Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles - "Feel Like A Star" - Garbage!

Have a business class flight this coming Monday from Bangkok to Istanbul and yet as of today, 5-days before the flight, TK can't assign seats as they can't decide whether they will use an A340 or B777 (as if they don't know how many seats are already sold!)
So, if you want to "feel like a star", DON'T fly TK

Yes I often chuckle at this ridiculous tagline... typical boneless - perhaps helplessly aspirational - statement conjured by marketing that often has no reflection of current reality.

Arriving in IST one early dawn from a HKG flight, and TK stops its plane on the tarmac - yes, this happens in its home station, no less! - and as passengers disembark reluctantly, they are welcomed by torrential mid-winter rain.

Bet Kevin Costner was never to go through that!

Have a business class flight this coming Monday from Bangkok to Istanbul and yet as of today, 5-days before the flight, TK can't assign seats as they can't decide whether they will use an A340 or B777 (as if they don't know how many seats are already sold!)
So, if you want to "feel like a star", DON'T fly TK

That is ridiculous. Even though I believe that the new F is nice, and I would like to take it, I refused to book TK for a segment on a long-haul F award for next year because I have no confidence that the 777 scheduled as of now will be operating then. But assurance five days out doesn't seem like too much to ask.

(By the way, BKKLEE, you seem to be among the most aggrieved, most passionate detractors of THY on this forum, yet you keep flying them. Are you a glutton for punishment? :D I suppose it's the only non-stop option on this route, but there are many decent or excellent alternatives if you are willing to stop once, e.g., QR, EK, EY, TG/SQ via DXB, maybe GF or RJ. Uzbekistan Airways?)

Have a business class flight this coming Monday from Bangkok to Istanbul and yet as of today, 5-days before the flight, TK can't assign seats as they can't decide whether they will use an A340 or B777 (as if they don't know how many seats are already sold!)
So, if you want to "feel like a star", DON'T fly TK

I got seats assigned on all sectors LHR IST BKK when booking an early november trip. But I'm resigned to things changing in the blink of an eye ....

TK FINALLY was able to assign seating the day we left!

Unfortunately, had a business meeting in IST and really did not want to change planes so gave TK another shot, but even though they've now switched to 777 if you want to feel clostrophobic fly TK's C-class angled seating (compared to other flights I think only Uniteds reverse seating on their London-Washington flight has been worse and with sleeper seats designed for folks no more then 6 feet tall and I'm 6', 3.5").

With the commercial meeting over I'll be flying MS "home" worth an extra 1.5-hrs NOT to endure being treated like an idiot for choosing TK again (and I WON'T do that again).

Frankly, I guess I see enough false advertising which when acted upon is legally fraud (I'm an attorney) so if anyone wants to "feel like a star" guess it's possible just as long as you avoid TK at all cost.

That is ridiculous. Even though I believe that the new F is nice, and I would like to take it, I refused to book TK for a segment on a long-haul F award for next year because I have no confidence that the 777 scheduled as of now will be operating then. But assurance five days out doesn't seem like too much to ask.

(By the way, BKKLEE, you seem to be among the most aggrieved, most passionate detractors of THY on this forum, yet you keep flying them. Are you a glutton for punishment? :D I suppose it's the only non-stop option on this route, but there are many decent or excellent alternatives if you are willing to stop once, e.g., QR, EK, EY, TG/SQ via DXB, maybe GF or RJ. Uzbekistan Airways?)

Had the same seating assignment issue last week on CPT-IST route, tried numerous times and finally got seats assigned upon check-in. Ended up in an A340-400. Lie flat Seats in 1AC not bad for someone 6'7" but more than half of the foot rests in the "lie flat" section of C (!) were broken or missing. Service was below par, and although first TAY flight, 2nd leg to FRA was not much better. Will think twice before flying them again.

Of note, lugage left CPT 2 days later, but at least we got it back.

Just wanted what they promise, but its now VERY obvious that it won't be delivered from or by TK ever.

