APS Baggage Carts at Istanbul Airport Cause Controversy

The APS brand baggage carts in the ground services at Istanbul Airport, which opened in 2018, have come into the spotlight with a noticeable grievance. APS, which provides free service within the airport, only charges a deposit fee for the use of baggage carts by citizens. This fee can be paid in cash or by card and, just like in supermarkets, it starts to be used later and when the baggage cart is returned, your fee is refunded.

However, a social media user pointed out that the service was not implemented, and the fee was taken under the guise of being free, describing their experiences:

“Returning the device is quite difficult. First of all, there are not enough return points. Your chances of successfully returning the device are low; it seems like the devices are intentionally designed this way. It leaves an impression that it is designed not to be returned, and I feel cheated. The device was supposed to refund 30 TL but it didn’t. I pressed the button on the device for help, but no one responded. No one waits there for 30 TL of course. In addition, the deposit has become 2€ / 70 TL. Once again, the system did not refund, and I insisted, went and found the authorized person. They made me go here and there for an hour, I cursed, I said let the police come and make a record, go to court and then they kept silent; they refunded my money without even looking at the receipt.”

This situation revealed that many citizens have faced similar grievances. One citizen said, “After using it for free everywhere, I landed at Istanbul Airport for the first time and I was surprised, this situation was very annoying, being ripped off in your own country…” while other users commented “Yes, I arrived from international flights 3 times and couldn’t find a refund, couldn’t find anyone to talk to, I was scammed…”, “Are people supposed to take the carts home for free then? Can’t they make this completely free? It’s just incompetence.”.

Commenting on the issue, HavaSosyalMedya stated that officials said years ago they were dealing with the issue, but there has been no change and therefore, they noted that immediate action is needed for citizen satisfaction.

Zeynep Çakır