In Istanbul, Russians are removed from Turkish Airlines flights to Latin America

The Russian Embassy in Turkey published recommendations for Russians whom the Turkish air carrier Turkish Airlines removes from transit flights to Latin American countries.

Russian diplomats speak of a serious problem that has become “systematic.” However, they still have not received any “intelligible reaction” to their appeal with an official note to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the press service of the Russian Embassy in Ankara added.

By data Telegram channel Shot, in recent months, about a thousand Russians have been unable to fly from Turkey to Latin America.

Difficulties with traveling to Mexico and other Latin American countries on Turkish Airlines flights departing from Istanbul arose for Russians at the end of February 2024. The airline explains what is happening with strict rules for accepting Russian citizens, which were established by Latin American countries. According to experts, the airline is concerned that tourists will turn out to be migrants and use Mexico as a transit point to get to the United States. The costs of a return ticket if the traveler is turned away by the migration service must be paid by the carrier.

At the same time, employees of the Turkish airline during proceedings with the Russians “do not give any written explanations about the reasons for what is happening, and sometimes behave frankly incorrectly,” the Russian Embassy said.

If Russians are denied boarding on Turkish Airlines flights to Latin America, the Russian Embassy recommends “immediately” contacting the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul and sending a written request to the airline to receive documentary evidence of the refusal indicating the reasons. It is advisable to record the refusal, for example, on video or by recording a conversation with airline representatives. You can also file a lawsuit against the airline at the applicant’s place of residence with a request for compensation for material and moral damage. Filing a lawsuit against Turkish Airlines in a Turkish court, according to Russian diplomats, “has no prospects.”

At the beginning of April, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia advised Russian citizens not to use the services of Turkish Airlines.