Posting this partly to vent, partly to warn others.
What should’ve been a long but manageable trip turned into a 54 hour nightmare thanks to Turkish Airlines and IndiGo completely dropping the ball on a codeshare itinerary.
After my DEL to IST flight was delayed, I misconnected and then waited over 2.5 hours just to be told what replacement flights I’d be on. Zero updates, zero communication. Eventually they put me on IST to Chicago, then Chicago to LA.
Then came the real mess. Multiple staff members kept telling me I couldn’t go to a hotel without an e-visa and that my only option was a food voucher. Different counters gave completely different instructions. I was sent back and forth with no coordination at all.
Finally, one genuinely kind staff member explained I actually had two options: apply for an e-visa myself and go to a hotel, or take a food voucher plus 4 hours of lounge access. I tried applying for the visa, but payment kept failing and given IndiGo’s reputation for never replying to emails, I didn’t want to risk it. So I chose the voucher and lounge option.
When I went back to collect it, that staff member was gone. The replacements were rude and flat out denied that lounge access was ever offered. One even asked me to describe the woman who helped me, as if that changed anything. I had to argue and escalate just to get the lounge access I was already promised.
End result:
- 54 hours total travel time
- Almost no sleep
- Completely exhausted
- No accountability, no apology, no coordination
This wasn’t weather or some unavoidable event. It was pure mismanagement and misinformation.
If you’re considering a Turkish Airlines + IndiGo codeshare, especially with tight connections or visa sensitive transits, think very carefully. When things go wrong, you may be totally on your own.
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