With airlines all over the world trying to hold on to whatever cash they have while also trying to get people to give them cash again for future travel, it is not a new thing to find that an airline is making refunds difficult. I am still waiting for Austrian to refund me from a trip they canceled over 6 months ago so this is not just Turkish. But, with many people trying to get a refund from Turkish Airlines, here is how they say you can get one.
The Only Way to Get a Refund from Turkish Airlines
How Turkish Airlines is Playing Games with Refunds
Before we get to how they say is the only way to get a refund, here are the options that they currently make available to customers who have had flights/plans disrupted by coronavirus.
Options Available for Canceled/Changed Tickets
Refunds
- For your suspended flights or schedule changes
- Instead of refunding your ticket, or partially used ticket, you can add Miles that are more valuable in exchange to your Miles&Smiles account. Please visit Refund Requests for the Miles opportunity adding value to your ticket. Please visit Manage Booking for refund requests in Miles. To get a refund with Miles for tickets issued via Turkish Airlines sales channels, you can make your request online from Manage Booking page.
- Instead of refunding your unused or partially used ticket, you can choose to get a voucher worth 15% more than the value of your ticket, and use it for your next flight. Please visit our Refund Requests page for more information. You can request a voucher from Manage Booking page.
Change requests
- If you have unused tickets for suspended international flights, you can change your tickets for a flight within one year in the same region as the original destination.
- If you have tickets for non-suspended international flights purchased before or on March 20, 2020, you can change your tickets for free if you cancel them before the hour of flight. For detailed information regarding change requests, please visit Zero Change Fee/Change to Open Ticket.
- For tickets made between March 21, 2020 – December 31, 2020 (inclusive), passengers can make unlimited changes until December 31, 2021 (inclusive). Please review our Flexible Changing Rights page for more details on unlimited changes.
- Please perform your change requests for non-suspended domestic flights by contacting our call center and sales offices.
- For your flights ticketed before or on March 19, 2020, a Free Change Right will apply, provided that the new ticket is purchased for the same fare class. For detailed information regarding free change rights, please visit Zero Change Fee/Change to Open Ticket.
Open tickets
If you have tickets for non-suspended flights, you can change your tickets to open tickets if you cancel them before the hour of flight. Requests to change tickets to open tickets can be made by contacting our call center and sales offices.
- For your tickets purchased for international flights before or on March 20, 2020, a fare difference will not be applied, provided that the new ticket is purchased for the same cabin class.
- For yout tickets purchased for flights operating between Turkey and Ercan Airport before or on March 19, 2020, a fare difference will not be applied, provided that the new ticket is purchased for the same fare class. (Change to open ticket right)
- For your tickets to be purchased for international flights after Mach 20, 2020 and domestic flights after March 19, 2020, a fare difference will not be applied when changed to open tickets. Fare differences incurred by cabin class or fare class differences will be applied when the open ticket is ticketed. (Change to open ticket right)
How to Get a Refund From Turkish Airlines
They had canceled my flight back in March – and then canceled it again when I had rebooked it. So, I am owed a refund. After months of trying to get more information, I finally had a case number that was addressed by someone and here is what they said:
“Please be informed that due to our recent infrastructure efficacies, we have been faced with technical restrictions not allowing the call center systems to refund your tickets. You will therefore kindly be asked to visit one of our official Turkish Airlines sales offices in order to proceed with the refund process.
You may get detailed information about our sales offices by using the link; https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-us/any-questions/get-in-touch/
Since the working hours of our sales offices may have been changed due to the period we are in, we suggest you contact them before going to the office where you will have your transaction made.
Please accept our sincere apologies regarding the inconveniences cause by the technical error.”
That’s right – they are blaming their unwillingness to give customers back their own money as a “technical error.” Of course, this is a total lie since they have refunded passengers already and they did in the past. But, this makes it difficult for most customers to actually get a refund due to the fact that not everyone is near a Turkish Airlines sales office.
I went to one – and it was closed (since the airline has not been flying to that city). I will be trying again at another location but I am not too optimistic that they will actually refund me.
At least now you know how Turkish Airlines says you can get a refund – since they will not make it possible through the app, over the phone, or online.
Turkish Airlines is THE WORST.