EvrenErdem wrote:

It is really interesting. Now England does the same after the US. I am afraid that the EU may follow the USA and the UK.
And TK is the first company which is going to be affected by this. It connects the all world from Istanbul.
So a passenger from X country wants to go to the USA and he takes his tablet near him. and now he is in Istanbul, his luggage is another place and he is waiting for his flight. So what? he has to pick up his luggage and put the tablet into it then again baggage claim... welcome to the USA.
It's ridiculous.

The minister of transportation sent letter to the USA and explained the security systems in Turkish Airports (especially Ataturk Airport) and he requested to be removed Turkey on the list.
We will see what will happen....

In addition, I don't know other countries but in Turkey, when you are passing through the X-Ray, you put your tablet/notebook into another case, after X-ray, the security asks for you to open your notebook/tablet and start it, after the security sees opening logo on windows etc., they say ok, you can pass.

Sorry but that's not correct, i fly on a monthly basis through IST with laptop Ipad etc and never had my electronics checked or turned on.
This is for the transit security.
Non of European airports I visited requires this.

thaiflyer wrote:

EvrenErdem wrote:

It is really interesting. Now England does the same after the US. I am afraid that the EU may follow the USA and the UK.
And TK is the first company which is going to be affected by this. It connects the all world from Istanbul.
So a passenger from X country wants to go to the USA and he takes his tablet near him. and now he is in Istanbul, his luggage is another place and he is waiting for his flight. So what? he has to pick up his luggage and put the tablet into it then again baggage claim... welcome to the USA.
It's ridiculous.

The minister of transportation sent letter to the USA and explained the security systems in Turkish Airports (especially Ataturk Airport) and he requested to be removed Turkey on the list.
We will see what will happen....

In addition, I don't know other countries but in Turkey, when you are passing through the X-Ray, you put your tablet/notebook into another case, after X-ray, the security asks for you to open your notebook/tablet and start it, after the security sees opening logo on windows etc., they say ok, you can pass.

Sorry but that's not correct, i fly on a monthly basis through IST with laptop Ipad etc and never had my electronics checked or turned on.
This is for the transit security.
Non of European airports I visited requires this.

On US/UK/Israel flights they do. Not for everyone but they do random checks.

leftyboarder wrote:

thaiflyer wrote:

EvrenErdem wrote:

It is really interesting. Now England does the same after the US. I am afraid that the EU may follow the USA and the UK.
And TK is the first company which is going to be affected by this. It connects the all world from Istanbul.
So a passenger from X country wants to go to the USA and he takes his tablet near him. and now he is in Istanbul, his luggage is another place and he is waiting for his flight. So what? he has to pick up his luggage and put the tablet into it then again baggage claim... welcome to the USA.
It's ridiculous.

The minister of transportation sent letter to the USA and explained the security systems in Turkish Airports (especially Ataturk Airport) and he requested to be removed Turkey on the list.
We will see what will happen....

In addition, I don't know other countries but in Turkey, when you are passing through the X-Ray, you put your tablet/notebook into another case, after X-ray, the security asks for you to open your notebook/tablet and start it, after the security sees opening logo on windows etc., they say ok, you can pass.

Sorry but that's not correct, i fly on a monthly basis through IST with laptop Ipad etc and never had my electronics checked or turned on.
This is for the transit security.
Non of European airports I visited requires this.

On US/UK/Israel flights they do. Not for everyone but they do random checks.

How would they know where I'm going to as transit security only checks luggage and not the destination.
In the 16 years of monthly flying they never checked my laptop. Maybe I'm just lucky.

EvrenErdem wrote:

I am afraid that the EU may follow the USA and the UK.
And TK is the first company which is going to be affected by this.

I bet EK is the first company to be affected by this with its bigger planes, more US destinations and bigger J class, bigger backlog of orders.

-Let's see how this will play out. It could go either way IMHO. Like I said earlier this could be extended to worldwide flights or scaled down. With enough pressure I could see Turkey, UAE, Saudia Arabia to be taken off the list.
-My biggest concern if there was to be a terrorist explosion on an airplane in the coming days without this plan fully implemented there will be a lot of blame to go around. If this is such a credible threat, it should be for every flight coming into the US. It should be even applied for US domestic flights. Besides US, UK, it should be extended to Canada, EU, Israel, Australia; the obvious targets.
- If it were to stay and be expanded it will be a huge setback to civil aviation. With all the rocket scientists around they can not figure out how to build a scanner that can differentiate between a friendly and a foe laptop. Just amazing?!?!?!

thaiflyer wrote:

leftyboarder wrote:

thaiflyer wrote:

Sorry but that's not correct, i fly on a monthly basis through IST with laptop Ipad etc and never had my electronics checked or turned on.
This is for the transit security.
Non of European airports I visited requires this.

