Hello,
I'll contact customer service tomorrow but I also would like to hear experiences so we don't get lead falsely.

I have a connection flight from Riga to Istanbul to India at the same day. So I want to change my flight making it some days earlier to Istanbul paying whatever the fees are so I can hang around a bit there some days. And then take the India flight on it's planned day. Is this possible?

If this is not possible, can I buy a different ticket to Istanbul earlier cancelling/skipping my flight at Riga, but still continue to my India flight at its planned day? I am asking these because I've read some things here so they've confused my mind. Like if I skip one leg of the flight, rest is cancelled, etc.

Thanks in advance.

If you booked Riga to India on one ticket and just connect through Istanbul, you <u>must</u> take the flight from Riga to Istanbul - otherwise they will definitely cancel the leg from Istanbul to India.

So if you want to change anything, you will have to change your booking with the airline. And it could cost quite a bit more not even counting the change fees.

Also - by any chance, do you need a visa to enter Turkey? You need to take that into account as well.

Not really, no visa needed.

Oh that's so sad. There should be a way =( . Can't I just cancel Riga to Istanbul trip but continue to India on same day same flight...

"<i>Can't I just cancel Riga to Istanbul trip but continue to India on same day same flight...</i>"

Not if it is one ticket. If so, you did not book Riga to Istanbul. You booked Riga to India - on a flight that just happens to connect through Istanbul. So you can't just show up and fly from Istanbul to India.

So . . . get on the phone to Turkish airlines and see if you can re-book the whole itinerary

Actually there are two tickets. Do you think this can work?

<i>Do you think this can work?</i>

Only Turkish Airlines can tell you for sure.

Like almost all airlines, THY also has different category tickets.

The cheapest tickets cannot be changed or refunded. The next category can be changed or refunded but with a penalty. Regularly priced tickets can be changed and/or refunded any time prior to the departure with no penalties.

It all depends on your ticket category. You can check the category on your ticket and google for the meaning of that category. These categories are applicable to all carriers and you need not go to the THY website for that.

naturally, the easiest is to call THY or your travel agent if you have one.

If indeed you have two separate, totally independent tickets then you could just show up for your Istanbul - India flight as planned.

If you purchased the 2 flights together then you probably don't really have two tickets, but one. If that's the case then follow the advice others have given above.

Regardless, you'll need to call the airline to see if you can rebook the first leg to an earlier date.

I've called the airlines and the woman on the phone said the tickets are suitable to be changed/cancelled and cancelled one even can be used with penalty in a year. So I'll just cancel (or lay off?) the first ticket. Such a relieving! She said she checked the rules and I even asked her name to get it recorded on phone talk. I have a feeling that the other flight might get magically cancelled also, so I was just guaranteeing =D

Thanks everyone for their help. brc