is horrendous and there is a lack of consistent communication from the 6 differrnt agents about the same query.

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
R
7:32 am EST

Turkish Airlines paid for emergency exit seat on turkish airlines and was not honored.. ground staff manager in istanbul was extremely rude

Dear Sir

I am extremely annoyed and dissatisfied with your airline and customer service .

I booked and paid for emergency exit seats coming back from Istanbul flight Tk1476 .

First problem was that I could not check in online from Kharkiv Ukraine. When I got on the plane, my seats were gone and I was stuck in the middle of the plane .

When I asked for my seats the staff were very unhelpful and the chief of staff ground crew was extremely rude .

I presented my credit card payment and later my tickets. All I was told by this rude [censor] is that he cant see it on his system and I must decice3 to either fly or get off the plane in the [censor] small middle seat and take it up with Turkish Airlines for a refund !

I hereby demand the following :

1. I am reimbursed in full
2. I formally want to lodge a complaint against the ground crew and air crew who did nothing to resolve the problem
3. I want o be compensated with 2 free business class tickets in future for my inconvenience

Regards,

Ruahan Naude
CEO

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
M
8:11 am EST

Turkish Airlines flights

We have just got back from our 3 week vacation to South America which was utterly ruined by Turkish Airlines on multiple occasions. We booked our return flights to Colombia back in June 2017 and checked with the Colombian embassy, our travel agent and multiple online sources who said as South Africans we did not need visas. We were excited that we could use the longer layovers to visit the city of Istanbul.

The Colombian embassy changed the visa rule in September 2017, now requiring South Africans to have visas to enter Colombia which we were never informed about. We understand that this is out of control of Turkish Airlines and just poor luck.

We boarded our flight on 11 December from Cape Town to Istanbul with connection to Bogota. Below is detailed account of the events that followed:

Layover Hotel:
Arrived at Cape Town International, a Turkish Airline employee (before check in) asked our final destination and reviewed passports for visas. After he reviewed and confirmed our paperwork was in order we proceeded to check in with no problem.
Arrived in Istanbul with a 20+ hour layover so wanted to make use of the free hotel which is a reason we were happy to accept such a long layover.
Waited 2 hours in a line at the hotel desk, once assigned a hotel waited another 45mins until we were called to go outside for the bus.
Once called for the bus waited in the cold outside for another 30min for the bus to arrive.
Then another hour to get to the hotel. The hotel was neither close to the airport or to the center of town or even public transport to get to centre of the city. It was quite literally on the outskirts of the city.
Address: Kayabaşı Mahallesi, 1. Sk. No:5, 34306 Başakşehir/İstanbul, Turkey
We were also only allowed one meal in the hotel for which we were expected to stay for 16+ hours.
Colombian Immigration - Inbound flight:
Finally get back to Ataturk airport for our final flight to Bogota. Go through Turkish Airline check in noting our final destination is Colombia with no problem.
After 13 hours arrive in Bogota Colombia, we get to immigration where we are informed that we do not have visas and cannot enter the country.
We are in disbelief as we had checked and our airline should not have let us board without the required visas.
We get taken to a detention room where we try to establish what is going on with immigration officials who cannot speak English. They tell us there is no way to get visas on arrival and nothing we can and that we are now the airlines problem.
We keep calling Turkish Airlines in Bogota who say they will come down to assist.
The immigration officer keeps trying to take away our phones so that we can not make phone calls. We were being treated liked criminals. We were not even allowed to sit on the couch but had to sit on plastic chairs.
5 hours later 3 ladies from Turkish Airline come to the detention room. They inform us we have 2 options. 1) Wait until the return flight to Istanbul or 2) book a flight to a neighboring country that does not require visas. They suggest Ecuador on their partner airline Avianca as TA do not fly to any neighbouring countries.
The next flight to Istanbul is in 48 hours which means we would need to wait in the detention room with no food or cellphones for that period. This is quite frankly not an option.
We are therefore forced to buy the next flight out to Quito on Avianca (which is in 12 hours time). These flights cost ZAR8200 each for a 1h10m flight.
As suggested by our travel agent who is trying to help us at this stage over the phone, we should take names of whoever is assisting us from the airline. The Turkish Airlines ladies refuse to give us their names.
We eventually make it onto the Quito flight, completely traumatized at this stage.
We arrive in Quito 18 hours after landing in Bogota without any bags. Our luggage only arrived 48 hours later.
Our holiday we had planned for 6 months has now been completely lost.
We have to cancel accommodation bookings and an internal flight
We also now have to make a new holiday in a country we know little about and had not intention of visiting.
Quito-Bogota return flight:

Nervous about our inbound experience we made sure to check in online for our return journey which now included a flight back to Bogota from Quito on Avianca. We check in online for Avianca flight to Bogota no problem.
When checking online for Turkish Airlines flights Bogota>Istanbul>Cape Town, we get error message saying we need to get our boarding passes at the airport due to an "operational reason". There is no Turkish Airlines in Quito so we hope that Avianca (also Star Alliance) can print them for us. We make sure to get to the airport early for this.
At Quito airport, Avianca check in informs us we cannot get on the plane to Bogota without our Turkish Airline boarding passes as we have to stay airside in Bogota (without visas) and there is no way to print Turkish Airline boarding passes airside at Bogota airport or via Avianca at Quito airport.
Note that Avianca are fully aware that as South Africans we need visas for Colombia.
She also tries online check in for us and gets the same error message.
Her suggestion is that we apply for a Colombian visa and come back in 5-8 days so that we can print our boarding pass in Bogota...
We obviously point blank refuse and get her to take us to Avianca offices to call Turkish Airline, at this stage it is 4am.
Turkish Airline offices in Bogota open at 9am so that is no help. We call Turkish Airlines in Turkey and the call centre agent informs us that he cannot help us get a boarding pass.
We ask if he can direct us to who can and he says he doesn't know and doesn't have a direct number to anyone that can help.
Again completely traumatized we just want to get off the continent and start to look for the next flight that can get us to Cape Town which would likely be Quito - Lima - Sao Paulo - Johannesburg - Cape Town on anything but Turkish Airline.
Somehow at the last minute the Avianca staff are able to get us our boarding pass from Bogota to Istanbul and they allow us on the flight.
We have to take our checked bags with us as Avianca cannot check them through to Istanbul or Cape Town.
Once in Bogota we get to Turkish Airlines gate and they check us in and we give them our bags which they tag.
We are have our extended layover in Istanbul (using our own hotel this time) and make it to Cape Town no problem.
We are now safely in Cape Town, but once again one of our bags is missing.
This has been a harrowing experience and we have never been so poorly treated by an airline. Once we arrived in Quito our travel agent took this up with Turkish Airline who is still apparently investigating what went wrong and we have heard nothing from the airline. Not even a single apology or offer of assistance. We are very aware that visa issues are out of the control of the airline but we are also aware that it is the sole duty of the airline to know visa regulations and to deny boarding to avoid these types of situations. We are astonished that Turkish Airline was not aware of this. We were check in at Cape Town and Istanbul and this was not picked up. We have had absolutely no communication from the airline yet. We have spent much money more on this trip than we had budgeted. If Turkish had denied entry in Cape Town we would not have been in this predicament and we would have been able to plan from there as opposed to having to do everything off the cuff in a foreign country.

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
R
12:13 pm EST

Turkish Airlines flight booking

November 17, 2017

Subject: Brit Igra -Booking number U4F3MD
eticket number: 235-[protected]

Dear Sir:

Brit Igra and her friend Maya Agasi fell asleep at the gate of their connecting flight, in Ataturk airport, from Istanbul to Dublin.

For some reason, and surprisingly, no one took the trouble to wake them up, and they missed their connecting flight.

Upon approaching Turkish Airlines representatives at the airport, no one helped them and they were informed that the only solution was to purchase two Business Class tickets at the price of 1, 100 Euro.

The girls asked to purchase a tourist ticket and to wait as stand-by passengers but this option was denied to them.

Surprisingly, because their impression was that only those Business seats were available, it became clear that there were tourist tickets available on an earlier flight and, accordingly, Turkish Airlines accommodated them on that flight.

Needless to say, the girls were no refunded by Turkish Airlines for the difference between the Business ticket they were sold (550 Euro each) and the Coach class on which they actually flew.

Turkish Airlines employees acted unfittingly and took advantage of the two girls' predicament and no less than robbed them.

We ask you to approach Turkish Airlines and request reimbursement and apology.

If they refuse to reimburse us we will have to file suit in an Israeli court against Turkish Airlines and make this case public so that other passengers like us will understand what they're dealing with.

Sincerely yours,

Rami Igra

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
O
2:58 pm EST

Turkish Airlines complaint for customer service in ataturk airport

My Name Oadi Matny, I have use Turkish airline from USA-Canada-Istanbul-Baghdad in 18 Dec 17. I get my ticket through Cheapoair and i have to transit from Ataturk airport to Sabiha airport to catch my flight to Baghdad from there with the Turkish airline. The ticket does not say that i should get a visa before i get to Istanbul, So i couldn't get a visa in the airport to get to Sabiha airport. So the customer serves tell me to get another ticket to Baghdad form Ataturk airport. So i get a ticket for 430$ and i didn't get a refund for the cancellation ticket.
Also after book the new ticket i have to stay for 18h in the airport without hotel or food, and the airline policy said anyone has transit over 10h should have a hotel room. After booking my ticket i have two bags travel with me and the customer serves say that we can't transfer my bags because it gets outside of the claim bags and after more than one hour of explanation with customer services chief in Ataturk airport the agree to transfer my bags.
This is first-time I use the Turkish airline and it gives me the worst experience with this airline and I think it will be the last time I will use this airline in the future.