(By the way, BKKLEE, you seem to be among the most aggrieved, most passionate detractors of THY on this forum, yet you keep flying them. )[/QUOTE]

compared to other flights I think only Uniteds reverse seating on their London-Washington flight has been worse and with sleeper seats designed for folks no more then 6 feet tall and I'm 6', 3.5").

With the commercial meeting over I'll be flying MS "home"

I hope you are not expecting acres of leg-room in the EgyptAir C-cabin. I use it to BKK because it's cheap - but the seat-pitch is truly, truly awful. And I mean awful! :eek::eek:

You seem to have a very deep grudge against TK.

BKKLEE, the angles Biz seat on the 777 is probably one of the best ones in their air. When you fly the exact same product on VS or CX do you make the same complaint?

I have flown on Turkish Air from Chicago to Istanbul multiple times and I have never encounter such problems. In fact, quite the contrary, I found Turkish Air to be extremely hospitable.

Next month, I am flying on the 777 to Bangkok from Chicago. It will be interesting to see if my experience compares to those mentioned above in this forum.

Is this the only time you've encountered stopping and disembarking on the tarmac? I have taken MANY flights where this has happened. Aero Mexico in Cabo San Lucas for one. But all over Europe, I have disembarked onto the Tarmac. I didn't realize that was such an offensive thing?


Yes I often chuckle at this ridiculous tagline... typical boneless - perhaps helplessly aspirational - statement conjured by marketing that often has no reflection of current reality.

Arriving in IST one early dawn from a HKG flight, and TK stops its plane on the tarmac - yes, this happens in its home station, no less! - and as passengers disembark reluctantly, they are welcomed by torrential mid-winter rain.

Bet Kevin Costner was never to go through that!

Arriving in IST one early dawn from a HKG flight, and TK stops its plane on the tarmac - yes, this happens in its home station, no less!

Afraid you'll have to get used to that in Europe. Among my most frequently used airports:

LH at FRA
LX at ZRH
BA at LHR
TP at LIS

bus transfers are by no means rare!!!!

I was going to comment on that. In the last thee months I have been on and offloaded on the TARMAC at LHR (BA), CDG(AF), MUC(LH) and AMS(KL). Me thinks carrotjuice hasn't really travelled too much in actuality. For that matter I also had a tarmac (worse, rising trolley busses) in and out of JFK with DL - although admittedly the first time in a Decade.

I agree that having to disembark on the tarmac after a long flight is a pain, especially when you are in the premium cabins, and have to wait around on the bus until it fills up, thereby negating one of the benefits -- prompt disembarking -- of the experience.

It's also strange in this particular case -- it seems like IST has plenty of gates. In about two dozen landings there, mostly on THY, I have probably disembarked on the tarmac 20% of the time, and there always seem to be gates available when I do.

That said, as others have pointed out, it's very common outside the U.S. In DOH, all flights disembark on the tarmac -- I think that they forgot to construct jetways -- which is a major down-side of that airport. Even worse, although they have a dedicated first-class terminal, they don't take you directly there, but rather to the main terminal, where you have to take yet another transport to the premium terminal. :mad:

I was going to comment on that. In the last thee months I have been on and offloaded on the TARMAC at LHR (BA), CDG(AF), MUC(LH) and AMS(KL). Me thinks carrotjuice hasn't really travelled too much in actuality. For that matter I also had a tarmac (worse, rising trolley busses) in and out of JFK with DL - although admittedly the first time in a Decade.

But some places to do it better than others - Muscat sent a stream of dedicated, premium-class vehicles to meet my flight last week. At many other airports the cosseting is definitely over when you get down the steps and into the bus!

Ian, that's for sure, the point being that "gasp, shock horror" that TK does it at its home base is absolute poppycock, as most major European airlines are known to do this at their home bases, even at the "super modern" LHR T5.

I had a couple of flights now on the B777-300ER and find the seat just great, the service very good and had no complaints except for the lounge where the boarding calls are made for every single flight extremely loud and the TV speakers are also on full volume for soccer games etc...

