Dalaman fiasco

[littlereddevil]

One of the reasons I hate charter flights.  Hence I often fly via Istanbul.

[Madge]

When we came back in September the queue for check in took so long (with 2 desks open, one was dealing with someone with excess baggage and the other checking in a disabled passenger and the other 20 people in their party) that we were the last people to board the plane    In an attempt to avoid this we went to Dalaman very early and were there half an hour before check in opened - and we were 3rd in the queue!

[Christie]

We flew home yesterday but the airport was ok.  We got there just before mid-day and went right through security etc.   There was quite a long queue for checking in (Easyjet) but fortunately we could join the shorter queue for speedy borders. 

[marina]

When we came back in May (25th, so not the busiest time of year) easyJet to Manchester, A2B picked us up very early and we got to Dalaman about 3 hours before flight time!  Check-in desks were listed on the boards but of course they were still checking in previous flight!!  So, we sat down and waited a  bit until other people came and started to form a queue for our flight and we joined in. Great, we thought, near the front of queue - shouldn't be too long here.  Wrong!!!

I have no idea what was going on at the desks but we were in that queue an hour before being checked in, and don't forget we were near the front, and I understand that some passengers were waiting 2 hours.  As far as I know no-one was left behind but perhaps that was only because there was a 25 minute delay anyway!

Last year, same time of year, we'd queued again for over an hour in one of two queues when , just as we got to the front of ours the girl at the desk packed up and left!! 

The guy on the other desk said not to worry he would take one from one queue then one from the other! 

At this point I had a bit of a strop and demanded to be checked in next as there were people in other queue who'd arrived long after us    It worked, but it could have backfired I suppose, but didn't think about that at the time. 

We love Calis but just wish it didn't mean having to go through Dalaman on the way home!

[Scunner]

My solution is to travel with Easyjet and get everything you need into your cabin baggage, print off your own boarding card and go nowhere near check in  

Not always possible or practical I realise. 

[marina]

  definitely not possible for a 2 week holiday I'm afraid, wish it was! 

[Scunner]

No, but if you go for a week or less, try it - it makes Dalaman Airport feel like the best airport in the World  

[marina]

It is when you're arriving!   

But I take your point and might give it a try.

[Highlander]

I was amazed when a couple checking in told the girl on the desk that their hand luggage was somewhere else. The girl asked how many and was told 4 pieces but all very small.

I was even more amazed when this was simply accepted.

I can assure everyone that had they been next to me in the aircraft and had tried to put 4 items in the overhead lockers that the would have failed spectacularly.

[apollo]

I think that it is unfair to blame Dalaman check-in.

Have a close look at the delays caused by your fellow travellers with their oversize/overweight cabin and hold luggage . None of whom have ever flown before and knew nothing of baggage restrictions.