Credit Card Verification Problems
Aug 13, 2013, 10:23 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 51
Credit Card Verification Problems
I wanted to float my current frustrations with Turkish and credit card verification for tickets bought for family members to see if anybody has any
advice (plus generally vent).
I bought tickets online for my in-laws to travel IKA-SAW RT to meet up with my wife, daughter and me in Istanbul. After the purchase process is completed, it informs you that you have to present the credit card at checkin. Of course, we won't be in IKA at checkin as we will be travelling BOS-YYZ-IST on Air Canada at the same time. We live in Providence, and the closest Turkish presence to us on the ground is in New York.
To try to address this situation, I
1. Called Turkish's general reservation number. They promised a callback that I never received.
2. I emailed Turkish and received no response.
3. I was in TLV, so I went to the THY ticket window there at Ben-Gurion. The lady there represented many airlines and clearly didn't have much interest in helping me (the itinerary involving IKA probably didn't help). When pressed she said it would be no problem - this is just a way for Turkish to have a legal way of dealing with clearly fraudulent charges. BUT I could send an affadavit with copied credit card for presentation at checkin if I wanted to be really conservative.
4. My inlaws went to a THY office in Tehran and were told they would not be allowed to fly without the physical card or indication on the reservation that it had been presented by me with my ID in person to a Turkish representative.
5. I called Turkish again and was told that there is no alternative but to present myself in person with the card and an ID for my inlaws to be allowed to fly.
(By the way, this is an el cheapo ticket that cost $100 RT for each of three passengers. Anybody trying to fraudulently use a credit card would not have used it for these tickets.)
We are connecting in YYZ arriving at 4:50PM on a day that Turkish does not fly from the airport. Their Cargo office (and maybe ticket office too?, not clear) is open till 5:30, but I'm afraid I may not make it through Canadian immigration in time before they close to present the card, or that they will even be open late afternoon on a day that Turkish does not operate from the airport.
Any suggestions on what to do about this? Thanks everyone for your help!
I am thinking that I only have the following options, but would be grateful to hear others.
1. Try to get someone in New York on the phone and convince this person to fix this without having me to go there.
2. Have my in-laws do online checkin/print BP at home and not check bags. Not sure whether they will still need to go to the counter in IKA or even if this is available for ex-Iran itineraries. I suspect this may not work, but would love to hear if others have experiences.
3. Suck it up and waste a day to go to New York and present my credentials in person.
Once again, an example of the really poor ground service featured by Turkish, despite their good in-flight product. (Though getting rid of alcohol on flights in the Muslim world is def. a minus. My brother in law will be very disappointed - if he is allowed to get on the flight, that is.)
advice (plus generally vent).
I bought tickets online for my in-laws to travel IKA-SAW RT to meet up with my wife, daughter and me in Istanbul. After the purchase process is completed, it informs you that you have to present the credit card at checkin. Of course, we won't be in IKA at checkin as we will be travelling BOS-YYZ-IST on Air Canada at the same time. We live in Providence, and the closest Turkish presence to us on the ground is in New York.
To try to address this situation, I
1. Called Turkish's general reservation number. They promised a callback that I never received.
2. I emailed Turkish and received no response.
3. I was in TLV, so I went to the THY ticket window there at Ben-Gurion. The lady there represented many airlines and clearly didn't have much interest in helping me (the itinerary involving IKA probably didn't help). When pressed she said it would be no problem - this is just a way for Turkish to have a legal way of dealing with clearly fraudulent charges. BUT I could send an affadavit with copied credit card for presentation at checkin if I wanted to be really conservative.
4. My inlaws went to a THY office in Tehran and were told they would not be allowed to fly without the physical card or indication on the reservation that it had been presented by me with my ID in person to a Turkish representative.
5. I called Turkish again and was told that there is no alternative but to present myself in person with the card and an ID for my inlaws to be allowed to fly.
(By the way, this is an el cheapo ticket that cost $100 RT for each of three passengers. Anybody trying to fraudulently use a credit card would not have used it for these tickets.)
We are connecting in YYZ arriving at 4:50PM on a day that Turkish does not fly from the airport. Their Cargo office (and maybe ticket office too?, not clear) is open till 5:30, but I'm afraid I may not make it through Canadian immigration in time before they close to present the card, or that they will even be open late afternoon on a day that Turkish does not operate from the airport.
Any suggestions on what to do about this? Thanks everyone for your help!