On US/UK/Israel flights they do. Not for everyone but they do random checks.

How would they know where I'm going to as transit security only checks luggage and not the destination.
In the 16 years of monthly flying they never checked my laptop. Maybe I'm just lucky.

The check is at the departure gate just before boarding which you cannot bypass. Doesn't matter whether you are transiting or departing from IST.

Oh by the way, the always optimist in me....
If this is the way forward, if I were TK, I would start funneling my US/UK pax to a Star partner or a Charter company; could be a codeshare anywhere.
This way TK pax to US/UK will have a stopover and change planes and this will be subsidized by the Turkish Government if necessary.
I've just looked it up, it is a bit inconvenient but this will make my future routings look like this; TK JFK-IST, on the way back one stop with TK to a Star Hub like; FRA, MUC, DUS, CPH, VIE, BRU, WAW, Zurich, Lisbon, YYZ or others like Stockholm with Norwegian, or even South America. Pricing, not to bad compared to a nonstop TK roundtrip.
This way the ban only affects 1/3 of my flights Crazy but likely, we are all adaptable

KarelXWB wrote:

Looks like TC-JIP has been pulled out of storage:

Airbus A330 -223 876 TC-JIP Turkish Airlines ferried 20mar17 AYT-IST after storage ex OE-IDC

Yes, now in maintenance.
TC-JIL is back in service since 11.3.17 (4 months on ground).
Also TC-JFR (Boeing 737-800, on ground since 29.1016 in Ankara) ferried to Sabiha Gokcen on 18.03.2017.
TC-JFL is back in service too since 19.03.2017 (was on ground since 14.11.16 in AYT).

This is my list of all TK birds not flying for more than 3 days;
47 birds not flying for more than 3 days, 34 of 47 for more than 22 days.
For information: 47 aircraft is nearly 16% of the main Turkish Airlines fleet (without Anadolujet and other wet-leased planes).




For those who need a full list of all Turkish carrier's fleet;

thaiflyer wrote:

Sorry but that's not correct, i fly on a monthly basis through IST with laptop Ipad etc and never had my electronics checked or turned on.
This is for the transit security.
Non of European airports I visited requires this.

I said it in Turkey,
I mean, for example you are flying from Izmir to Istanbul (domestic) or from Istanbul to another city...
I don't know about transit passengers that are flying from international to international.

From Routesonline.com
"-Turkish Airlines in summer 2017 season is adding new German route, with the offering of Ordu-Giresun – Munich service. Operating once a week from 08JUL17 to 17SEP17, the airline will operate Munich departure on Saturdays, Ordu-Giresun on Sundays.

TK1645 OGU0355 – 0630MUC 32B 7
TK1644 MUC2220 – 0240+1OGU 32B 6

-Turkish Airlines in recent schedule update filed additional seasonal route from Antalya for summer season. In addition to previously reported Antalya – Algiers 3 weekly flights, the Star Alliance member will offer 2 weekly Antalya – Amman route, from 16JUN17 to 12SEP17.

737-800 aircraft will operate this route twice a week.

TK1180 AYT1500 – 1720AMM 73H 25
TK1181 AMM1815 – 2035AYT 73H 25"

they are good news, TK finally started using other airports.
I am still waiting for hearing that TK started use Izmir Adnan Menders as a hub for international flights.
may be one day!

RJ and EK have been busy trying to minimize the damage from the electronics ban.
https://www.facebook.com/RoyalJordanian ... =3&theater
http://www.luchtzak.be/airlines/emirate ... ronicsban/

TK787 wrote:

RJ and EK have been busy trying to minimize the damage from the electronics ban.
https://www.facebook.com/RoyalJordanian ... =3&theater
http://www.luchtzak.be/airlines/emirate ... ronicsban/

Wonder if TK will do something similar to EK . It is certainly a good option to assist passengers.

