Dear Madam/Sir,
On 31/12/2023, I purchased two tickets on the official website of Turkish Airlines. During the booking process, it was possible to select different fares for the outbound and return flights. Given my uncertain plans for the return trip, I opted for the highest fare, PrimeFly, which was advertised as offering free ticket exchange and cancellation.
I am writing to bring to your attention a concerning discrepancy regarding the ticket issued by Turkish Airlines. Despite selecting and paying for the PrimeFly fare, which includes benefits such as free ticket exchange, cancellation options, and a 30kg luggage allowance, the ticket provided to us was labeled with the EcoFly title. This is clearly visible in the attached ticket documentation. The difference in fare, luggage allowance, and price between the first leg with EcoFly fare and the return leg with PrimeFly fare is obvious and substantiates our claim.
Unfortunately, Turkish Airlines refused to honor the exchange service for the flexible ticket. At the time of purchase, I chose the highest fare, advertised as flexible, for free exchange and cancellation. The tickets issued by the airline confirmed these conditions. However, when I attempted to request an exchange a few days before the flight, my request was denied. The airline's support team informed me that only the lowest fare conditions of the first leg would apply, despite my payment of the highest fare for the return leg.
After reviewing the terms and conditions on the Turkish Airlines website and the ticket conditions (which Turkish Airlines defines as a contract of carriage), I found no mention of such a stipulation. Eventually, I attempted to cancel the flight in the hope of receiving a full refund. The refund amount was significantly lower than what the fare promised. Consequently, I discovered a clause in my ticket confirmation email stating that the most restrictive fare rules apply to cancellations. This clause was added after I paid for the tickets and was not communicated during the booking process. The ticket explicitly listed that a swap was allowed.
Please note that it is still possible to buy tickets with different fares on the official website of Turkish Airlines, which states that the PrimeFly fare includes options for ticket exchange and cancellation. However, this option was denied to us.
This constitutes a violation of the EU Consumer Rights Directive, as the airline website advertises conditions they know do not apply but still charges for the highest fare. Such practices should not be allowed. Our travel plans were compromised, and we incurred financial loss. Since the original transport agreement was not honored, I seek full compensation for the alternative flight I had to purchase to complete my trip, as well as the remaining refund balance that was not returned according to the advertised fare rules.
I have contacted Turkish Airlines multiple times via phone, email, and registered letter to their office in the Netherlands. They have made it clear that they will not provide any refund and have not provided any written proof from their official website, apart from links to terms and conditions where these restrictions are not mentioned. My attempts to seek a resolution since April 2024 have been in vain.
Therefore, I request immediate intervention and action against Turkish Airlines, demanding they compensate my losses for engaging in unfair commercial practices prohibited for companies operating in the EU.
As your terms and conditions do not mention anything regarding exchange according to most restrictive fare, you are obliged to provide advertised services of PrimeFly.
I am awaiting the full refund for the tickets where the service was denied minus the amount that was already refunded to us as per forced cancellations we had to ask for. Additionally, since your denial resulted in a purchase of new tickets , those tickets must be covered for the same destination journey for both passengers in full. Looking forward to your feedback!
Yours sincerely,
Dina Fatkulbayanova (customer numbers of travelers TK609924058, TK609944782)