I am thinking that I only have the following options, but would be grateful to hear others.
1. Try to get someone in New York on the phone and convince this person to fix this without having me to go there.
2. Have my in-laws do online checkin/print BP at home and not check bags. Not sure whether they will still need to go to the counter in IKA or even if this is available for ex-Iran itineraries. I suspect this may not work, but would love to hear if others have experiences.
3. Suck it up and waste a day to go to New York and present my credentials in person.
Once again, an example of the really poor ground service featured by Turkish, despite their good in-flight product. (Though getting rid of alcohol on flights in the Muslim world is def. a minus. My brother in law will be very disappointed - if he is allowed to get on the flight, that is.)
Aug 13, 2013, 3:14 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 51
I was able to get hold of someone in the Chicago office on the phone who told me to email documentation and scans to [email protected]. Lo and behold, they just told me (only a few hours later) that they had verified the credit card and my inlaws can fly! It looks like the Chicago office knows what it is doing, unlike the phone reps.
Aug 14, 2013, 9:55 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: GYD
Programs: Azerbaijan Airlines Gold, Turkish Miles and Smiles, IHG Plat
Posts: 663
I've never been asked to show my credit card when checking in with TK. However, last week I visited the TK office in Baku to check on a booking (1st sector not yet flown) and the agent asked to see my card. I noticed there was a prompt on the booking to 'verify card'. I think if you book through a TA they don't bother but if you book through THY.COM, it may be different. Why not check in on line and just go through the 'bag drop' desk? That might help.
Aug 15, 2013, 10:02 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 51
I have flown Turkish several times and never been asked for my CC at checkin either. However, I think itineraries bought with someone else's card may get special treatment. Since (because of international sanctions) there are no credit cards that can be used outside the country in Iran, this must come up a lot with ex-Iran itineraries. Apparently the travel agents and THY ticket agents in Iran were amazed that we were able to find such cheap tickets, as this was an internet sale that I guess could only be purchased by people outside the country with a normal credit card.
Aug 15, 2013, 1:23 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: Delta Flyer
Posts: 227
I have flown Turkish several times and never been asked for my CC at checkin either. However, I think itineraries bought with someone else's card may get special treatment. Since (because of international sanctions) there are no credit cards that can be used outside the country in Iran, this must come up a lot with ex-Iran itineraries. Apparently the travel agents and THY ticket agents in Iran were amazed that we were able to find such cheap tickets, as this was an internet sale that I guess could only be purchased by people outside the country with a normal credit card.
Honestly, based on the overwhelmingly awesome performance of TK employees at the airport, I don't think it would be a real "issue" if the ticketholder just showed up and smiled to the counter agent. ... at least within Turkey.
Aug 17, 2013, 6:52 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: GIB BCN LUX MLA GOT LCA ATH
Programs: Miles and More FTL; Miles and Bonus *G; Emirates
Posts: 94
I can assure you that this is not just an "issue" that is limited to a specific country. However, I use the term "issues" loosely, because I was the one who asked the agent over the phone if it would be a problem to book a ticket for my significant other when I would not be at the airport (intra-turkey flight).
Honestly, based on the overwhelmingly awesome performance of TK employees at the airport, I don't think it would be a real "issue" if the ticketholder just showed up and smiled to the counter agent. ... at least within Turkey.
Honestly, based on the overwhelmingly awesome performance of TK employees at the airport, I don't think it would be a real "issue" if the ticketholder just showed up and smiled to the counter agent. ... at least within Turkey.
Dec 30, 2013, 6:00 am
#9
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: FB Gold, TK Miles & Smiles Elite, Aeroplan
Posts: 248
Booked on thy.com for myself and partner with my own Amex, which had since been replaced by a different type of Amex.
Ground staff at AMS refused to check us in at first as I couldn't produce the card, but eventually agreed when I showed them an online credit card statement.
True, almost every airline states in their T&C that the cc used for the booking must be presented upon check-in, but I had never been asked for it before (nor have any of my colleagues - TG- who often travel on flights booked with a credit card of a non-travelling colleague).
Ground staff at AMS refused to check us in at first as I couldn't produce the card, but eventually agreed when I showed them an online credit card statement.
True, almost every airline states in their T&C that the cc used for the booking must be presented upon check-in, but I had never been asked for it before (nor have any of my colleagues - TG- who often travel on flights booked with a credit card of a non-travelling colleague).