Connecting to BA at IST

Old May 25, 2017, 5:21 am
  #1  
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Connecting to BA at IST

Oracles, does anyone have experience of connecting to BA at IST?

I'm weighing up options to get back from a wedding elsewhere in Turkey. However, that destination has only one flight a day which lands 75 minutes before the BA677 leaves at 1735.

EF tells me that the D/I MCT is 90 minutes. However, assuming both flights are on time, is this doable in 75 minutes with hand baggage only? Also, to facilitate this, can I print my BP beforehand?

i've never used IST before so am a bit in the dark and sadly can't spare an extra day to visit Istanbul on the way back. Thanks all!
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Old May 25, 2017, 5:26 am
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You'd need gonads the size of beach balls to attempt that connection!

If your inbound flight is more than 15 mins late you'll be sweating.
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Old May 25, 2017, 5:26 am
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Personally, I would not do this at IST. My risk level is higher than most, but this for me particularly at IST is not worth it.

Why not take a TK service to LHR? Much better frequency and better product by a country mile. I'm sure you can get a TK flight to line up better with your inbound flight to IST - the TK1983 and TK1987 leaves later on most days.
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Old May 25, 2017, 5:31 am
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Wow - no, I would not even consider this one. Surely just buy a connecting ticket on TK: better product (maybe even a long-haul aircraft with flat beds if you stretch to business class...), and protected on the transfer at IST.


Don't forget that Turkey is now one of the countries from which the UK has imposed the "no laptops/ipads" in hand baggage rule - so be careful what you pack if travelling HBO, and be aware this is creating (at most relevant airports, including I would guess IST) extra waiting at security and/or at the gate.


I wouldn't try this one.
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Old May 25, 2017, 5:47 am
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To add to this, the domestic flights land into a separate terminal to international departures, so you will need to go through 3 security check points and passports, as well as move between the two inter-connected buildings (which admittedly shouldn't take 10 minutes). Moreover the international airport is very long, and BA often leaves from a gate some distance from central airside security, and can occasionally be a bus departure.

75 minutes is do-able if everything is on time and you don't have a laptop or tablet (you may need to power it on at some or all the checkpoints), but at significant risk since by definition you would be on 2 bookings.
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Old May 25, 2017, 5:50 am
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Originally Posted by SFU? NFW!
Oracles, does anyone have experience of connecting to BA at IST?

I'm weighing up options to get back from a wedding elsewhere in Turkey. However, that destination has only one flight a day which lands 75 minutes before the BA677 leaves at 1735.

EF tells me that the D/I MCT is 90 minutes. However, assuming both flights are on time, is this doable in 75 minutes with hand baggage only? Also, to facilitate this, can I print my BP beforehand?

i've never used IST before so am a bit in the dark and sadly can't spare an extra day to visit Istanbul on the way back. Thanks all!
Don't do it.
Flights are frequently late into IST, the airport is completely overstretched until the new IST is ready next year or so.
TK's transit desk is always packed with missed connections, so get a protected ticket with TK on both legs. They have many flights a day to London, so should you miss the connection they sold you, plenty of other options.
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Old May 25, 2017, 7:21 am
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IST has always had massive queues at immigration when I have passed through. We had a connection last year to a domestic flight which was tight and due to the massive lines it looked like no way we would make it.

Although at the main immigration line there is a sign that says domestic connections, there is another connection line near to one of the gates which had no-one in and we just about made it. This gate takes you direct into the domestic terminal and was the only reason we made the connection.

This is obviously for connecting from International to Domestic, not sure how this works the other way round.
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Old May 25, 2017, 8:12 am
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Given that flights to the UK are subject to extra security at IST at present 75 minutes would not be doable unless you are on a through ticket with TK - I've managed that in 60 minutes recently but certainly wouldn't do it if changing carrier.
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Old May 25, 2017, 8:33 am
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Only one flight a day !!??? You must be in the deep backwoods😁

But there are later flights from IST. Just not BA.
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Old May 25, 2017, 8:42 am
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No chance.

Take TK for the protected connection not to mention the significantly superior seating, food and service. Booze a bit meh though.
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Old May 25, 2017, 8:43 am
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Used to do this interchange until BA down-graded CE seat pitch. Now we fly Turkish, much much better - check baggage right through, of course, and decent seat and food.

You have to wait to pick up your luggage in the Domestic Terminal, walk a good ten, maybe fifteen minutes to the BA check-in at the far side of the International Terminal (more if you have to use a trolley, as the lifts to take you up one floor in Domestic are hair-tearingly slow). The time it takes to get through immigration is a lottery depending on time of day, etc, and you only check in your electronics at the gate (or better still have them packed in your hold baggage already). I seriously doubt you'd do it in 75 min.
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Old May 25, 2017, 8:48 am
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Thank you very much everyone for the insightful and prompt responses - much appreciated!

Hmmm, well, back to the drawing board then! I had originally seen this as an opportunity to sample TK J but was put off by the 14h05 outbound (the inbound is a more-palettable 7h20 with 2h15 to make the connection in IST).

However, it sounds like a protected ticket is a must here - especially with the additional security checks - so will just take the TK option and build in an overnight in Istanbul.

Thanks again everyone!
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