I understand the frustration about last minute equipment changes. Especially if you booked F and get onto a 2 class plane only. Never had an equipment change on TK but I am pretty sure TK is a amateur compared to TG in that field.

feel like a star: NO!
Yet I find complaints about parking on the tarmac a bit silly since that happens at almost all major airports even for the home base carrier. A lot of arguments here just sound like TK bashing for no real reason.

It's not my favorite airline and won't be for sure but I find some arguments unreasonable.

But all over Europe, I have disembarked onto the Tarmac. I didn't realize that was such an offensive thing?

If its good enough for The Pope, The US President and The British Queen its good enough for me. However of course they don't have to get into a packed bus to The Terminal.

If its good enough for The Pope, The US President and The British Queen its good enough for me. However of course they don't have to get into a packed bus to The Terminal.

It's always comfort to find yourself next to His Holiness in a centre block of long-haul Y. But the Queen is such a DYKWIA.

IMPORTANT QUESTION FOLLOWS:
TK's flight reference number doesn't work on checkmytrip.com Does this mean it is not an Amadeus recognised number?

I personally don't find TK that bad.
Tarmac is annoying- however I have also had this many times flying into PVG for example with CA- and this is one of their home bases- so I don't know that this has anything to do with TK in particular.

IMPORTANT QUESTION FOLLOWS:
TK's flight reference number doesn't work on checkmytrip.com Does this mean it is not an Amadeus recognised number?

TK does not use Amadeus so you can't display the booking. If you book through a TA that uses Amadeus you can display your TK reservation / booking.

Sympathies BKKLEE. I made a similar point recently: Feel like a star? More like an idiot see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/986829-turkish-airlines-new-feel-like-star-more-like-idiot.html Seriously, who do they think we are. I for one am not going back. The FA recommended strongly that I complain but got zero out of it apart from just more frustration and certainty not going back.

We had a horrible experience on TK from FRA to IST and then to JNB. It was a nightmare at the least. I plan to put my thoughts together and put a post up.

Don't think you'll get any response from TK's Customer service as last problem it took filing a lawsuit for them to respond and even then they have defaulted (they claim a 30 October issued ticket is ONLY valid until the 22nd of the following year; and not 29th!!) on our agreement (and I'll be filing against them again!). One of these days they'll learn, but frankly I DOUBT IT - just too damn Nazi-fied.

Sympathies BKKLEE. I made a similar point recently: Feel like a star? More like an idiot see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/986829-turkish-airlines-new-feel-like-star-more-like-idiot.html Seriously, who do they think we are. I for one am not going back. The FA recommended strongly that I complain but got zero out of it apart from just more frustration and certainty not going back.

For those who are up in arms about my original comment regarding stopping on the tarmac - take a deep breath, look at the title again, and understand the CONTEXT of this thread.

While TK is by no means the only airline that stops on the tarmac in its home ground, it is the only airline to our collective knowledge that exhorts its passengers to "feel like a star".

Such actions certainly do not match the exhortation, and that's the context in which my comment was given.

So, if you want to "feel like a star", DON'T fly TK
Have you considered seizing one of their aeroplanes?

For those who are up in arms about my original comment regarding stopping on the tarmac - take a deep breath, look at the title again, and understand the CONTEXT of this thread.

I, for one, wasn't up in arms. Just faintly puzzled that anyone who's been around a bit would take an airline's marketing hype so literally.

This is a strange thread - is there some sort of concerted campaign against Turkish?

There's a legal difference between the normal "puffing" of marketing hype and outright fraud, but I'll be happy to stick TK's advertising into my firthcoming action against them and if there's any effort to critisize TK, they have solely brought it upon themselves by and thru their own action (which speak loader then words!)

I, for one, wasn't up in arms. Just faintly puzzled that anyone who's been around a bit would take an airline's marketing hype so literally.

This is a strange thread - is there some sort of concerted campaign against Turkish?

IT can be done if filed in a US Federal Court!
Have you considered seizing one of their aeroplanes?

This is a strange thread - is there some sort of concerted campaign against Turkish?

This whole forum (not just thread) seems to be a rather bizarre concerted campaign by three or four posters based seemingly on only a couple of past experiences. Very strange as these often repetitive postings don't chime with my experience of TK or of other airlines.

