Hanoian

Hi

I have a TK ticket to fly BKK-IST-BKK, and it turns out I also need to go to a meeting in Moscow the same week. My travel agent is ready to issue me a separate IST-VKO-IST ticket, with the VKO-IST leg timed to connect with the IST-BKK sector. She says I need two separate tickets for BKK-IST-BKK and IST-VKO-IST, as the BKK-IST-BKK ticket is already issued and was a cheap fare.

My question is: will TK check-in staff at VKO allow me to through-check my bag to BKK, given that VKO-IST and IST-BKK are on separate TK tickets? I have had a previous experience of TK staff in IST refusing to be helpful in this way. But this time I need the TK staff at VKO to do it. Anyone have any experience of doing this at VKO, or know the official TK policy?

Thanks for your help!

airoli

I have had no problems in the past to through-check bags on two separate TK tickets (connecting at IST). However, my experience was not in VKO.

avfly47

I've done this successfully a few times (~5) in both Y and C. The only time the agent was unable to do this successfully was when I was flying YUL-IST-TAS, and was departing to TAS the calendar day after arriving in IST. The contracted check-in agent said the connection time was > 12 hours, so she wasn't able to process the transaction. Every other time, though, it's worked out fine.

Unfortunately, don't have a VKO data point for you.

YVR guy

I have a similar situation flying on 2 TK tickets. First flight is TLV to IST with a 4 hour connection, then onward IST to FCO (Rome).

I phoned TK reservations to request that they reference the 2 PNR's. But they say there is no way to reference 2 reservations. Not even possible to enter a comment in the file! Officially they say I must obtain a visa in advance, go through customs at IST, reclaim my baggage, recheck it in at the counter and proceed back through security. Seriously??!! even though it's the same airline?

Does anybody have experience with checkin agents in TLV being cooperative to check connecting baggage through? Any special things I should do such as checkin online and print my boarding pass for the connecting flight?

Hanoian

Thanks for the replies. Airoli and avfly47, how recent was your success in doing this? I fear that what YVRguy was told is indeed the current TK policy. I had a bad experience at IST in February when (for reasons I won't bore you with) I had a ticket IST-DEL connecting at DEL to CZ DEL-CAN-HAN on a separate ticket. TK staff at IST point blank refused to check my bag through - though I was on weaker ground as I was interlining (and CZ is in Skyteam, not star). The manager said at one point 'we couldn't do it even if the whole routing was on TK' but at the time I thought was just hyperbole. Contrast that with BA agent at ARN in June who happily checked my bag ARN-LHR-HAN on two separate tickets and airlines (BA then VN)...

By the way, YVRguy, my travel agent says she's put a note in my reservations about the fact they're linked, so it sounds to me as if the TK staff you're dealing with are being particularly unhelpful! Good luck :-)

airoli

2014.

tmac100

Any experience with transferring bags at IST on a TK flight (DXB-IST) into IST and then an A3 flight out of IST (and on to SKG)?

If this can be done, then I don't need to clear customs and wait for hours at IST for A3 boarding...

unixflyer

I'm very interested in this too, I have HKG -> IST IST->ASB on 2 PNR's and am really hoping they can interline baggage for me at HKG through to ASB to save alot of hassle. Any tips or ideas appreciated, I'm *G if that helps matters at all.

YVR guy

You'll probably have decent luck with agents in HKG. I found agents at HKG more competent than average, however I've never flown TK from there. By the definition of "interline", one of your flights is NOT on TK so their website suggests you will need to reclaim your baggage, do not complete passport procedures, continue to transit desk of the other airline and presumably recheck your baggage.

I hope you have plenty of CNX time at IST, if this is the case. But at least you should be able to remain airside.

I'm still waiting for someone to comment on whether TK agents are helpful in this respect out of TLV. It's astounding how backwards and inflexible the official transit policy is with this airline!

airoli

The way IST is built, it is not possible to reach baggage claim without going through Turkish immingration. And in the baggage reclaim area, there are no transit desks so once you are there, you will have to go "out" landside and upstairs to check-in.

However, if both HKG-IST and IST-ASB are operated by TK (i.e. not actually "interline") but on separate reservations, checking bags through should definitely be possible. I have done this before.

unixflyer

Thanks, you are correct my terminology was wrong, both flights are indeed on TK, sounds like my chances are good. Appreciate the feedback.

YVR guy

Just a follow-up. Despite "official" policy of not being able to through-check bags on 2 separate TK tickets... it turned out to be no problem at all for me.

I simply provided the check-in agent with the connecting PNR and she tagged the bag through to the final destination. There was no need to collect and recheck the bag at IST during the connection.

slickvik

I have the same situation but going to NAV via IST from IAH. Let's see what happens

carrotjuice

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I did a search and can't appear to find my answers in a more recent thread.

I have two separate tickets KUL-IST and IST-CDG both on TK. Based on the TK rules at https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-i...ers/index.html

​​​​​Our transfer passengers, coming from an international point and continuing to an international destination with Turkish Airlines, whose flight routes are not arranged with a single ticket*
Get your baggage from the international arrival hall.
Go to the international terminal and the related airline’s counter for the check-in procedures of your upcoming flight.
*Excluding passengers whose routes are arranged with a single ticket with a Star Alliance member airline or an airline having a codeshare flight agreement with Turkish Airlines and passengers having a connecting flight to Taiwan (TPE-KHH-RMQ) with a foreign airline in Turkish Airlines operated flights to Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Kuala Lumpur.

Seems I'm screwed and have to collect and recheck my luggage?
Does TK enforce this rule strictly when I check in at KUL?
How easy (or challenging) is this to do at the new IST airport?
How much time should I allow for this?

ISTFlyer

It actually depends on the check-in agent, if you are on Business Class or you hold a *G, the ground staff could assist you. I don't know if a third party ground service employees or TK-hired agents work at KUL so I won't know if the agent would accept your demand at first place. Ask the supervisor of TK ( not the chef of the ground service employees which would wander around desks ), he may give the authorization to check luggages on separate tickets. I have never flown from/to KUL with TK so I am not able to give a certain answer.

It's really easy to recheck your baggage, you need to pass immigration, just claim your baggage, go to the departures hall, drop it, pass passport and security checks and you would be done. Depending on your nationality you might need a paper visa or an e-visa ( which could be issued online or at one of the visa desk ) as well.

If you're Star Gold or flying in Business Class, allow between 2 hours and 2 hours 30 minutes as if the flight from KUL departs late, it would be a tight connection if you're not able to connect your baggages. Because, two flights are on separate itineraries, you must recheck your baggage 60 minutes before your connecting flight. As I won't able to expect the waiting times for non-Turkish citizens at Istanbul Airport, I would advise you to allow minimum 3 hours if you're not flying or Business or hold a Star Gold status. Otherwise, you would need to take a serious risk taking your catching your onward flight if your first flight is delayed. TK 61 is not delayed most of the time, but taking the risk or not is yours. If this situation would apply also in your return leg, allow extra time as TK flights departing from Paris could easily be delayed.