Purposely missing a connection flight

[manbearpig]

I’m off to turkey next week for a wedding in bodrum and me and the lady want to spend some time In Istanbul as well. I was able to book it with points but without thinking I booked the whole trip to be in bodrum with the connection flight from bodrum-Istanbul. The booking agency made it either impossible or stupid expensive to change that minor flight and Turkish airlines is saying if I purposely miss that bodrum flight my international flight will be cancelled as a no show. This is a last ditch effort, anyone have luck making a last second “change” like this at the gate?

I made it clear I didn’t want to change any flights or cancel, that I was simple going to already be in Istanbul so I would not be on the bodrum flight I originally booked.

 

[manbearpig]

Side note is the connecting flight is quick and relatively inexpensive so we could just purchase another set of tickets and fly back and forth to make the original flights.

 

[grapedrink]

Yeah, either try to change it there with the airline or buy another set of tickets. Turkish likes to talk themselves up as a layover friendly airline, so you might be able to make it work.

Did a 24 hour layover there in December. Nowhere near enough time, but it was far better sitting in the airport. Fascinating place. Do not miss Topkapi Palace, by far the best museum I've ever been to

 

[manbearpig]

Thanks for the recommendation. Well definitely check that out.

I think we’re going to buy the tickets to be on safe side, and try to arrange it so we don’t need to fly back to bodrum still at check in. Hopefully the bodrum-Istanbul extra flight is refundable.

 

[spenat]

cane book the bodrum-istanbul extra flight with travel insurance and then if you cancel;l you can get your money back?

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

“It’s a family emergency!!!!”

 

[manbearpig]

I was actually thinking about making up some kind of “emergency”

 

[toddo]

United did that to me about 15 years back.... had a flight home from vancouver to sydney via san fran.... approaching the time to come home I was in boston and was way easier to get to SF than VAN, however United said i wouldn't be allowed to check in and board my flight in san fran. Turned into a nightmare 50 hour trip home (as was a holiday weekend so flights were booked out) boston-vegas-seattle-bus to van- van- san fran - sydney.

On the last leg (14 hour from SF to syd) the plane was only half full, and i got seated next to 2 people travelling with a large church group. grunting a few profanities early on and they moved to sit with some other friends and I slept across 3 seats. bliss.

 

[Surfdog]

I was actually thinking about making up some kind of “emergency”

Don't get too "creative"

 

[manbearpig]

Haaaaa yes any “creativity” will have to be conservative and not too crazy, especially considering the location.

 

[manbearpig]

We ended up taking a flight from Istanbul-bodrum-Istanbul to make it work. I made it clear I didn’t want any money back, but the booking agency and airline wouldn’t budge. Was mucho dumb.

 

[grapedrink]

What did you hit up Istanbul? Did you take my advice and see all the old Ottoman swords and stuff?

 

[manbearpig]

We had kind of limited time so unfortunately missed that part, bummer we did. Checked out the Hagia Sophia and some of old town, the grand bazaar, a ton of wandering, good restaurants and we got invited by our friends Turkish family to join them on one of princes islands, Buyukada, to have dinner at their home. Which was one of the most epic meals ive ever had and spent the day there. Really amazing city and country.

 

[grapedrink]

We had kind of limited time so unfortunately missed that part, bummer we did. Checked out the Hagia Sophia and some of old town, the grand bazaar, a ton of wandering, good restaurants and we got invited by our friends Turkish family to join them on one of princes islands, Buyukada, to have dinner at their home. Which was one of the most epic meals ive ever had and spent the day there. Really amazing city and country.

No worries, sounds like you had an epic time and will probably be back. For all I know the lines and crowds could be horrendous this time of year. I was there in December so lines weren’t an issue, but the Hagia Sophia was closed that day.

Hope you didn’t buy an carpets, probably the biggest tourist scam on earth

 

[manbearpig]

I passed on the carpets. Heard you needed someone who knows where to go for that. But was tempted. The sellers are intense in the bazaar.

Got some cool towels, an old antique Turkish handsaw and some Turkish tea paraphernalia.

 

[Autoprax]

When I travel I like to see the bars and the pretty girls.

--American Philistine out!