Oadi Matny

Read full review of Turkish Airlines
Hide full review

Turkish Airlines In-depth Review

Flight Options and Destinations: Turkish Airlines offers a wide range of flight options, catering to both domestic and international travelers. With an extensive network, they serve numerous destinations worldwide.

Booking Process: Booking flights with Turkish Airlines is a breeze. Their website features a user-friendly interface, making it easy to search for and book flights online. Additionally, they offer a convenient mobile app for booking on the go.

Customer Service: Turkish Airlines prides itself on its responsive and helpful customer support. They provide multiple contact channels, including phone, email, and live chat, ensuring that passengers can easily reach out for assistance. In case of flight disruptions or delays, the airline offers prompt and efficient assistance.

In-Flight Experience: Passengers can expect a comfortable and clean aircraft when flying with Turkish Airlines. The airline offers a variety of seat options, ensuring that travelers can find the perfect fit. The in-flight entertainment options are top-notch, with a wide selection of movies, TV shows, and music to choose from. The quality and variety of meals and beverages served onboard are also commendable.

Baggage Policy: Turkish Airlines provides generous allowances for both checked and carry-on baggage. They have clear policies regarding fees for excess baggage and offer special handling for fragile or special items.

On-Time Performance: Turkish Airlines is known for its punctuality. Flights are generally on time, with minimal delays or cancellations. In the event of a missed connection, the airline handles the situation efficiently and ensures passengers are accommodated.

Loyalty Program: The loyalty program offered by Turkish Airlines comes with a range of benefits and perks. Passengers can easily earn and redeem miles, and the airline has partnerships with other airlines and businesses, providing additional opportunities for rewards.

Safety and Security: Turkish Airlines prioritizes safety and complies with international safety standards. They implement stringent security measures during flights and effectively communicate safety procedures to passengers, ensuring a transparent and secure travel experience.

Value for Money: Turkish Airlines offers competitive ticket prices, providing good value for money. While there may be additional fees or charges for certain services, the overall value compared to other airlines is commendable.

Overall Customer Satisfaction: Turkish Airlines receives positive customer ratings and reviews on average. Passengers appreciate the overall experience provided by the airline, with many recommending their services. While there may be occasional criticisms, the majority of feedback is favorable.

Trust badge
Collect Your Trust Badge
Be recognized for outstanding customer service

Contact Turkish Airlines customer service

Phone numbers

1800 750 849 8800 700 6161 More phone numbers

Website

www.turkishairlines.com

Your Voice Matters: Our Commitment to Genuine Reviews

Empowering Real Experiences

At ComplaintsBoard, we believe in the power of true customer stories. Our platform is a space for authentic voices, where experiences, both good and bad, are shared openly and honestly.

Dedicated to Authenticity

ComplaintsBoard is vigilant in our fight against false reviews. Our team employs robust verification methods to ensure every review reflects a real customer experience, upholding the integrity of our platform.

Encouraging Detailed Feedback

ComplaintsBoard values reviews that come with real evidence. Whether it's a photo, a detailed account, or additional documentation, such substantiation adds credibility to your story, helping others make better-informed decisions.

Balanced and Constructive Conversations

We're more than just a complaints board; we're a community for balanced dialogue. ComplaintsBoard encourages reviews that not only highlight issues but also acknowledge positive aspects, fostering a fair and comprehensive understanding.

Free and Fair Platform

ComplaintsBoard's commitment to maintaining a free and unbiased platform is unwavering. Every review is treated equally, ensuring that your voice is heard and respected, regardless of the nature of your experience.

Is ComplaintsBoard.com associated with Turkish Airlines?

ComplaintsBoard.com is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Turkish Airlines Customer Service. Initial Turkish Airlines complaints should be directed to their team directly. You can find contact details for Turkish Airlines above.

ComplaintsBoard.com is an independent complaint resolution platform that has been successfully voicing consumer concerns since 2004. We are doing work that matters - connecting customers with businesses around the world and help them resolve issues and be heard.

Use this comments board to leave complaints and reviews about Turkish Airlines. Discuss the issues you have had with Turkish Airlines and work with their customer service team to find a resolution.