Turkish Airlines

[joe552]

Just checking flights from DUB to BKK for early January, and Turkish are coming in a little below Emirates and Etihad. Has anyone experience of flying with Turkish? I've flown both of the others and prefer Emirates, just because Dubai is a better place to transit (in my opinion).

[frequent]

Try Skytrax http://www.airlinequality.com/airline-reviews/turkish-airlines/

[joe552]

Thanks for your reply, frequent. Sorry, I should have been clearer (more clear?) in my OP. I really wanted information on the transit experience at Istanbul airport, compared to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. I find airline reviews are very personal and flight specific, like hotels, but I wouldn't base my plans on them.

[Moses]

As per my experience:

- Airports:
1 Dubai
2 Istanbul
3 Abu Dhabi

- Flights:
1. Etihad
2. Emirates
3. Turkish

[scottish-guy]

I've no interest in shopping in Airports before, during, or between flights - all I want is a seat and some food and booze.

First time I (and my travelling companion, now deceased) used Dubai, we soon found that a seat was out of the question and that the only outlet selling alcohol was the Irish Bar (highly appropriate) about 30 minutes walk each way from where we were catching our onward flight.

Of course we endured the walk! I think the beer was about 7 or 8 pounds a pint mind you. Another time in DBX we got bottled beers with a Pizza and we were congratulating ourselves on finding another booze outlet when after 3 each, we realised it was having no effect and re-examined the bottles to find we had been drinking extortionately priced non-alcoholic beer :cray_mini:

Ever since then I've used Airport Lounges before and between flights and I find them the most relaxing part of the journey. I can get a comfy seat, some kind of snack, and some kind of booze - and if I want to go for a pee then I don't have to worry about coming back to find my Ipad has been nicked.

I only fly economy and I'm not loyal (I fly on price)so I don't have any airline privilege access to lounges. I use Priority Pass and I use it both for leisure and on business (though I tend not to fly within the UK anymore - can't stand the hassle - and use train instead)

If this *really* might be your last trip to Thailand Joe, you might consider using the lounges at Dubai or wherever you end up transiting. You can buy individual passes rather than join a scheme.

Beware Doha though - no booze at all in the airport lounges, not even beer (as I just discovered) :cray_mini: Dubai is a different matter - help yourself to beers and pour your (unlimited) own drinks from bottles of premium spirits in the Al Mahabrata lounges - even at 2am !! (apologies for spelling)

[aot871]

Regarding booze at Doha airport , I was there in Nov last year and no trouble in getting a drink

[frequent]

I've no interest in shopping in Airports before, during, or between flights - all I want is a seat and some food and booze.I usually cruise the bogs

[latintopxxx]

yes...grindr is excellent for that..

[scottish-guy]

Surely the point of Grindr is that you don't have to cruise the bogs?

[scottish-guy]

Regarding booze at Doha airport , I was there in Nov last year and no trouble in getting a drink

In the Airport lounge (which is what I referred to)? Specifically the Al Maha Transit Lounge?

There was no booze whatsoever on 3rd September 2017

[paulo15]

Hi Joe,
Istanbul airport is busy and a bit of a scrum, but it's like all big airports I guess. Depending on the layover between flights you need a visa for Turkey so you can't easily go landside if that's a consideration, but the walks between gates are shorter than Dubai and the F&B outlets a bit cheaper. If you need Turkish Delight it's a no brainer really.
Not flown Turkish long haul in economy but their product can't be much worse than Emirates.

[joe552]

Thanks for the replies. Thanks scottish guy for the tip about the lounge - I might just give it a try. I think I'll stick with Emirates and use Dubai.

[gerefan2]

Friend of mine flew Turkish once. He said never again....there you go.

[FarangRuMak]

Etihad has pulled the complimentary lounge treat from their frequent flyer Silver card.
This is the sugary way the lady broke the news to me as I checked in
"Sir with your Silver card you can still avail of our Express Check-in Lane but it no longer gives complimentary lounge access" and my thoughts were "f-ck express check-in" and I told her I will swop the options.
Got nowhere of course.

[arsenal]

Many many years ago as a poor student I arrived at Istanbul airport at about midnight. I didn't want to go and find a hotel at that time so I sat down in a corner. Two armed guards were patrolling the concourse in a loop. I smiled and nodded at them a couple of times as they passed and they returned the pleasantries. I then happily went to sleep knowing that they knew I was there and every time they passed they'd give me a glance. Flew Monarch if I recall.

[latintopxxx]

should that be ...many many many many years ago when the dinosaurs roamed the earth...

[joe552]

Well, arsenal, when I was a callow youth travelling around Europe and the Middle East, trains and busses were as good as it got (the exception being the rather lovely ferry from Crete to Alexandria, which had a swimming pool on deck - sheer luxury!).

Scottish guy - about the lounge in Dubai - can I just arrive and pay the admission or do I have to have a pass of some kind bought in advance? If I need a pass in advance, where would I get it?

I've posted on my other thread that medical things might prevent me from travelling in January, but all the information you guys have shared has been really useful. Thanks to everyone who contributed. If I can't go in January, I'd probably be looking at March.

Thanks again for all your input.

[RonanTheBarbarian]

I travelled on Turkish Airlines this past May. I have no complaints about the quality of the service - pretty typical for any Economy class, the food was quite good compared to average, I thought. I wasn't going to Southeast Asia but I transited through Istanbul and had to do an overnight on the way, so the main annoyance was the queue to get through immigration and into the country.

