Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles - IST Transit Hotel Rant

So don't get me wrong, TK has some very nice inflight service and their hard product is pretty good too. Having just tried the IST lounge for the first time, it too has proved to be a very nice place to relax between flights.

But SERIOUSLY, what is up with the "free transfer hotel offer"?!!

Here I thought I was following the rules and it would have been a breeze to be granted a hotel for a ten hour layover following a C flight into IST (and a Y out - both flights on TK), but the overworked lady at the desk dismisses me and simply tells me I'm not eligible due to this and that rule.

OK fine.

I can understand knowing the rules and then either you're following them or you're not, but I don't think it is just me that finds TK's policies and rules that govern this program ambiguous and lacking in acuity. Their website is more a PR piece about the city tours than a useful font of information regarding this offer.

Why work so hard in all other areas, and yet ruin the airline's customer satisfaction with a program that stinks?

All I'm asking for is a clear explanation of which exact circumstances you can get a hotel and which you cannot.

End of rant. Let the flaming begin. I'll try to defend myself.

You're right about the website :(
Were your connecting flight the first flight for your final destination ?
In this case you should be eligible for a free hotel offer.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/847131-complimentary-hotel-day-tour-transit-pax.html

It's as if they are trying to hide the hotel offer altogether. The website should have comprehensive information on this as it is supposed to be an incentive for transiting through IST.

So don't get me wrong, TK has some very nice inflight service and their hard product is pretty good too. Having just tried the IST lounge for the first time, it too has proved to be a very nice place to relax between flights.

But SERIOUSLY, what is up with the "free transfer hotel offer"?!!

Here I thought I was following the rules and it would have been a breeze to be granted a hotel for a ten hour layover following a C flight into IST (and a Y out - both flights on TK), but the overworked lady at the desk dismisses me and simply tells me I'm not eligible due to this and that rule.

OK fine.

I can understand knowing the rules and then either you're following them or you're not, but I don't think it is just me that finds TK's policies and rules that govern this program ambiguous and lacking in acuity. Their website is more a PR piece about the city tours than a useful font of information regarding this offer.

Why work so hard in all other areas, and yet ruin the airline's customer satisfaction with a program that stinks?

All I'm asking for is a clear explanation of which exact circumstances you can get a hotel and which you cannot.

End of rant. Let the flaming begin. I'll try to defend myself.

Ash at the lounge desk if you are eligible before paying the VOA fee and may be sent back.

Yep I was definitely connecting... LCA-ATH-IST-ZRH-IAD-EWR on *A with the ATH-IST and IST-ZRH segments operated by TK


I didn't need to pay for the visa to visit the hotel desk past passport control this time around since I already had my visa from my IST stopover from the inbound of my trip. I would definitely be mad though if I was expecting a hotel, paid $20, and was turned away.

Which hotel have you gotten ?