Dear friends,

I am scheduled to fly IST-MIA this weekend with TK. I will obviously face the new ban on that flight... I have been thinking and have come to a situation in which:

• By regulation, an airline is not liable shall the passenger decide to heck-in valuables in their checked-in luggage

• Shall the passenger wish to, he/she can check them in by paying an additional insurance so that the airline then accepts liability, that insurance being provided by the airline. NOTE: THE AIRLINES DO NOT EVEN KNOW HOW TO OFFER THIS!

• Shall the laptop be lost, the airline may refer to the first (checking-in a valuable in the suitcase), or having failed to do the second (while they do not even know how to offer that!

• Isn't it prohibited to check-in laptops due to the risk of flammable batteries?

Other questions that I have are:

• Will there be any chance to bring laptop up to the gate and then hand it over inside a trolley or similar?

• In case of connecting inbound flight, would they oblige to check it in from origin?

• Is there any special service for Business Class passengers?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts,

Mike

Steelyman wrote:

• Isn't it prohibited to check-in laptops due to the risk of flammable batteries?

• Will there be any chance to bring laptop up to the gate and then hand it over inside a trolley or similar?

• In case of connecting inbound flight, would they oblige to check it in from origin?

• Is there any special service for Business Class passengers?

- No
- Unless announced no. EK and RJ do have such a service.
- Yes
- At this time not, might be announced later.

Steelyman wrote:

Dear friends,

I am scheduled to fly IST-MIA this weekend with TK. I will obviously face the new ban on that flight... I have been thinking and have come to a situation in which:

• By regulation, an airline is not liable shall the passenger decide to heck-in valuables in their checked-in luggage

• Shall the passenger wish to, he/she can check them in by paying an additional insurance so that the airline then accepts liability, that insurance being provided by the airline. NOTE: THE AIRLINES DO NOT EVEN KNOW HOW TO OFFER THIS!

• Shall the laptop be lost, the airline may refer to the first (checking-in a valuable in the suitcase), or having failed to do the second (while they do not even know how to offer that!

• Isn't it prohibited to check-in laptops due to the risk of flammable batteries?

Other questions that I have are:

• Will there be any chance to bring laptop up to the gate and then hand it over inside a trolley or similar?

• In case of connecting inbound flight, would they oblige to check it in from origin?

• Is there any special service for Business Class passengers?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts,

Mike

Your solution: Fly IST-TK-HAV-YY-MIA, and you thereby support two struggling flights...
(Which by the way shows the uselessness of these regulations. I'm sure even the bad guys have heard about connecting flights...)

Steeelyman, Good luck with the flight and the arrangements. Too bad you are one of the first ones that have to deal with it. It might take few weeks to have some solutions to this. Please let us know how it turns out and Bon Voyage.

Thanks, trying to find some sort of insurance that can help me cover the laptop shall get lost/stolen/broken. I will let you know directly from the flight, I will have good 12 hours of flight, a smartphone and wifi...

I wonder if the recent laptop/tablet bans has something to do with this ? http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-a ... SKBN16U2B1

Is it to slowdown/stop the growth of TK EK QR EY etc etc
Is US carriers behind this ?
Or is it Mr Trump ?

OA260 wrote:

TK787 wrote:

RJ and EK have been busy trying to minimize the damage from the electronics ban.
https://www.facebook.com/RoyalJordanian ... =3&theater
http://www.luchtzak.be/airlines/emirate ... ronicsban/

Wonder if TK will do something similar to EK . It is certainly a good option to assist passengers.

TK plans to provide free tablets and wifi service for all passengers during flight (business + economy)
the last news is that now they are trying to find a solution how they can have a fast internet service while everyone is using their tablets with wifi.

and as I read, passengers will be able to use their notebook before boarding. and during boarding TK staffs will collect passengers' tablets/notebooks etc.

Steelyman wrote:

Thanks, trying to find some sort of insurance that can help me cover the laptop shall get lost/stolen/broken. I will let you know directly from the flight, I will have good 12 hours of flight, a smartphone and wifi...

Good Luck, I have friends in the insurance business in Turkey and as of now there are no specific insurance for this ban. Also, TK does not cover any loss to these specific items in checked luggage. Let's see how this develops. If we see and increased number of people with lost/damaged electronics on US/UK flights, insurance companies or TK might offer some specific insurance on these items. Also, I am encouraged by the latest TK news that, TK will collect electronics during boarding and put them someplace in the belly and eventually distribute back to pax upon landing at a predetermined spot. This will add cost to TK's US/UK operations. I think it is option to increase e-visa fees for US/UK pax to offset the cost in the meantime.

