On the evening of June 28, 2016, an attack hit the Atatürk airport in the Turkish metropole Istanbul. According to current reports, 41 persons died and further 239 got injured. Three gunmen entered the airport shooting their weapons before detonating their explosive vests. Policemen tried to stop them. The background of the attack is not yet clear.
The airport is the biggest one in Turkey and is considered to be a hub for international traffic. It is likely that there are foreigners among the victims, but their nationalities are still unclear. On the website of the Vienna aiport, current infomation regarding air travel between Vienna and Turkey is provided. ECC Austria furthermore recommends to contact the Foreign Ministry (BMEIA) for detailed travel information on the Turkish cities and regions.
Travellers who plan a trip to Turkey in the upcoming summer holidays, are now strongly unsettled due to the attack. The European Consumer Centre Austria (ECC) on behalf of the Austrian Ministry for Social Affairs, Labour and Consumer Protection advises free of charge regarding "Danger at destination". All information concerning your rights are summarised in our articles (see below). If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to call us at 01/588 77 63 or write us an e-mail (info@europakonsument.at ).
Concerning Turkey, the following points need to be considered:
Withdrawal or rebooking free of charge (without a cancellation fee) are only possible in exceptional cases.
- Location and time: It is essential whether the trip is imminent and the airport in Istanbul will be approached. Consumers who want to travel to Antalya or other Turkish seaside resorts two months from now can only hope for a gesture of good will from their tour operator.
- Cost-risk-calculation: Nobody can force you to actually fly to Turkey. You always have the possibility to cancel against payment of a fee. The longer you wait and see how things develop, the higher the cancellation fee will get. However, if an attack happens just before your trip starts and directly at your destination, you will most likely be able to argue a withdrawal or rebooking free of charge towards the tour operator.
ECC Austria recommends:
- to discusss the current situation with the tour operator and to try to find an amicable solution.
- to follow the current media coverage and to safe relevant articles that you could show your tour operator if necessary.
Please find comprehensive information about your rights regarding "danger at destination" in the following articles:
