21 December 2006

Viva HSBC, booooo Turkish Airlines



I am actually writing these lines from Istanbul airport. I am transiting here for 14 hours both ways, I unfortunately had to chose Turkish Airlines as they were the cheapest price. BIG Mistake!!!! I applied for a double entry Visa in the Turkish Embassy in Cairo, as I will be stopping by Istanbul on my way back as well, but the jerk at the embassy in Cairo gave me a single entry, even though I sent him a letter from work asking for a double entry and I ticked double entry in the application, they issued the visa as single entry. I had sent my passport to the embassy on a Wednesday knowing that I am traveling the following Wednesday at night. I found out that I will get a single entry on Thursday afternoon. I was using a Travel Agency to et me the Visa so the agent went back to the embassy on Sunday so the Visa officer told him, when you pick up the passport tomorrow with the Visa tell the counselor and he will change it for you. Of course When the agent went to pick up the passport on the Monday the Visa officer told him this is it whether you take it as it is or you issue a new Visa. So he said fine we will issue a new Visa and pay new fees, so the guy said but I will only issue you the Visa on Sunday! But the customer is traveling on Wednesday well this is it then he should stay in the airport 14 hours won’t kill him?!!!

I arrived to Istanbul Ataturk International Airport and went straight to the transfer desk at 5:40 AM I asked for an Airport Hotel room (I have an hotel voucher issued already from Cairo) She said airport is full come back at 7, I went back at 7 she said hotel is full come back at 13:00??!!! What shall I say FUCK Turkish Airlines? Are the Turks a pain in the butt or its just the Turkish Airlines employees? No offence but they are really pissing me off. Not a single employee in the Transfer desk (there are maybe 5 employees there) speaks English, by luck I managed to find one that speaks French, Alleluia!!!!!!!!!

This is crazy weird attitude thing started in Cairo airport, with one of the Egyptian staff. As I was checking in I asked the guy to get me an aisle seat all the way. He said no I can only access the Cairo Istanbul flight, whatever seat you get from Istanbul to wherever you are going this is it. If you don't like change it when you get to Istanbul?! I said but in all other companies I can chose my seat all the way at the counter here in Cairo! He said: "Well this is a daughter of mother who's being fucked company"!!! (Direct Arabic Translation of course) I was actually shocked from his comment, it was totally unexpected?!!! Never ever even flying with the shittiest airline on earth, that a guy insulted the company he is working for?! So it seems it has nothing to do with the Turks it is with Turkish Airlines itself.

So I am stuck in the airport dying to sleep but God bless HSBC Bank. HSBC Bank is more useful that I once thought, there's an Advantage lounge in Istanbul airport that's free for HSBC Credit card holders. I found it by chance and it is really great, and they have free wireless connection. So everything is not that negative after all. THANK YOU HSBC :) I love you HSBC you are the best Bank in the world :) Staying in that lounge from 7:30 to 19:30 is a real endurance marathon; will I make it alive?

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