I got a bit more clear information from some of my friends in TK. TK is doing like EK. While boarding the staff collect laptops and they put them in something similar to flight cases that they keep in their custody until arrival, so no need to check the laptop in the suitcases.

Steelyman wrote:

I got a bit more clear information from some of my friends in TK. TK is doing like EK. While boarding the staff collect laptops and they put them in something similar to flight cases that they keep in their custody until arrival, so no need to check the laptop in the suitcases.

Great, that's what I saw also this morning.
But still, TK does not have this information on their website or on their Facebook page. Pax will be confused.
Please let us know how the process works, especially what type of packaging at IST, what kind of a claim check, and what information is given to people in IST about where they will get their electronics back in MIA.
Thanks, Safe Travels.

According to what I heard, the electronic devices will be put in flight cases and tagged individually. The items will be retrieved at destination by the ground staff and handed to the passengers back by the ground staff as per the telex sent by IST staff to the outstations. Each device is to be tagged individually in theory. It is a really nice flight case similar to the ones used for music gigs.

From TK website:

"Information Regarding the On-board Use of Electronic Devices on our U.S. and U.K. bound flights:
Turkish Airlines introduces its new offerings to make their U.S. and U.K. bound passengers’ journeys more comfortable during the implementation process of the electronics ban that declared by the concerned authorities.
-Our passengers will continue to use the on board internet with their mobile phones.
-Laptops, tablets and other electronic devices may be used until the boarding gate where they will be handed over.
-Our transfer passengers will have to deliver their respective devices at the boarding gate on their arrival in Istanbul.
-If passenger prefers not to place his/her electronical devices to the checked baggage during the check-in, according to the amendments, these devices will be handed over to be tagged at the boarding gate for a safe and secure transportation, and will be handed back to the passengers upon arrival at the destination. At this destination there will be Turkish Airlines’ authorized staff who will collect the luggages that contain electronic devices. These staff will take them all to the designated place in baggage reclaim area, and all devices will be delivered to owners by these staff by matching the given luggage tags with the record list they have.

Why do we do that?
As per the directive issued by the relevant authorities in their respective countries, which will be effective as from 25th of March 2017, passengers of U.S. and U.K. bound flights from/through Istanbul Ataturk Airport are not permitted to carry electronic devices, with the exception of medical devices, larger than a cell phone or smart phone on board.
All laptops, tablets, cameras*, e-readers and gaming devices must be placed in checked-in baggage at the start of any U.S.-bound or U.K.-bound journey. Turkish Airlines offers a special service from Istanbul Atatürk Airport that gives its passengers a safe and secure method of carrying their electronics in a special area in the cargo hold of the aircraft.
Transit passengers may hand over their electronic devices at the boarding gate.
The ban does not affect flights leaving from the U.S. or U.K. for Turkey and beyond.
* Bringing aboard cameras is not restricted for U.K. bound flights.

Dear Passengers,
​As being the Europe’s Best Airline for the last six years;
Our award-winning catering,
In-flight Wi-Fi availability,
Nearly 400 movies, Universal My Music Planet offerings of 1500 music albums with over 20,000 tracks,
Over 750 TV series, documentaries, short programs, live TV and sports broadcasting,
are sure to make your flight experience enjoyable."

Airline finds a way to work around electronics ban

As extra security measures on UK-bound planes are introduced, Turkish Airlines says it has a solution to the issue.

http://news.sky.com/story/turkish-airli ... n-10812957


Photos in link .

EvrenErdem wrote:

It is really interesting. Now England does the same after the US. I am afraid that the EU may follow the USA and the UK.
And TK is the first company which is going to be affected by this. It connects the all world from Istanbul.
So a passenger from X country wants to go to the USA and he takes his tablet near him. and now he is in Istanbul, his luggage is another place and he is waiting for his flight. So what? he has to pick up his luggage and put the tablet into it then again baggage claim... welcome to the USA.
It's ridiculous.

The minister of transportation sent letter to the USA and explained the security systems in Turkish Airports (especially Ataturk Airport) and he requested to be removed Turkey on the list.
We will see what will happen....

In addition, I don't know other countries but in Turkey, when you are passing through the X-Ray, you put your tablet/notebook into another case, after X-ray, the security asks for you to open your notebook/tablet and start it, after the security sees opening logo on windows etc., they say ok, you can pass.

