Frustration, stress, and numbness are the order of my emotions during two recent flights on Turkish Airlines. As a travel writer who has to fly a lot, I’m used to and probably more flexible than most people when it comes to flying hiccups.
I’ve had my fair share of annoying woes at the hands of airlines, from delayed flights due to severe weather, mechanical issues, or crews running behind. I’ve dealt with baggage delays and even airline staff offering me bananas and water during a seven-hour flight because they didn’t have a vegetarian or pescatarian option. But nothing compares to my experience on Turkish Airlines.
I booked a multi-itinerary for my partner and me for a flight from Houston to Istanbul. This was a direct flight. I then booked a flight from Istanbul to Athens, Greece, then from Athens back to Houston, which had a layover in Istanbul. In all, there were four flights on this 11-day itinerary. None of these flights left on time, and we lost most of the first day we arrived in Athens. I’ll get to the delays later in this post because our problems with Turkish Airlines started before we even left America.
A Possibility Of Not Sitting With People On Your Booking
I booked these tickets three months before our August departure using my American Express Platinum Card, but at the time of booking, I didn’t pay for our seats. A few days before departure, I tried to reserve the seats we wanted but was unable to do it in the app or online. I kept getting a message I could not do, so I thought it was a glitch in the system. Upon calling customer service, I was met with a horrible attitude. I had to swallow my pride even when customer service informed me that despite my trying to reserve our seats before the 24-hour check-in window began, I still could not pay for my seats ahead of time.
Instead, we would have to wait for the 24-hour check-in window to begin. I told the agent there were only four seats left where I could sit with my partner. I asked her if there was a possibility that I could be sitting next to a stranger for the 12-hour flight if we didn’t check in on time, and she said yes.
My tip to anyone who plans to fly Turkish Airlines is to pay for a seat ahead of time. Don’t trust that you will be able to pay for it later. There are too many glitches in the system. I’m still not exactly sure why we weren’t able to reserve and pay 36 hours ahead.
The App Is Confusing And Fails To Alert You Of Delays
Speaking of glitches, I found the app to be another frustrating part of our journey. There were two people on our booking, so beyond the booking code, I had to put our ticket numbers into the app every time I logged in, which slows you down when trying to do things like book a seat next to your significant other.
Also, when our flights were delayed, I didn’t see the updated information in the app. I had to log in to my laptop while sitting in the lounge for updates or constantly look at the lounge screen of departing flights, then find our original flight time for updates.
Chaos When Boarding
This is why I’m singlehandedly choosing not to fly Turkish Airlines again. Calling the boarding process chaotic is an understatement. Leaving Houston, there was some normalcy. We lined up based on zones, but that was the first and last time. A few times, I asked the check-in agent and then a gate agent about how we should board because I didn’t see a zone on my ticket. I was told that they board from the back of the plane to the front, except for Business Class, which boards first.
That never happened. It was every man, woman, and child for themselves. Boarding felt unreal, like a scene from a movie depicting customers running into the doors for deals during Black Friday. Passengers were yelling at each other and shoving each other—all of which could have been avoided with proper boarding zones on the ticket.
@mittimegantv I’ve been traveling (internationally) for 14+ years and I find @Turkish Airlines to be the most chaotic airline for international travel. For some reason, the airline doesn’t board by zone, so mayhem ensues from everywhere and this is an example of that. My #traveltip is to avoid this airline. Review coming soon 😖#travelwriterslife #traveltiktok #travelstress #travelwoes #travelfail ♬ original sound – Mitti
Every Flight Was Delayed
Our first flight out of Houston was our most on-time flight, and even then, we ran 45 minutes late. It just got egregious after that. The flight from Istanbul to Athens was nearly four hours late for unspecified reasons. Our Athens to Istanbul leg was two hours late, and we would’ve missed our connecting flight, but our last flight from Istanbul to Houston was also three hours late for, yes, you guessed it, unspecified reasons.
I’m not the only one who feels the pain. According to airlinequality.com, Turkish Airlines has a 4/10 rating, with most people dissatisfied with flight delays or customer service.
All of this, combined with the fact that the planes were pretty old, is enough for me to table booking a flight on Turkish Airlines again. One pretty decent thing was the food on the flight.
I get the appeal of Turkish Airlines since many of their flights depart from U.S. cities and go directly to Istanbul. My tip for making Turkish Airlines work is to book your flight solo without someone else, pack your patience, and have a backup plan in case the delay turns into cancellation.