Shams Khan
shams@skfinancial.com
February 15, 2024

Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20591

Subject: Urgent Formal Complaint Against Turkish Airlines and Request for Full Reimbursement

Dear Sir/Madam,

I, Shams Khan, am compelled to submit a formal complaint against Turkish Airlines due to their egregious misconduct, clear violation of passenger rights, and deliberate disregard for customer service, resulting in significant financial loss and distress to my family and me. This letter seeks immediate intervention from the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure Turkish Airlines is held accountable for their actions and to secure reimbursement for the financial damages we have incurred.

Our ordeal began with a flight booked from Miami to Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 15, 2023, for which we paid $3,550.20 to Turkish Airlines. The return flight scheduled for November 27, 2023, was unjustly canceled by Turkish Airlines, citing a baseless reason that we had not availed the first leg of our journey—a claim entirely false as we were already in Pakistan. This cancellation forced us to purchase new return tickets from Qatar Airways for $5,159.20 for a departure on November 28, 2023, to ensure our timely return to the United States.

Despite numerous attempts to resolve this issue with Turkish Airlines, including over 50 communications with their customer service, the only responses received were reference numbers TK-9876978 and TK-9883163 with vague assurances of ongoing processes and empty promises of callbacks that never materialized. This dismissive and evasive behavior from Turkish Airlines is indicative of a scam, exploiting passengers by selling them tickets, subsequently invalidating them, and then demanding additional payments for alternative arrangements.

The severity of this issue cannot be overstated, as it appears to be a systemic practice by Turkish Airlines, affecting not only my family but also potentially thousands of other passengers. This predatory behavior, aimed at deceiving and exploiting consumers, warrants a thorough investigation by the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration, including the consideration of revoking Turkish Airlines' license to operate within the United States and initiating a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all affected passengers.

Therefore, I urgently request the following actions:

1. A formal investigation into Turkish Airlines' business practices, particularly concerning the cancellation of return flights and the financial exploitation of passengers.
2. Immediate reimbursement of $5,159.20 for the cost of the replacement tickets purchased from Qatar Airways, along with any other compensations deemed appropriate for the distress and inconvenience suffered.
3. The implementation of stringent measures to prevent Turkish Airlines from continuing such deceptive practices against consumers.

The actions of Turkish Airlines reflect a blatant disregard for ethical business practices and customer care, necessitating decisive and immediate action to protect consumers and uphold the integrity of international air travel regulations.

I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your swift response and resolution.

Sincerely,

Shams Khan