Turkish Airlines' Violation of Consumer Protection Laws

In mid 2019, Turkish Airlines refused me to board a plane from Cape Town to Europe. Their grounds to refuse me boarding, was because I asked for an invoice for an overweight luggage payment they demanded from me at the check-in counter. Like any business deal between a consumer and a client, proper paperwork is expected and clients have rights, especially under the consumer protection law in South Affica. They refused me an invoice for their demanded payment on overweight luggage. Instead, I was told that I should download a receipt for the transaction after payment only from their online link. I was not happy with an unfair deal and no paperwork for the payment.

On my request to receive an invoice for the quoted price I was asked to pay for overweight luggage, the Turkish Airlines staff played for time and left the desk, went to print their online stipulations about luggage weight and cost per country. I said I know these online regulations! I have done my part to be informed prior to arriving to the airport. I have extensively studied these overweight stipulations prior to arriving with my overweight luggage. The regulations is not what I asked for. An INVOICE for the payment demanded by Turkish Airlines is what I asked for. Under the circumstances that I knew I had overweight luggage to be administered at check-in, I did my part and adhered to my responsibility to be the first traveler to be in the check-in queue (after an online check in too), especially because I was aware of overweight luggage administration.

Turkish Airlines' answer to my request for a invoice - by printing me papers and papers of their online stipulations about how much money for how many kilograms overweight - did not adhere to my request for a formal invoice for the money transaction they demanded from mw prior to checking in my overweight luggage in on their conveyer belts. They obfuscated my request by printing me their online information. I was well informed of their online information. My request was for an INVOICE for their money demand for the transaction they required of me prior to their allowance for me to board for my paid and online (already) checked-in flight!

At the check-in counter (even though I was checked in online already by the time, AND the first in the Turkish Airlines' counter queues, to also ensure I am the first client to check in), time ran out amid the dispute that they refuse to provide me with an invoice for the money they demanded from me. My flight to Europe's bording time was getting close. After further explanations for my rights to request an invoice prior to the airline demanded money to be paid by me, by now Turkish Airlines' on the ground manager and the Cape Town International airport's area managers were involved. With all the time passing and Turkish Airlines not adhering to my client rights to request an invoice for that they demand money from me, I insisted to the check-in counter staff at the check-in desk, to just simply swipe my credit card and get the payment through for Turkish Airlines' demanded money for overweight luggage. He was full of attitude and refused to take my payment. He even asked me to move away from the check-in desk so he could assist the clients behind me in the queue!

As I refused to leave the check-in desk, and insisted that the payment be taken from my credit card for the alleged overweight of my luggage, just so I could be allowed to board and reach my destination, the check-in staff kept refusing to take my card. This was the biggest injustice to me and it costed me my flight PLUS a next flight's cost for which Turkish Airlines have until today not refunded me for their mistake.

What followed after being refused my rightful payment swipe at the check-in desk, is that I was forced to leave the check-in desk, by the Cape Town Airport Area manager. Me, with all my (overweight) luggage was now escorted by the Cape Town International Airport Area Manager, to stand in the queue at the Turkish Airlines customer service desk (i.e. away from the check in area). It was an empty promise that "now that the check-in points' payment option is closed", I ought to pay for the overweight luggage at the customer service desk. This was an absolute lie! Again at this point too, Turkish Airline Customer Service desk refused to take my payment I by now insisted they must put through, or else I will be loosing my flight and my appointment in Europe.

On the way from the TA check-in desk to the Turkish Airlines customer care service point at Cape Town International Airport, the airport staff had my passport in his hand (handed over to him by the Turkish Airlines check-in desk manager staff) and took a photo of my passport ID page! That's my data, I reprimanded him, and insisted that he must delete the photo and hand me back my passport - which should not have been given out to him in the first place by the Turkish Airlines check-in management desk. This man gave me my passport back in my hand, but kept the photo of my passport ID page on his personal phone.

Arriving at the Turkish Airlines customer service desk with an empty promise by the Turkish Airlines check in desk that I will be assisted to pay the overweight luggage there due to the section's payment still being open now that the check-in desk's payment servers were closed, I was not helped to get the luggage overweight payment through whatsoever. My chances for boarding was cut already by Turkish Airlines itself by this time. The lady at the Turkish Airlines customer service desk (a Turkish national who spoke very bad English) stayed on the phone speaking Turkish for minutes without end, which seemed not even to help a client ahead of me in the queue, while my flight was minutes away from departing. I said to the man in front of me, I will miss my flight if an immediate payment for my overweight luggage is not accepted at this desk. He understood and said I should go ahead of him. I insisted to the Turkish speaking staff of this Turkish Airlines customer service desk, that my payment for overweight luggage to my already checked-in flight be put through immediately, or else I will loose my flight. The employee at the Turkish Airlines Customer Care counter neither understood her task or responsibility, nor the urgency of the situation as she phoned once again to continue her conversation in Turkish. I insisted that she gets off the phone and swipe my card for overweight luggage payment as my flight was by now already boarding. She then called the Airport Police! This police officer tried to remedy the situation as he listened and understood the urgency. He said to the lady at the Turkish Airlines Customer service desk that she ought to put through my payment for the overweight luggage, but the Turkish Airlines staff refused to do so.

By this time the Cape Town International Airport Area Manager came to me and said that he will release the flight and tell them not to wait for me to board (since I was checked-in online already). So he went ahead and informed the airplane staff through his walkie talkie device not to wait for my luggage or my boarding before departing.

I was denied the right to board my paid Turkish Airlines flight, because I insisted on fair trade and an invoice for money they demanded from me. A receipt after they pirate take my money, was not sufficient for my records. Turkish Airlines have grossly violated consumer protection laws in South Africa. And they keep violating consumer protection laws by refusing invoices for overweight luggage payment demands. A receipt only after payment, is not sufficient! The airline's denial of an invoice for a transaction of money they demand to allow a client to board their paid and checked-in flight, is a violation of consumer protection.

It has now been over a year after the event, and Turkish Airlines has neither refunded me the flight cost of about R7000, nor the R40 000 one way ticket I had no choice to buy on the next available airline (only Business Class was available) to ensure my timely arrival for my appointment in Europe.

This incident happened on 6 July 2019, for the flight which was to leave for Europe at 17h00. Complaints were handed in to the airline, of which nothing came and no compensation for my personal expenses were offered after this gross injustice conducted by Turkish Airlines.