ddetering

Hi! I am a new TK Miles & Smiles member and got plenty of miles via credit card transfer. I want to fly with my familiy JFK-IST in July, one-way. I first ran into the "you can only book for yourself error" when booking multiple tickets. So I booked for myself: 45k miles + ~$105 (USD). Eventually, I called a reservation number and was able to book the other three needed tickets and was told that I would get another email "in two days" that allows me to make the payment. Ok? Curiously, the price for all three tickets was quoted as 90k miles plus ~$210, equal to the price for two tickets booked online.

Three days later, still no "payment email". So I call the Turkish call center number at +90 212 444 0 849. They explain to me that the flight is fully booked and that the three tickets are indeed wait listed. I asked the rep to confirm the "fully booked" part and there was nothing else I saw I could do. I hung up and then checked online again, where I was able to begin booking the same flight again, though only one ticket for myself and at 45k/$105 price.

Can someone explain to me what this is about? Does the call center only have access to a cheaper award class that is quickly fully sold? Is it likely I will get those tickets or do you advise an alternative course of action? At this time, our entire trip is fully arranged and for the piece of mind I am happy to forego the unexpected savings of booking for 2/3 price as long as I can complete the booking.

craigthemif

30k is Economy "Promotional award ticket" - i.e. saver award space.

45k is Economy "Award ticket" - i.e. last seat on the plane space.

If you have enough miles and there are enough seats available, you should be able to book 3 "award tickets" for 3 x 45k miles.

SK AAR

If you wait until 30k Promotional awards will become available later (not guaranteed as July is high season), you can save 50% miles rather than booking the expensive but guaranteed seat 45k Award ticket.

ddetering

Great, thank you both! the promotional awards are only available as "wait list" by calling in. Booking online, I had not idea this even existed! You both seem to be saying that 45k one-way award tickets are always available as long as TK is able to find any unsold economy seat on that plane. The airlines that I have worked with restrict award space and often "sell out" of that space long before all non-award seats have sold for "actual" money. I could sit tight and wait another few months and hope for enough saver award cancellations. Could I also play it safe and _also_ book the 45k normal award tickets and cancel those should the saver tickets become available?

ISTFlyer

Sometimes, especially during high season travel periods, I have seen TK blocking standard award availability.
For example, IST-LAX-IST during the season Christmas/New Year 2021 was an example where TK blocked these kinds of awards but when Omicron dived in, they have opened award reservations.

josh3184

As far as I know either you buy the 45K promotional discounted ticket ( otherwise it is 105K) if it is available or 30K is economy and I did not know that you can get waitlisted on Business Calss with points. Would you let us know you do the waitlist through the agent or can you do it online?
Thank you

ISTFlyer

Waitlisting for promotional award inventory and upgrades could only be done through the phone or via a sales office. It's not possible to do it online.

josh3184

ISTFlyer
Thank you very much , that helps very much

josh3184

ddetering

Yes: I booked the first (my own) 45k award ticket online and when calling for the other tickets (which I wasn't able to book online) they waitlisted me for 30k miles per ticket, and also lower fees. I will still have to call them to book them for real at 45k miles - I am not interested in taking my chances.

ddetering

I called the call center and was able to book the three one-ways for 45k miles each, plus the higher monetary charges. So I am all set now. I could not get a clear answer on whether I am still waitlisted for the cheaper tickets, but I assume not. There was no need to send them any id or whatever. I wish I could have done this online...

craigthemif

I suspect you could have done it online.

It's not even remotely intuitive, but there is a section in your profile where you can add regular companions. Once you've done that, you can then book for them online...