Perhaps its time for the moderators to come in with the feather duster?

What none of us have suggested is that perhaps Turkish mean "feel like a (faded/has-been) star" with the tag-line? Sadly its not a campaign that I've seen at all: I must be watching the wrong TV channels and not looking hard enough for the billboards and internet advertising. Has the advertising been aired/published in the US? If not, I guess the idea of making some lawyer rich in an attempt to sue TK on that basis would surely not get off the ground.

This whole forum (not just thread) seems to be a rather bizarre concerted campaign by three or four posters based seemingly on only a couple of past experiences. Very strange as these often repetitive postings don't chime with my experience of TK or of other airlines.

+1^

I guess the idea of making some lawyer rich in an attempt to sue TK on that basis would surely not get off the ground.
But at least if he seizes the aeroplane on a Friday evening, he has all weekend to play with it - so he might get off the ground :D

I can only speak from my travels flying TK for a few years before they joined *A to the present. Admittedly this carrier is not SQ, EK, CX, or TG, in overall flying experience. The routings I have taken with TK has been PEK-IST-PEK or SFO-ORD-IST-ORD-SFO. I have flown coach, been OP upgraded, as well as flown paid C over the years and perhaps have been lucky, but have had very good flights and no problems with the exception one time of a 3 hour delayed departure from Beijing. Cabin service has been to me on par with the other carriers. I am not a fan of any particular carrier that is *A carrier except I really appreciate my SWU being a UA 1K.

This whole forum (not just thread) seems to be a rather bizarre concerted campaign by three or four posters based seemingly on only a couple of past experiences. Very strange as these often repetitive postings don't chime with my experience of TK or of other airlines.

I must be watching the wrong TV channels and not looking hard enough for the billboards and internet advertising.

The "Feel like a star" TV spot runs all the time on CNN. Hard to avoid for a traveller.

The problem with this spot is not the "unfulfillable promise", which happens all the time in advertising. It is not even the "insult to all other successful TK customers", who do not aspire to be a fading celeb in sick Hollywood.

It is rather the TV spot's inspiration from a very questionable part of the Turkish psyche: a "collective minority-complex" (probably after the fall of the Ottoman Empire) and a never-ending wannabee / great-pretender-attitude in their daily life. I lived in Turkey long enough to qualify for this statement.

"Feel like a star" on Turkish Airlines is as appropriate as a "Short sleeve or long sleeve" - campaign for a textile company in Sierra Leone, or "Führer auf der Autobahn" billboards for a German car manufacturer, or a "Never lose an intellectual debate again" ad would be for an American gun producer...

The good news: both Turkey and TK are on a positive development path and can soon be proud enough of their achievements, so they don't have to pretend stardom anymore.

The good news: both Turkey and TK are on a positive development path and can soon be proud enough of their achievements, so they don't have to pretend stardom anymore.
When you wish upon a star your dreams come true.



:-:

Just did IST-ORD-LAS with them (ORD-LAS on ua of course). The service was friendly, the FAs that were dealing with our section spoke good English. (I heard them use full sentences instead of 'tea/coffee?'.
We departed an hour late from IST because of a sick pax. Other than that the on board product, food was great.. AVOD was nice.. A330 has these boxes on the window side which limit the legroom quite a bit but that's not TK's fault; I have seen the same thing on NW 330s.

As far as the Kevin Costner comments, there are a lot of US celebrities doing commercials overseas, including some fading/faded ones..

I have just completed a BHX / IST / BKK roundtrip in C. On the BHX / IST / BHX flights I was the only passenger in C and received excellent service. On the longhaul flights the service was good but less polished than on many other airlines - I suspect part of the reason is that TK don't use trolleys for food service so the FAs are always walking through the cabin to and from the galley. All the FAs spoke good to excellent English.

The food was probably the best C class food I have had, both in terms of quality and portion size.

Downside was totally incompetent service from the ground staff in IST.

I would have no hesitation in using TK again for trips to Asia.