Just Back/ Dalaman Airport

[andy]

When will something be done about this totally corrupt airport.
Arrived at the airport in the early hours of this morning with my pregnant wife and six year old child after a wonderful two week holiday. We were forced to go early this year as my wife is expecting early August. We checked with the airline if it was ok to fly at this time, and they said it would be fine, but we would need a fit to fly letter from the midwife which we duly did a few days before we flew out. We flew out from Manchester with no problems, after the check in girl checked the letter, and said it was fine.
However checking in this morning the girl on check out asked if my wife was pregnant, i said yes and she asked to see the letter, she summoned across the airport supervisor who told us that the letter was no longer valid and we would have to go to the first aid to have her checked,the doctor then proceeded to take her blood pressure and asked if she felt ok, my wife said she felt fine so he went ahead and produced a certificate saying she was fine to fly.
I was then told by the receptionist that i would have to pay £60 for the certificate, needless to say i was not happy and told her that she was having a laugh, she replied no £60, no certificate, no fly.
We then went to the rep who came with us back to first aid, but she had no joy, and admitted that the airport stunk and we would be best just paying up. At this point my little boy was starting to get really upset, thinking his mummy couldn't come home so i reluctantly offered the girl my debit card but she informed me that she would only accept cash, I lied and told her that i didn't have the cash so she said she would escort me to a cash machine outside, at this point i blew my top, called her corrupt and threw £60 her way, she then blew her top demanded an apology from me and called for the airport superviser. From here things became really heated and the airport supervisor threatened to ban us from flying, so we just walked away and proceeded to our gate.
When we got on the plane we told the air stewardess what had happened
and she told us that the fit to fly letter from the midwife was valid for six weeks and that what they did was totally unjustified and wrong, she must have then made a phone call as a few minutes later the airport superviser appeared on the plane and was clearly been shown the airline policy on pregnant flyers, unfortunately at this point the pilot came and told the stewardess that we would have to leave as we would lose our slot so the arrogant supervisor had to leave.
The stewardess told us later that they would be reporting the airport about there actions, and assurred us that we would be reimbursed with our money.
Another thing is the scales at the airport for weighing the cases, we purchased some digital scales for checking our weights. When the cases were put on their scales, they weighed 2 kilos more than on ours but luckily we were way under any way.
I have been to Icmeler approximately 30 times, but the way i feel at the moment, after last night , it may be my last.


an

Last edited by andy on 24 May 2009 07:10, edited 1 time in total.

[Fanny]

sorry to hear about your shocking treatment Andy - hope you're all over it now and that you had a great holiday
all the best for the new arrival
xx

[molly malone]

I hope you get your money back after all that Andy. Sounds like another way of fleecing travellers at Dalaman, shocking.

[jools]

That's absolutely disgusting!
I sincerely hope that you take the time to ensure you register a complaint about this.
Thank goodness you all got home safe and sound.

[coolingblonde38]

nobody buys anything at this airport and they have to think of new ways to get money into it

[reesy1959]

Totally disgusting and what a rip-off. Good luck on getting your money refunded.

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

sorry to hear about your awful experience at dalaman
hope you manage to get your money back as you did everything that was required and it looks like they were just trying to get some money off you
hope your wife is well and good luck with your new arrival when it comes
hope something can be done about this as turkey relys heavily on their tourist industry and we cant be treated like this for paying them good money to come into their country
xxx

[adewolves]

Totally disgusting and as cooling blonde said they can't get people to eat or drink there so they try to get money any other way by hook or by crook. We went for the first time last year and if it wasn't for the people on this forum I would have turned round and gone home when I saw the miserable gits at the airport, what a difference when you get out of that rip off unfriendly place. Is it a goverment thing or something else, because if they dropped their prices in there surely people would buy stuff. If they have to put prices up because of lack of sales then the lack of sales is pretty bloody obvious. I was quite surprised when I flew from Birmingham airport last year, the price of a pint was no different than in my local boozer, and it was really busy, not rocket science is it.

[andy]

Spoke to somebody high up at Thomas Cook today and they said that they have no control over the way the airport is run, not worth bothering with insurance as there is a £40 excess on the policy.
Also forgot to mention that somebody on our flights daughter had the same thing happen to her late last year and she was only 3 months pregnant, looks like this is there new way of making a few quid.
Have reported last nights events to BBC Watchdog as i feel something has to be done about this disgusting rip off. Don't they realise that my wifes blood pressure was a hell of a lot higher when she left the airport than it was when she arrived.

Totally disgusting treatment. As far TC saying they don't control what happens at the airport sounds like a fob off. Like every airline they employ handling agents in airports in foreign countries, they give them the rules of the airline and the handling agent must follow them. So if TC are saying the fit to fly was valid for 6 weeks then the handling agent has took it upon themselves to go against the airlines policy. If I were you I would keep on at it and not let them get away with it.

Steve

[Jozzyd]

Having travelled through Dalaman twice while being 6 months pregnant I can appreciate what a nightmare this was for all of you as a family. Sod the £60 that is not the issue, it is the whole underhand way this was done. Had you been told this was the norm and expected the fee, i would bet my bottom dollar you would have paid the money without quibble. But hey ho you are all home safe and well. That said I sincerely hope you can get a refund although I think that is unlikely Hope Watchdog shame the individuals responsible

Last edited by Jozzyd on 24 May 2009 08:13, edited 1 time in total.

[LynnJenny]

sorry to hear this hope your wife is ok hope watchdog does something for you they should not get away with it

[andy]

All forgotten now, a healthy little baby girl arrived on saturday.

[reesy1959]

Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl.

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

congratulations
xxxxx

[Fanny]

aw, how lovely
congratulations to you both

[cassie]

congratulations on the safe arrival of your daughter

[Jozzyd]

Congratulations Andy & family glad your new daughter and wife are doing well what have you called her

[sheepy]

Congrats, that's brill

[tamii]

congrats on your new arrival. Bet that awful day at Dalaman is a distant memory now!!