It’s a bit sobering to read about the bombing in Istanbul yesterday seeing as how we were just there, all over that square and could easily have been there ourselves had the timing been different. It’s something to be thankful for in the middle of my irritation with Turkish Air who keeps giving me the runaround and saying that they aren’t responsible in any way for our missed flight. But I shouldn’t be surprised that they are reluctant to part with their Lira based on how our conversation over my luggage went.
The agent called me and said that based on the report that had been issued (and the photos and other documentation that I had submitted), if I came down to the office with the suitcase and the copies of my boarding pass then he would give me $60. So I reluctantly drove myself downtown, hauled my busted up suitcase down the street and into their offices and expected to get paid. Instead, the agent and another representative inspected my bag as if it were a teacup with an invisible chip that they were trying to detect: flipping it over, checking each side, lifting it by the handle to see if it could still be carried, and then he pronounced, “Madame, we will send your bag out to see if it can be repaired and if it can not, then we will pay.”
What magical repair fairy is going to put the side back on my suitcase?
At that point I about lost my mind and said, “NO. That suitcase is trashed. Repairing it is unacceptable. You told me if I came down here then I would get paid. I want my money now.” He blinked, made a phone call and said who knows what to the guy on the phone (because he was speaking in another language) and then said to me, “Just a minute.” Then he sent his assistant to get cash. When he handed me 22BD I said, “22BD is not 60 dollars. You owe me 500 fils more.” He protested that he could only give me what the system said he could give me and I said, “That’s fine. Check your system to see what 60 dollars is in BD.” He was a bit huffy, but sent the guy to get another 500 fils. (Technically it should have been 600 fils, but I was satisfied with my small moral victory. Don’t give me the runaround and then try to cheap out on $1.25. It’s not like it was his money anyway.)
For those who think I should have gotten paid more for the suitcase: Possibly. But, it’s 5 years old and we bought it from Ross in 2011 — on our budget we weren’t buying expensive suitcases. It’s been our go-to bag because it has the best wheels so it has a lot of miles on it already. I looked up a replacement on Amazon and the exact brand would cost $60 plus $15 for shipping so I figured $60 was “close enough.”
I feel like I’ve spent a lot of time lately writing complaint letters. First my suitcase issue with Turkish Airlines and now my ticketing issue with Turkish Airlines that is currently in its third phase. They keep denying any responsibility so I keep writing and telling them that they are wrong and why they owe me money. I’m not sure if it will get anywhere, but it makes me feel better that someone is having to spend time researching my issue and responding to my questions and that it’s sucking up their time and energy the way it burned up mine. I figure as a writer, I can easily keep them occupied for a pretty long time.
If only my airline complaints could be as successful as the other letters that I sent this week. I’m generally one to let the kids work out their own issues at school because I think it prepares them to advocate for themselves when they are adults, but sometimes it takes someone with some power to step in and make something happen.
There was a situation at school that I saw and it didn’t really matter in the long run, but the principle was important. The child said, “It’s OK mom. I’m fine with things the way they are,” but it was bugging me so I sent a quick inquiry. Surprise, surprise! I got a response a few hours later saying that they “were just about to change it” when they got my message. Sure, we’ll go with that theory.
I got a similar result when I sent a question to someone at school about Calvin and the start of the varsity soccer season. He was concerned because it usually starts by now. The person said they’d been working on it and the coach would be announced soon. Funny enough, about 20 minutes after that exchange, an email went out with a request to find a coach. I told Calvin to stick with me because I make things happen.
Now I just need someone to advocate for me with Turkish Airlines . . .
