Originally Posted by Often1

Presuming that your parents have a mobile phone, one of the most important functions you can perform is to act as their interpreter in dealings with TK and a hotel, if that comes to pass. There are likely to be TK agents who speak a variety of languages although not sure whether your parents will have a language in common. But, certainly as you speak English and their language, you can act as the interpreter.

If TK wants to put them at a hotel far from the airport and you want to find them something better, you are free to do that. You will have to make payment arrangements with the hotel as they do not have a credit card. If it is cash, make sure that they exchange for local currency at the airport. If they do wind up at a TK-provided hotel far from the airport, at least make certain with TK that their meals are covered and that you are in a position to learn of developments (perhaps your mobile as their contact?)

As noted above, if there are changes of destination or flight, those need to be made by TK. Self-help is an absolute last resort and this is simply a routine misconnect.

Finally, there is no EC 261/2004 claim here. Turkey is not an EU member state, TK is not an EU carrier, and the delayed flight is between two points outside the EU.

For the benefit of others, there are several things one can do to make travel easier for people who may wind up stranded enroute and may not have a common language or credit card:
1. Make certain that they have a mobile phone. If they are sophisticated enough to link to WiFi and use Skype, that is all the better.
2. They should have a credit card. If they don't have one, perhaps an authorized user card from you. If no card, a substantial amount of cash.
3. You should print up a set of instructions written in the language of the connection city which instructs anyone they encounter to call you with a mobile #.