My short trip there whetted my appetite for visiting Istanbul, and so in my opinion one advantage of going via Turkish Airlines is you can get a "free" stop-off in Istanbul that way. I am planning to go to Thailand in January and I am strongly considering Turkish airlines mainly because it will enable me to have a little stop-off on the way for a few days -the only problem is that Istanbul will be fairly cold at that time of year.

[christianpfc]

I have flown all airlines and transited at all airport mentioned, but all I remember is that I and my luggage arrived on time and at the same time at the destination. And if you what to know what kind of airplane I was in: one that has two wings.

Sorry I can't help you more, but airlines and airport are not my area of interest.

[joe552]

I'm resurrecting this to try to get some up to date information on transit at Istanbul airport. I arrive, and leave from terminal 1 and have about 90 minutes to transfer. Is this too short a time? Should I stop worrying about it?

[arsenal]

Far too short. Even going from gate to gate takes ages and often involves a camel.
🐪🐫🐪🐫🐪🐫🐪🐫🐪🐫🐪🐫🐪🐫🐪🐫🐪

[gerefan2]

Should I stop worrying about it?

I see on the title page you have six other threads running right now. Isn’t that enough worrying for one man?

[joe552]

Probably, gerefan. All I can say in my defence is that it's in my nature.

[joe552]

A final word on this (promise). Finally got through to Turkish Airlines in Dublin and they re-assured me that 90 minutes is a comfortable transfer time. I know, I should have called them first.

[arsenal]

Next time Joe. Send the airline an e-mail. Tell them you're a right idiot and it's entirely your own fault but you booked without realising the time to change planes was too short. I did that for a Cathay flight change in Hong Kong. Someone from Cathy met me off the plane and whisked me through to the next one.

[christianpfc]

Finally got through to Turkish Airlines in Dublin and they re-assured me that 90 minutes is a comfortable transfer time. I know, I should have called them first.
The problem lies elsewhere. Assume the flight departs 30 minutes late, and there is a 30 minutes queue at security check, then you are left with only 30 minutes to get to the new gate. Nothing Turkish Airlines in Dublin can do about it. I would closely monitor times during your flight and in Istanbul, and if there are any delays inform airline or airport staff that you have a flight to catch.

[joe552]

I know I said my last post would be my final one on this topic (but of course, you didn't actually believe me, did you?) I was told the minimum transfer time is 60 minutes. The staff member I spoke to was Turkish, not Irish, so maybe she knows?

Christian, thanks for the advice. That's exactly what I'll do.

arsenal, that's also a good piece of advice, thanks. The problem is that when I try to access their website, I get a message telling me to "please enlarge your screen". I've no idea what that means, or how I would do it. Me and computers don't generally get along.

[Marsilius]

I haven't flown Turkish Airlines for years, but did use them a couple of times to fly to BKK's Don Muang airport in the 1990s.

Those were memorable flights that have provided two good stories that have made people laugh over the years:

1. On one occasion, just as the aircraft was taxiing and about to take off, I glanced out of the window. There, on the tarmac in the pouring rain, was an unloaded pallet of luggage - including mine. My cases (soaked through) were put onto a subsequent flight and eventually caught up with me in Thailand. I learned afterwards that Istanbul airport was at the time notorious for that sort of thing and that it was a regular occurrence.

2. In those days Turkish Airlines allowed smoking in the cabin. But instead of restricting it, say, to the rear - which would have been bad enough but would at least have taken most non-smokers some way away from the fumes, the system was that seats on one side of the aisle were for smokers and that those on the other side of the aisle were for non-smokers. Thus, wherever you sat, you were likely to be just a few feet away from a smoker!

I hope that, for the OP's sake, things have changed for the better in the past 20-odd years.

[joe552]

Well, Marsilius, all flights are now non smoking. When I flew to the Philippines back in the 90s, smoking was limited to the rear of the cabin. I was travelling alone, but soon found myself with a group of Filipinos, having beers and smoking our heads off. Ah, happy days!

[colmx]

Joe:
The airlines will not sell you a ticket these days without validating the minimum transit times
Your 90 mins is within the minimum transit time... so therefore if you miss your second flight for whatever reason... you will be automatically booked on to the next available flight... and get free hotel and meals etc. whilst you are waiting

(Unfortunately also a lonely Birthday in Istanbul airport hotel!)

In saying that, it might be no harm to ask the Check-in people on the DUB=>IST flight for a seat near the front of the plane, to prevent further delays if things are running late

[gerefan2]

Friend of mine flew Turkish once. He said never again....there you go.

Time to repeat what I wrote on page 2?!!

[joe552]

It's a bit late now, I've already booked and paid for it. I'll be sure to post a little report about my experience.

There are only 2 things I require from an airline. a) it gets me to the right destination, hopefully at the same time as my luggage; and b) they're not mean with the red wine. I'm not a very demanding customer.

[snotface]

Turkish Airlines are the only one who have ever offered me a free upgrade to business class - so I think they're wonderful!

[Manforallseasons]

I flew from Istanbul to Newark New Jersey non stop with Turkish.....no complaints.

[joe552]

I guess that as with most airlines, it's down to circumstances on the day. They get reasonable reviews on airlinequality. As I said before, it's not the actual flights I'm concerned about, but the transit time in Istanbul. Having spoken to the airline, I'm somewhat reassured. Jeez. I wish I could stop worrying about this stuff.