Hi All,

Recently flew from Istanbul to Sydney on Turkish airline (with a stop in KL), details are as follows:

• Flight Details:
  
  • Itinerary booked via Air Canada (using Aeroplan miles) under a single ticket from IST to MEL.
  • Flights: Turkish Airlines TK174 (IST-SYD) on January 9, 2025, and connecting onto Virgin Australia (SYD-MEL) on January 10, 2025.
• Delay:
  
  • TK174 was scheduled to arrive in Sydney at 18:30 when booked, later changed to 19:00 (by TK) but landed at 20:16. I had originally planned for a 3 hour transit period, which became 2.5 hours.
  • Landed in Sydney with a delay of 1 hour and 16 minutes (from the updated time) and 1 hour and 46 minutes (from the original schedule). It probably took another 10-15 mins to deplane.
• Missed Connection:
  
  • Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Melbourne departed at 21:30, but I missed it due to Turkish Airlines' delay. I got to the transfer desk at 21:05ish, by which time the bag drop off was closed and this was the last flight of the day, so no VA staff to talk to.
  • Australia Requires to clear customs, collect baggage, and recheck for the domestic flight per Australian regulations.
  • Turkish Airlines staff in Istanbul misinformed me that baggage would be checked through to Melbourne, however I found out before landing that I needed to pick bags up and transfer it.
• Response from Turkish Airlines:
  
  • I contacted Turkish Airlines three times after missing my connection while at the airport, but no assistance was provided - they essentially said they can't do anything over the phone.
  • I also called Air Canada who said duty of care lies with Turkish Airlines and they can't just say no they won't help.
  • Advised by Turkish airlines agent to arrange my own accommodation and flight back to Melbourne and make a claim.
  • Their email response falsely claimed the delay was only 34 minutes and shifted responsibility to Virgin Australia (the first agent said it wasn't their ticket so not their problem essentially). They also rejected the claim.
• Expenses Incurred:
  
  • Around $700 AUD (flight + hotel + transport to hotel and airport). I note my domestic flight was meant to be Business, but I booked an economy flight back.
• Complaint:
  
  • Turkish Airlines failed to provide duty of care for a single-ticket itinerary when their delay caused a missed connection.
  • No rebooking, accommodation, or proper support was offered (all TK staff were gone from International terminal when I went back to get help).
  • Their response to my complaint was inaccurate and unhelpful (online).
• Looking for Advice:
  
  • Has anyone experienced a similar situation with Turkish Airlines or other carriers on a single-ticket itinerary?
  • What steps can I take to escalate this further and get reimbursed for my expenses?
  • Is Turkish Airlines responsible or Air Canada, or am I out of luck?

Any help or similar experiences appreciated