Turkish Airlines Reviews 

My colleague was refused travel to Uganda despite holding an Angolan passport which give them the right to travel to Uganda without having to apply for a visa. They were forced to then apply for a visa and had very bad customer service and experience overall. They had to spend money which wasn’t in their budget and lost money for their flight ticket. For this reason I will not be using Turkish airlines

On 17 June 2026, Turkish Airlines flight TK369 from Tashkent to Istanbul departed 4 hours and 33 minutes late due to operational reasons, as later confirmed by Turkish Airlines. The delay caused me to miss my onward Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to London Heathrow.
Immediately after arriving in Istanbul, I went to the Turkish Airlines customer service desk. A member of staff checked my booking and advised that, because my itinerary was a self-transfer, Turkish Airlines would not rebook me and I would need to purchase a new ticket. Acting on that advice, I purchased a replacement Turkish Airlines ticket from the Turkish Airlines desk for £237.01. Because I arrived in London much later than planned, I also had to purchase a replacement National Express coach ticket costing £42.80.
Trip.com later reimbursed £55.00. My remaining documented loss is therefore £224.81, which is the subject of this complaint.
My claim has always been limited to the replacement Turkish Airlines ticket (£237.01) and the replacement National Express coach (£42.80). I have not claimed for hotels, meals, transfers or any other third-party services.
Turkish Airlines accepted the operational delay and requested receipts, which I supplied. It subsequently refused my claim using different reasons, including separate tickets, expenses after arrival and third-party services. None of those responses directly addressed my claim for the replacement Turkish Airlines ticket that I purchased immediately after the delay, following advice from Turkish Airlines staff.

My husband was meant to fly to Uganda for a business meeting and the Turkish airline denied him from boarding the plane. For Angolan citizens Uganda does not require a visa, my husband is from Angola and behold an Angolan passport and still was refused entry to his plane. Alot of money was spent and time was wasted, it was very disappointing to me that the Turkish Airlines does not understand international laws and does not respect African laws and their policies. They made my husband buy another flight ticket and to purchase an evisa just so the immigration system of Uganda to inform my husband that he does not require a visa to enter Uganda. Absolutely outraged by this experience...

Booked Business Class 787 aircraft, non negotiable seat change email from TK 48 hours before flight meant they changed flight to 30 year plus A330. Seats were broken, safety standards not adhered to and flight attendant who constantly called TK “cheap” and that these planes are very OLD and TIRED. Lost and broken luggage. Staff promise to return calls in Bangkok tel:
+66 89 456 7144, Istanbul staff refuse to acknowledge and assist. Promised experience certainly not delivered.

🇹🇷❌✈️Turkish Airlines must respect passenger rights. Silence and unfair treatment are not acceptable. We demand transparency and justice. ✈

Wasted four hours of my life trying to book a flight. Their website is completely incompatible with different devices and browsers and I was on hold waiting for an agent for two hours. Only persisted because I was going somewhere where there were very few other options. It was a casual reply on their Instagram that put me o to using the app, which did actually work. Complained and they couldn't care less. 'Europe's best airline'? Don't make me laugh. They should be embarrassed at how poorly this company functions.

Horrible experience with Turkish airlines support team. The feedback team is there to never resolve an issue. My rebooking issue is still pending from last 2 weeks.

I hold an Angolan passport and I am allowed to travel to Uganda visa free for 30 days, and the Turkish airlines stopped me from boarding the flight and I wasted £1300 on a flight ticket. I didn't get a refund and I didn't get no customer services and I dont think this airlines does not show any respect and considerations towards customers who are African and other black people... very annoyed. The Turkish airline are very ignorant, they have no knowledge of international affairs and its laws and they will make you lose money if any mistakes are made and they will abandon you. Absolutely awful ...

There is absolutely no way to get an answer from them . It is unacceptable. I can show a copy of my attempt to talk to someone. There is no way to reach customer service. Simply unacceptable

Turkish Airlines left all three of my bags in Manchester, took 4 days to deliver them to Hong Kong, and ruined my only chance to see my secondary school friends before they left for university because I had no clothes. Completely irresponsible service.

Flights actually on time. Planes ok. Staff incredibly rude and unprofessional. Instanbul airport prices make Zurich look cheap. Will not use again.

This airline is joke. Only book with this airline if you want a ton of hassle and the most foul time of your life. The airline staff honestly live in a world of their own, to them disrespecting and humiliating the passengers is the top priority, like they're life depends on it. In the actual plane, I got given food without the main meal, and the air hostess said that's what I ordered. Are you a lunatic?? Would never never travel with this airline again. Think twice before travelling with them and see all the rest of the reviews for yourself.

Traveled from Birmingham to Phuket, collected my suitcase and it was smashed really badly, looked for there customer services but couldn't find them, went to the airport customer services they tried to locate turkish customer service but couldn't find them, I had an ongoing flight to Koh Samui so had to dash off but filled a claim form in online, was declined compensation for the case as I did not goto customer service at the airport???
Paid £32 for a seat on the return journey, went to check in my seat was given to someone else, said I had to have another seat, got back home I went to ask for a refund for the seat and was told I bought the seat from a third party so they can't refund me. I have a receipt from Turkish airlines for the seats I bought.
Ive put a compensation in now for the case and seat money. If they fail to compensate me ill be going to the small claims court.

Just as a follow up to you emailing me i am not going through the procedure of going through the feedback route I have done this 2 times wirh no success and i am not wasting my time doing it again, I sent a long reply to your email to be replied i can't reply to you, I have wasted hours of my time with you and now im going to take you to court for all my losses and the court fees.

