kxl19

I'd like some help on this issue..

I was flying ORD-MUC-IST on UA/TK last week, and had a separate IST-ADB (izmir) ticket booked on TK, refundable fare class, with a 2 hr+ layover in IST to allow for transfer between the international and domestic terminals, and I booked the refundable/changeable ticket in case I had any problems with connections.

Due to the Chicago ATC mess, I missed my original connection, got rebooked onto the direct TK flight from ORD-IST, and was going to arrive into IST after my IST-ADB flight. I explained the situation to United, they said to contact Turkish. I called Turkish, they told me that they couldn't change the ticket until I arrived, which didn't make sense. When I checked-in with TK in Chicago, I told them the situation and asked them to change the ticket, they said for me to check-in at IST when I arrive, and they would rebook me for the next flight

However - when I arrived in IST, the TK agent said they could not rebook me, and that I'd have to buy a completely new ticket! Unbelievable, as everybody is passing the buck onwards. And definitely not for a lack of effort on my side to pre-plan when I knew I'd arrive late.

Does anybody have a possible solution for this? I contacted TK Customer Support, they said to have United send a "delay letter" and they'd refund me, but I'm not optimistic...

Thanks,

FlyerChrisK

You had separate tickets. UA (and not even TK) has any obligation to you for your second flight if you misconnect. Since you had a refundable/changeable ticket, why did you not rebook immediately, rather than wait until arriving in IST?

sannmann

Unfortunately, there's risk associated with booking separate tickets. Unfortunately, there's also often a price premium for plating TK flights on a UA ticket.

TPJ

+1

SK AAR

Why do you think this is an TK issue? From TK perspective you no-showed for the IST-ADB flight so either the ticket is lost or a no-show fee is due when rebooking the flight.

The carrier for ORD-IST is under no obligation to get you to ADB. You were rebooked to the direct TK flight and arrived IST with a delay due to an event outside the control of the carrier - that is it; end of story.

Often1

OP's sole remedy here is to look at the specific conditions of "refundability". He noshowed for his IST-ADB flight and his ticket was cancelled. Whether the ticket retains value after the nowshow is a matter of the fare conditions.

UA as the carrier causing the delay had the obligation to reroute OP to IST, the ticket destination, and that's it.

tobegold

Did the OP book the TK ticket using a credit card with travel delay insurance?

luckypierre

Thanks, United!
Happened to me in August-UA irrop misconnecting a TK flight
(although unlike the August episode, the ATC was out of their hands)
However, as previous posters have noted, according to the rules of the respective airlines, United delivered you to the destination and from TK's perspective, you were a no show.
Probably the best outcome in retrospect would have been for the TK agent in Chicago to rebook you on a later Izmir flight.
FWIW, I took the Izmir flight. With the Turkish domestic market so competitive, I can't imagine the walk up fare was too painful.

jmastron

For those considering separate tickets in the future, as I understand it AA (and oneworld) specifically call out that you will be rebooked as a misconnected through passenger, even if the tickets were separate (but both on AA or oneworld airlines).

http://www.aa.com/i18n/agency/Bookin...tkt_policy.jsp

This is a big differentiator, and people who may need to book separately often should take it into account when choosing an airline. It's too bad UA/Star don't have similar protections; I understand the "not responsible for consequential damages", especially in weather, but when the consequence is a punitively costly rebook on the same airline or a partner it can seem unfair (albeit legal per the CoC)

luckypierre

Wow, that is a significant differentiator. I would have thought I would have encountered it with the many AA/OW connections I have made. Either I don't remember it or they took care of me and I interpreted it as an ExecPlat benefit. In contrast, the UA irrop situation is a total mess at the moment. Two big award flights in the last month that required positioning UA flights, one Transatlantic, the other Transpacific. I woke up the morning of the departure concerned about the UA flights and they didn't disappoint. Misconnects on both positioning flights.

Mwenenzi

You did not have a connection at IST, as you had separate tickets. You only have a flight connection if its one 1 ticket/PNR.

Check in people are generally not ticketing agents. As for TK forcing you to buy new ticket, did they hold a gun to head/have a baseball bat or other means of force. Reads to me that you made a decision to buy a new ticket. You could have made a decision not to that and find another way to your second destination (the first being IST)

That is AA policy only and not a OneWorld policy, but there is a recent thread on the OW forum on this topic.

mecabq

[QUOTE=Mwenenzi;23693913Check in people are generally not ticketing agents.[/QUOTE]

In the U.S., the check-in agents frequently handle both functions.

Most posters here seem to have not read the OP closely: he said that he asked the TK agent at check-in in ORD to change the IST-ADB ticket, which is the right course of action, and they refused. (At worst, they should have directed him to the TK ticketing counter at ORD if it was a different place.)

The OP probably should have insisted on re-booking before he left ORD, though I suppose he not unreasonably took them at their word that it would be handled at IST. Seems like terrible service on the part of TK. Whether they will compensate you, who knows -- hopefully the unused ticket has some value since it was refundable.