ddartt

Hi everyone!

I qualified for Elite/*G 3 weks ago, no sight of the new card in my postbox yet. Called (useless) TK helpline who told the card is still "pending". Problem is that I am going traveling for few months in the end of Feb, and from my experience having a physical card is very helpful rather than relying on the *G printed on BP, especially when flying Economy and trying to avail of *G benefits, especially at outstations.
Of course I opened a feedback with them to expedite it, but to no avail. It takes tham a week at least to even look at the case and then they reply some useless bs usually.
How long did it take for you to recieve the card after Elite qualification? Any way to expedite things you could think of?

Thank you! :-)

ddartt

By the way, I qualified for Classis Plus few weeks before qualifying to Elite, and I haven't ever even received the Classic Plus card...

IAN-UK

I have never travelled with my card, and I have never had a problem gaining benefits when travelling in economy. OK, some third-party lounges like to get card verification, but this can be sorted out between TK and the lounge provider (a lounge "invitation" at check-in, or a phone call).

You can get a card printed instantaneously at IST, airside or landside.

ddartt

Oh I didn't know you can print the card in IST. Where is this possible? In the lounge, TK office or where?

AvidFlyer1990

I have done it twice, Airside (near Gate 220, if I am not mistaken?!!).

ddartt

Oh okay, then it's allright! Thanks! Was it a TK sales office or something that did it for you? Reason I'm asking is there is a (high) chance that I will already be flying through the new airport next time I'm in Istanbul, so will need to find a place to do it there.

AvidFlyer1990

Can't speak about the ISL, but at IST, near Gate 220 (??) there is a Miles & Smiles helpdesk. I have gotten it done there, in the past.

IAN-UK

That sounds about right. The land-side desk is one of those before you reach check-in positions, turn right entering the terminal from outside.

Not a clear picture but just ask for the Miles & Smiles desk

Rescmajster

hi, if you download TK app on your phone, you can visualize your virtual card there. it should be same as haivng the physical one

zontar2010

My old card expired 01/19, my new welcome pack never arrived. I have requested a new card via the app, have they still been mailing out welcome packs?

ZT

Goaguy

In the past, it has usually taken 4-6 weeks for me to receive my cards/welcome pack, I believe.
Qualified for E+ in the end of Nov, wrote to them through the form on the website about 2 weeks ago and complained that I haven't received the welcome pack yet. They said they will make sure it got sent right away.
You can re-order cards on the TK website if you need, I have successfully done this in the past, arrived faster. However this is not the same as the welcome pack with the luggage tags.

deniah

Everytime I walk by 220 at IST, it's either unstaffed, or the disinterested employee is reading newspaper and ignoring my request for a card issue.

ISTFlyer

My M&S Elite Welcome Pack hasn't arrived within 5 weeks. When I called the call center about the status of my welcome pack they told me that welcome packs are sent within 2 days to 6 weeks after the member has extended or achieved their status. The hotline agent told me that he would create a new request for me. By the way, my address is in Turkey and PTT doesn't take longer than 3-4 days in normal circumstances. To not wait for the physical card I have went to the M&S desk in Atatürk Airport in January ( the landside one ), it was still active and my card was handed to me within seconds after verifying my ID.

IAN-UK

I've no doubt you've found staff reading - though it's usually phones and screens rather than newspapers. At the landside desk the agent continued an animated Whatsapp chat while she printed my card.

Ignoring a customer seems pretty odd behaviour. i think I'd have made a fuss.

ddartt

Note that I got a message from TK support (3 weeks after my case was marked "urgent") that they are currently unable to print and post any cards at all due to their "system upgrade" back in November, and I should go to Miles&Smiles desk at Ataturk to get one...