I would agree that the security measures taken particularly at IST are higher than some other airports on that list (and I've been traveling through and even living in those countries); however, the laptop/tablet starting check is on random basis. Out of 10 times I would say 5 are checked only. Nevertheless, you are correct in saying that those devices are screened separately and anybody transiting via IST has to undergo a security check again (except for so called "safe countries" such as Schengen).
It will be challenging for sure. Even KK is affected on their UK bound flights. A big hit for Turkish aviation and many, many discussions will be the result...

Steelyman wrote:

According to what I heard, the electronic devices will be put in flight cases and tagged individually. The items will be retrieved at destination by the ground staff and handed to the passengers back by the ground staff as per the telex sent by IST staff to the outstations. Each device is to be tagged individually in theory. It is a really nice flight case similar to the ones used for music gigs.

So they're going to take a bunch of devices with lithium batteries and pack them all in a case? That's a bit troubling.

Hello everyone from the CIP Lounge in Istanbul!

It looks like things are changing! Today when transiting, even coming from Schenghen when the agent saw I was transiting to US he directed me to transits area so I would go through security one more time... they even checked the laptop if it was starting or not.

I will soon go to the gate, will keep you posted about laptop issue.

Mike

So they're going to take a bunch of devices with lithium batteries and pack them all in a case? That's a bit troubling.

Technically speaking, it is not a very high risk that the rechargeable batteries with Li-Ion chemistry will catch fire when already installed inside a laptop, a tablet, a DSLR camera, or even a battery bank, or the like (Batteries with Lithium Polymer chemistry are even safer...). It is advised that, before the pax hand in their gadgets, the charge is not topped up to 100% but is left at something like 70-75%.

The technical fact is that the Li-Ion batteries catch fire, NOT because of some problematic inside chemistry. Well, yes there has been some examples (especially with smart phones) catching fire unexpectedly or haphazardly; but this is another technical issues... In the pretty recent and popular case of Samsung Note7s: it was definitely a battery production mishap...

But almost all carriers stopped carrying cargo with Li-Ion battery packs. Yes there has been cases that such cargo has caught fire. But these were standalone battery packs, not installed in any device. What really happened is that these battery pack(s) still didn't explode because of a chemical reaction. These battery packs have terminals pretty close to one another. In some cases a small arc takes place between these terminals which actually start a miniature fire, which consequently results in excessive over-heating of the battery pack and that causes the final "explosion". These packs were used to be shipped as almost 100% charged.

And a single "exploding" battery pack, will likely cause a chain fire reaction with the other battery packs packed in the same shipping carton... (10-20-25 packs in the same shipping master carton)

Now, if I am not mistaken, some carriers agree to carry such Li-Ion battery packs provided that they are only 30% charged, at the time of shipment.

is there any news what will happen tomorrow?
it's March 27th so TK will carry 60 tones to Somalia with an Airbus 332F , I guess :S

and another question what about brand new B77W, where is it? is it still in the USA?

mafaky wrote:

So they're going to take a bunch of devices with lithium batteries and pack them all in a case? That's a bit troubling.

Technically speaking, it is not a very high risk that the rechargeable batteries with Li-Ion chemistry will catch fire when already installed inside a laptop, a tablet, a DSLR camera, or even a battery bank, or the like (Batteries with Lithium Polymer chemistry are even safer...). It is advised that, before the pax hand in their gadgets, the charge is not topped up to 100% but is left at something like 70-75%.

The technical fact is that the Li-Ion batteries catch fire, NOT because of some problematic inside chemistry. Well, yes there has been some examples (especially with smart phones) catching fire unexpectedly or haphazardly; but this is another technical issues... In the pretty recent and popular case of Samsung Note7s: it was definitely a battery production mishap...

But almost all carriers stopped carrying cargo with Li-Ion battery packs. Yes there has been cases that such cargo has caught fire. But these were standalone battery packs, not installed in any device. What really happened is that these battery pack(s) still didn't explode because of a chemical reaction. These battery packs have terminals pretty close to one another. In some cases a small arc takes place between these terminals which actually start a miniature fire, which consequently results in excessive over-heating of the battery pack and that causes the final "explosion". These packs were used to be shipped as almost 100% charged.

And a single "exploding" battery pack, will likely cause a chain fire reaction with the other battery packs packed in the same shipping carton... (10-20-25 packs in the same shipping master carton)

Now, if I am not mistaken, some carriers agree to carry such Li-Ion battery packs provided that they are only 30% charged, at the time of shipment.

