T3 - Why Bother?
 

Sitting on my TK flight to SAW this morning where instead of boarding at a gate we got bussed all the way to the old ramp in front of T1 where there was another TK plane, AZ, Arkia and a few others. The question is - if the rest of the airport is so congested that they have to bus us back to the ramp in front of T1, why don't they just dedicate T1 to certain airlines and reduce the congestion?

I don't think that the issue is congestion. I think that it is a matter of money. I have heard and read that the Airport authority charges the airlines less if they use T1 instead of T3.

It has happened to me with Alitalia in the past, and I saw plenty of open gates on the way, and will probably happen to me this week again

They do indeed charge less for T1 which is why LCCs use T1. But I thought that the was for the whole 9 yards (i.e. check-in, gate use, etc.). If they're paying the lower number in order to use T1, why do they get T3 "privileges?"

The thing is that easyjet has checkin at t1 then they bus you to t3 where you board through a jet bridge. With today's TK flight I checked in at T3 then got bussed back to the Tarmac in front of T1 to board with stairs. Neither one makes sense to me.

Perhaps they want pax to take advantage of T3 duty free shopping and amenities?

That happens also with airlines that have their checkin at T1 such as easyjet. There are no shops at T1 so you get bussed to T3 for shopping, etc. after checkin.

same with Alitalia

Alitalia is T3 checkin but I have never been bussed back to in front of T1 for them and I fly them a lot.

Nor have I, though it's been some time since I've flown them. Friends flew them recently, so I'll ask their experiences

Dovster should be able to contribute to this thread - if I'm not mistaken he's an Alitalia frequenter.

Its a question of making the Duty Free accessible for everyone, as the Airport Authority has a financial interest in pushing the Duty Free's sales.

The duty free may be free of duty but the prices are still often quite bad. I bought a bottle of Jack Daniels that cost $40 in the duty free, was for sale for $35 on the plane (Arkia) and $27 or so in a store in Barcelona.

I found that the duty free prices in TLV are quite high compared to duty free at most Asian and some EU airports.

I find they vary based on what you're buying. Electronics and wine are never a good deal at TLV. I usually do buy whiskey (or whisky) at TLV, because their prices are significantly cheaper than at Israeli shops, and is also cheaper than other airports (though not by much). I've found them to be similarly priced to liquor shops in the USA, except in those shops, you're getting 750 ml but in James Richardson, you get 1 liter.

Agree prices are not great, and in fact have got far more expensive in the past year or so, and the deals are not great anymore.
When comparing however make sure you do compare like to like because in Europe and often on airline Duty Free the bottles are 0.70L rather than a Liter.