Title: 150+ Promises, Zero Resolution — My Turkish Airlines Baggage Claim Nightmare

I never expected a damaged suitcase claim to become such a long and exhausting experience with a global airline.

After my Turkish Airlines flight to Johannesburg, my premium RIMOWA suitcase was returned damaged. The damage was reported immediately at OR Tambo Airport, a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) was completed, and all required documentation and photos were submitted.

What should have been a straightforward baggage claim process has turned into an ongoing customer service nightmare.

After more than 150 responses, escalations, and promises, I am still waiting for a proper resolution. The repeated message is always that the case has been escalated and that the relevant department will respond. But escalation without ownership does not solve a customer’s problem.

The latest compensation offer did not reflect the evidence provided. This was before the final assessment from RIMOWA, which confirmed that the suitcase was damaged beyond repair, that the damage was caused by third-party handling, and that repair service is not available in Africa.

Passengers should know their rights.

International baggage claims are governed by the Montreal Convention 1999. Under Article 17(2), an airline may be liable for damage to checked baggage when the event causing the damage occurred while the baggage was under the carrier’s custody. Under Article 22(2), liability for checked baggage is subject to the applicable international limit unless a special declaration of value was made.

This is not about asking for something unreasonable. It is about a fair, transparent assessment based on the evidence and the applicable international rules.

The most disappointing part has been the process itself.

I have spoken with seven different Turkish Airlines call centre agents (all documented). Thankfully, Turkish Airlines does have a local South African contact number, but each interaction resulted in another transfer, another explanation, or another promise. The experience feels like being kept in a loop instead of receiving a solution.

The case handling appears focused on internal processes and moving the matter between departments rather than providing clear ownership and a management-level response.

The contrast is striking. Public responses on social media are very fast, but many appear to be standard template replies. Behind those messages, the actual customer experience has been completely different.

With my own aviation background and experience working within a large European organisation, I understand that procedures exist and complex cases can take time. But even with that experience, the lack of ownership, communication, and accountability in this case has been extremely disappointing.

An airline is not truly judged when everything goes perfectly. It is judged when a passenger needs help after something goes wrong.

I am still waiting for a genuine review of the facts, a fair resolution, and a response that goes beyond another automated promise.

Passengers: please be aware. The real customer service test starts when something goes wrong.

SCAM. Ticket included a checked bag and they still charged me at check in 240 euros. DO NOT FLY TURKISH

OMG never have I ever experienced what this airline is putting it’s passengers through!We are with small kids and second night in a row they keep us waiting first canceled our flight after we boarded and the second time delayed in the middle of the night!Will absolutely never ever fly again with this airline!

I bought a ticket to my mom from Istanbul to Venice through Turkish airlines website !
And it was mentioned 30kg on her ticket and also on the email received from them!
In the airport they refused the claimed weight and refused to proceed untill i paid the extra 7kg !!! And their claim was it wasnt their fault ( Although i bought it online from Turkish airlines!)
So be aware guys they claim they are luxury airlines but their acts like budget airlines so better to search for alternate airlines!!

How the hell are they in the top 10 - absolutely horrendous yet again!
I have had the same horrendous experience two years in a row. Delays leaving, missed connections, no disability wheelchair support, special meal not processed, staff yelling and screaming at customers on the plane, rude, obnoxious, no water, waited 60 minutes for trays to be cleared, no snacks, filthy toilets, there is no way these guys are in the top 10 - never fly with them from Sydney to Istanbul it is the worst flight ever. I have had over 40 international trips in my life and I am a seasoned traveller and I will never ever fly with them again. Their customer service is in their filthy toilets and I am gobsmacked at their staff yelling at people, I am appalled by their behaviour, especially interrupting people praying by touching them or trying to move them. Traumatised traveller here!

Refuses basic compensation any EU airline would provide by default.
Our long-haul return flight was significantly delayed by many hours. We were left waiting at the airport with no meaningful assistance, no rebooking options, no meal vouchers, no compensation offer — nothing that any EU airline would automatically provide under EU 261/2004. I lost a full working day because of the long layover.
We had also paid extra for specific premium seats. Due to an aircraft change, we were placed in completely different, smaller seats directly next to the lavatory for a 10+ hour overnight flight. Turkish Airlines' own contract states the seat fee should be refunded automatically upon aircraft change. Not honoured.
Onboard, when I calmly raised the seat issue, the senior cabin crew member shouted at me in front of other passengers and falsely claimed Turkish Airlines does not offer paid seat products — a statement provably false. Shortly after, a visibly ill, constantly coughing passenger was deliberately placed next to my wife despite our clear objections. The crew acknowledged the problem, said they would resolve it, and then did nothing — instead they served the sick passenger a meal in the same seat.
There was also a separate charge on my card for which Turkish Airlines confirmed in writing that no service was delivered — yet the money was never returned. They simply told me to contact my bank.
Total unresolved loss: over 3 000 EUR — including the non-delivered paid seats, the unexplained charge, the delay damages, the lost working day, and the moral impact of the crew's conduct.
Zero compensation offered for any of it. No delay compensation. No refund for the failed seat product. No accountability for the crew behaviour or the health risk on board. No return of the unexplained charge.
Any EU airline would have handled this automatically. Turkish Airlines refuses even the basics and pushes every problem back to the customer.
Avoid. Book with a carrier that respects paying passengers and honours its own written terms.