Thank you, my friend mafaky, for your highly enlightening post! Nothing better than starting a Sunday feeling that you just learned even an ever so small piece of new information!

Air Arabia to start service to Trabzon from Sharjah on June 23rd - 3x weekly.

EvrenErdem wrote:

they are good news, TK finally started using other airports.
I am still waiting for hearing that TK started use Izmir Adnan Menders as a hub for international flights.
may be one day!

They used to have direct EU flights during summer, but nothing heard about it recently. Until than you only have the ones like XQ, PC and LH

http://m.airkule.com/haber/LUFTHANSA-IZ ... LADI/26640

Any idea why those dozen of flights coming from IKA/TBZ to AYT are actually coming via ADA these days?

TK news:
"Hand in your tablets/laptops during boarding to USA and use our free inflight WIFI service starting on March 31st."
I hope this does not achieve just the opposite, slow internet for all

stylo777 wrote:

Any idea why those dozen of flights coming from IKA/TBZ to AYT are actually coming via ADA these days?

Its been an on/off issue for more than a year.

Iranian government does not approve its citizens travelling to Turkey for simply pursuit of "indecent" activity such as laying half naked on beaches.
This has forced tour operators to book and sell flights with intermediate stops to not make things so obvious.

There was even an issue couple years back with Corendon Airlines aircraft being detained in forcing them to instead sell packages to Gaziantep instead of Antalya.

EvrenErdem wrote:

and another question what about brand new B77W, where is it? is it still in the USA?

Sitting idle at PAE awaiting Turkey's economic situation to improve. Made one flight on Feb 24 and then parked in a stall out of away ever since.

TK will be sponsoring Indy Eleven Football league http://www.turkishamericannews.com/turk ... tball-side

Writing from the Business Class Arrivals Lounge at IST. What a tranquil and quiet place! It's virtually a miniature version of the CIF Istanbul Lounge...but there are only 2 of us in tbe lounge!! No queue, obviously, to the showers...just relaxing...

Just arrived from CCS, had a great flight...but it seems TK didn't... A grand total of 46 of us boarded in CCS, 2 of which in Business Class. The flight had a total of 8 PAX in J (out of 22 seats) and about 45-50% full in Y. (The rest of the PAX boarded at HAV.) What a difference it was at CCS between the check-in counters for TP that departed more or less at the same time to LIS (long queues, seems like it was a pretty full flight), and TK's deserted check-in counters... There must be something TK does wrong at CCS...or is it merely the new flight that was started with 3 weeks' notice back in December?

Crews now change both at HAV and CCS, I guess either of IST-HAV-CCS and HAV-CCS-IST would be too long hours for one crew.

MalevTU134 wrote:

Writing from the Business Class Arrivals Lounge at IST. What a tranquil and quiet place! It's virtually a miniature version of the CIF Istanbul Lounge...but there are only 2 of us in tbe lounge!! No queue, obviously, to the showers...just relaxing...

Just arrived from CCS, had a great flight...but it seems TK didn't... A grand total of 46 of us

Yes the arrivals lounge I loved and really is a strong point in the ground product even where the rest is lacking. 46 passengers ex CCS is a concern though. Its all a bit of a mixed bag at the moment with loads/yields on the whole network. Take DUB for example which has been reported as a 40% drop in passengers. On the flip side holiday operators such as Thomas Cook report a slow recovery to the likes of Turkey and Egypt. As one representative from Turkish tourism told me its going to be a very difficult year depending on any events outside of their control.

Please explain the arrivals lounge to me.
I've seen it, never used it. So you arrive at IST, this lounge is downstairs after you go through passport/customs, correct?? You go there to wait for your car ride to the city?

TK787 wrote:

Please explain the arrivals lounge to me.
I've seen it, never used it. So you arrive at IST, this lounge is downstairs after you go through passport/customs, correct?? You go there to wait for your car ride to the city?

Yes, its located just oposite of starbucks.
You can take a shower, relax and have a good breakfast to start your day in istanbul.
Quite small, but not busy and just enough to suit your "basic traveller needs". I even took a good 2 hours nap in there on the cozy loungechairs.

