nombody

For those of you who like flying Turkish Air or Pegasus from Israel because of their frequent flights, connection network, and relatively cheap fares, consider this additional "cost" of flying through Turkey. Even a single connecting flight through Turkey could put you on the TSA additional screening "SSSS" list that will make your life very difficult every time you fly to, from, or within the USA.

http://www.seat31b.com/2015/04/how-f...sa-watch-list/

http://thepointsguy.com/2015/08/my-new-tsa-travel-hell/

sabbasolo

Anecdotes with no significance - Many people I know and myself, US citizens and Israelis and Visa waiver holders, all of whom have not suffered from this problem. I must have gone through IST 15 times myself, in both directions.

I find that SSSS depends more on where your ticket was purchased (hint not where travel commenced and not in USA), than anything else. Also your travel pattern, and some element of randomness.

As far as Turkey goes - Israeli residents should absolutely support Turkey the country - we want people who disagree with the current Israeli government policy to still support Israel don't we? Then if we disagree with the current Turkish govt policy (as I do) we should still visit/fly/support Turkey as a country.

AA_EXP09

Not true in my experience-I have had no major travel issues since visiting Turkey.

NYTA

I fly from TLV to Europe once a month on either TK or Pegasus and also fly to the USA 4 times a year - usually on other carriers. Never had a problem.

joshwex90

I'd be very surprised if there is any type of policy like that. Seem fishy, especially knowing too many people to count who consistently fly through Turkey and have no issues with TSA

FlyAO2

I don't think just the Turkey flight does it...if you read, both of these people had one-way / sketchy looking itineraries. That combined with the Turkey did it. I would venture a regular round trip ticket through Turkey should be okay


huh? not to go off topic but using that logic should people go to Iran too?

joshwex90

No because Iranian bars entry for Israeli citizens and Israeli law bars Israeli citizens from traveling to Iran. With that in place, any other conversation is a non-starter.

FlyAO2

So one ought not go where the receiving country bans them, but one should go to a country that espouses hate towards them but hasn't yet placed a ban because they need tourism dollars..... got it - shift the decision to other people.

joshwex90

I'm not getting involved the political aspects of this debate. More than happy to debate that in a different forum.

Simply pointing out that the merits of flying through Turkey and flying to Iran (for an Israeli) are not the same at all

yosithezet

Please continue the discussion in OMNI if you'd like. This is the wrong forum for this discussion.