Ataturk Airport, Istanbul

[Marggie]

Just thought I would post this for anyone who like us, until yesterday, has not travelled to the UK via Istanbul.

On the whole the journey was very enjoyable although it increased our travelling time by approximately 2 hours. Providing you book your journey from Dalaman to your UK airport, your luggage is taken from you in Dalaman and transferred to your onward flight at Istanbul.  You are also provided with boarding cards for each section of your journey at Dalaman airport which makes your transfer in Istanbul hassle free (no further checking in to go through).  We were pleasantly surprised by Dalaman domestic airport, it is bright with plenty seating and a few shops and cafes.

Ataturk Airport is enormous but don't be put off, International Departures are clearly signed from when you enter the airport terminal.  It is quite a hike and I would advise anybody with walking difficulties to get wheelchair assistance but for the fit and agile it is no problem.  Once in the departures building you just go through security and passport control.  When you have cleared passport control you will see Duty Free ahead, and at this point anybody who, like me, needs a nicotine fix, turn right and take the escalator to the next level, turn left and follow the signs to "the terrace" (sounds a lot nicer than it is) where you can have a ciggie.  Also the airport is so vast that you have a very long walk to your departure gate.

I read on a previous post that there were lots of nice lounges but didn't, on this visit, have time to find them.

We found Turkish Airlines to be very efficient and the staff extremely pleasant.  Good legroom, comfortable seating, breakfast and a hot drink on the first leg of the journey and a very nice lunch of chicken breast, sauted vegetables and mashed potatoes washed down with a nice bottle of wine on the second leg of the journey.

We would certainly do it again and just wish that the winter flights did not result in such a long stopover.  Guess it will be Antalya again in the winter unless we can find a connecting flight to Dalaman with Pegasus or Atlas Jet.

[Ian]

Thanks for the update - worth checking out for us now we know the details   

[littlereddevil]

I've always had crap food on Turkish Airlines and the staff are non too pleasant but I use them for the convenience.

[amca]

I've always had crap food on Turkish Airlines and the staff are non too pleasant but I use them for the convenience.

Yes, the toilet is excellent.

[littlereddevil]

lol  

[littlereddevil]

No rules and regulations or health and safety ( unless of course it suits them!)
On Saturday when we were checking our bags in ( we had to pick them up cos we overnighted at Istanbul )
3 Turkish girls in front of us put their cases through. As they went up the conveyor one of them burst.
Well one of the girls hopped up the conveyor belt and through a barrier after it! She took ages trying to close it.
I said to the security man next to us why are we having to wait for her. He said "I am not responsible for the UK???
After ages she took her case back to get it wrapped in clingfilm.  She was tottering along the conveyor belt in amongst all the moving cases.

When we got on the plane we got a "special meal". I said I never ordered a special meal. Tough I was told system says so!

[Scunner]

I have never had any major problems with Turkish Airlines - I rate them quite highly really. Does anyone remember the days when you had to identify your suitcase on the tarmac before boarding the plane? I say does anyone remember, perhaps they still do that. It might have been for transit passengers.

[Shaka]

Flew with Turkish Airlines 3 weeks ago and it was one of the best flights I have had. Food on board was excellent,in fact some of the best airline food I have had, plenty of choice on the drinks, comfy seats, friendly staff and such a huge choice of entertainment. Would very happily fly with them again and if you book Dalaman through to UK, it is, as Marggie said very very easy for the transfer.

[JohnF]

Does anyone remember the days when you had to identify your suitcase on the tarmac before boarding the plane?

That's going back a few years, mind you, I'd forgotten how old you actually are.

Yes, I remember well having to stand on the tarmac at Dalaman and point to my case before they'd actually load it.  Always seemed to be raining...


They're a lot better now, but the acronym THY was always know as They Hate You, you being the passenger.

JF

[Scunner]

What I remember is that if you asked for a coke, you got a standard plastic glass filled with coke. If you asked for whisky, you got the same container, filled almost to the top with whisky. The rest of the journey I don't remember so well