Another Skymark A330 enters the TK fleet:

Airbus A330 -343 1542 TC-LOC Turkish Airlines delivery 29mar17 ZRH-IST ex EI-FSC

KarelXWB wrote:

Another Skymark A330 enters the TK fleet:

Airbus A330 -343 1542 TC-LOC Turkish Airlines delivery 29mar17 ZRH-IST ex EI-FSC

what is the current fleet status? How many planes? on the website
there are 337 aircrafts, 20 A332, 34 A333. is it correct?8 TK sometimes doesn't update the website on time.

http://www.turkishairlines.com/tr-tr/se ... -ucak-filo

¿Some news about TK B787-B77X order?

http://nyc787.blogspot.com.es/2016/07/b ... -777x.html

EvrenErdem wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

Another Skymark A330 enters the TK fleet:

Airbus A330 -343 1542 TC-LOC Turkish Airlines delivery 29mar17 ZRH-IST ex EI-FSC

what is the current fleet status? How many planes? on the website
there are 337 aircrafts, 20 A332, 34 A333. is it correct?8 TK sometimes doesn't update the website on time.

http://www.turkishairlines.com/tr-tr/se ... -ucak-filo

11 A319
29 A320
68 A321
20 A332
9 A332F
34 A333
4 A343
1 B737
76 B738 (+34 Anadolujet)
15 B739
32 B773
1 A300F (wet-lease MNG)
2-3 A310F (wet-lease ULS)
1 B744F (wet-lease Atlas Air)

Total 337-338 aircraft

http://fortune.com/2017/03/29/booking-com-turkey/ Yet another idiotic decision to harm Turkish tourism. On one hand we claim that we should move away from cheap package tourism to boutique tourism - and on the other hand we ban Booking.com which is one of those sites that individual tourists - not cheap package deal tourist groups - use to book hotels. I am convinced that Turkey is trying to end tourism. This surely will have an effect on travel to Turkey.

leftyboarder wrote:

http://fortune.com/2017/03/29/booking-com-turkey/ Yet another idiotic decision to harm Turkish tourism. On one hand we claim that we should move away from cheap package tourism to boutique tourism - and on the other hand we ban Booking.com which is one of those sites that individual tourists - not cheap package deal tourist groups - use to book hotels. I am convinced that Turkey is trying to end tourism. This surely will have an effect on travel to Turkey.

To be quite honest, what tourism (for foreigners) is left? With bombs, shootings, a crackpot dictator... who in their right mind would consider going to Turkey now for a holiday? Danger-junkies?

I really hope things improve in Turkey, but right now I am not very optimistic.

leftyboarder wrote:

http://fortune.com/2017/03/29/booking-com-turkey/ Yet another idiotic decision to harm Turkish tourism. On one hand we claim that we should move away from cheap package tourism to boutique tourism - and on the other hand we ban Booking.com which is one of those sites that individual tourists - not cheap package deal tourist groups - use to book hotels. I am convinced that Turkey is trying to end tourism. This surely will have an effect on travel to Turkey.

Bad move but the majority of their bookings will come from outside Turkey. At the moment hotels are still bookable but I wonder if it will effect locals on the ground accepting bookings via that portal. Maybe everything is done via a third party system to actually take a room from a hotel and confirmation etc.. I have used Booking.com many times and they offer a good product. On another note just looked at one of the hotels I stay in when in Istanbul. The Richmond on Istiklal Cad. Normal rates were EUR120 a night and now selling for EUR55 . For a very good 4* hotel thats superb value. Only downside is that its next to the Russian Embassy which has seen increased security in recent times. For those who want cheap and cheerful hotels can be got for as low as EUR7 a night thats insane.

bgm wrote:

leftyboarder wrote:

http://fortune.com/2017/03/29/booking-com-turkey/ Yet another idiotic decision to harm Turkish tourism. On one hand we claim that we should move away from cheap package tourism to boutique tourism - and on the other hand we ban Booking.com which is one of those sites that individual tourists - not cheap package deal tourist groups - use to book hotels. I am convinced that Turkey is trying to end tourism. This surely will have an effect on travel to Turkey.

To be quite honest, what tourism (for foreigners) is left? With bombs, shootings, a crackpot dictator... who in their right mind would consider going to Turkey now for a holiday? Danger-junkies?

I really hope things improve in Turkey, but right now I am not very optimistic.

Not that apocalyptic
Turkey will probably reach 25M tourists this year if not more. So far more than 1M Russians arrived already, the number will reach 4-5M this year just for Russians only.