Istanbul 'New' Airport ( IST/ISL ) - Master Thread ✈️
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,185
I have found this article while surfing on the web. I am sharing this article which has been posted this week.
#63
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 834
I would like to thank you and the other posters for keeping us updated as we are schedule to transit on TK on 4-11 & 4-23 and this move will effect our layover plans. This article is very interesting espically since the catering facilites are not completed and the safety concerns. I do have a question about elections towards end of March. If the incumbants lose the election, what date do the new adminstration take office? Thanks again and safe travels!
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,185
I would like to thank you and the other posters for keeping us updated as we are schedule to transit on TK on 4-11 & 4-23 and this move will effect our layover plans. This article is very interesting espically since the catering facilites are not completed and the safety concerns. I do have a question about elections towards end of March. If the incumbants lose the election, what date do the new adminstration take office? Thanks again and safe travels!
None of the administrations ( including the Ministry of Transport ) won't change as the election at the end of March is local elections where eligible voters vote for their mayor and local parliament for their city and their district. So this election has nothing to do with the airport directly. However, the government party doesn't want to lose votes, especially in Istanbul, so they are not postponing the movement date nowadays.
#66
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 834
Thanks for your response. Our problem is we can’t book the Bosphorus Experience with these delay in the move dates. TK was no help at all, as CS kept saying I was ineligible ( we are traveling J class with 9 1/2 hour layover for the breakfast trip). I got in contact with TAV, who stated we are eligible but they dont have a contract with TK for the new airport. Oh well, such is life, but we did save a bundle! Thanks again and safe travels!
#67
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Istanbul
Programs: QR Privilege Club
Posts: 137
There are a number of material mistakes in that article. However, I cannot fully say that it's a totally "misleading" one. The author should have done some deeper research, especially regarding the figures and then the said article would be more enlightening and possibly more objective one. Today I don't have the time to go over those mistakes, but will try to do so later during the week.
#68
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Istanbul
Programs: QR Privilege Club
Posts: 137
The very latest indications reveal that the Big Movement is going to happen on April 5th & 6th, and all airlines will resume operations from Istanbul Airport starting 00:01 (local time) on 7th.
One curious member at wowturkey Forum made some investigations:
1) He selected a TK international flight out from AHL on a date prior to April 5th and attempted to buy a ticket. That ticket indicated a "Airport Tax" corresponding to USD15, which is the current practice at IHL. He then attempted to buy a second ticket on April 15th for the same destination: this time the Airport Tax corresponded to €20 (which is the practice at Istanbul Airport).
2) Later he checked numerous TK Fights out from Istanbul/European side, after 7th. A lot of USA flights looks like "cancelled" and some for more than a week. Similar cases for some European flights. Some frequencies seem to be reduced and then again increased over a period of 2 weeks (like CDG, MAD, AMS). Well this means that either these flights are cancelled (which is the worse option of the findings) or those flights are not on sale yet (as of yesterday) for whatever reason... We'll soon see, possibly during this week...
Another Forum member whom I know privately has better insider information from TK. He says, around 4.000 flights will be cancelled during the "transition period" until TK's S19 timetable will be re-aligned to the routine one, in April. In my opinion, so many cancellations indicate this transition period to be 2-3 weeks, starting from the 7th.
Again we'll see, by the time comes (or whenever these cancellations will be publicly announced...)!
LAST MINUTE NOTICE: As of now, there's the official declaration from TK (on their website) that Ataturk Airport based flights will be ceased by April 6th, 02:00 a.m. and all TK operations will start from the (New) Istanbul Airport will commence starting 02:00 p.m. on the same day. (To be cancelled flights, excluded)
So this time that Big Movement is for real but I am very sceptic about its consequences and possible problems arising during the next several months...
One curious member at wowturkey Forum made some investigations:
1) He selected a TK international flight out from AHL on a date prior to April 5th and attempted to buy a ticket. That ticket indicated a "Airport Tax" corresponding to USD15, which is the current practice at IHL. He then attempted to buy a second ticket on April 15th for the same destination: this time the Airport Tax corresponded to €20 (which is the practice at Istanbul Airport).
2) Later he checked numerous TK Fights out from Istanbul/European side, after 7th. A lot of USA flights looks like "cancelled" and some for more than a week. Similar cases for some European flights. Some frequencies seem to be reduced and then again increased over a period of 2 weeks (like CDG, MAD, AMS). Well this means that either these flights are cancelled (which is the worse option of the findings) or those flights are not on sale yet (as of yesterday) for whatever reason... We'll soon see, possibly during this week...
Another Forum member whom I know privately has better insider information from TK. He says, around 4.000 flights will be cancelled during the "transition period" until TK's S19 timetable will be re-aligned to the routine one, in April. In my opinion, so many cancellations indicate this transition period to be 2-3 weeks, starting from the 7th.
Again we'll see, by the time comes (or whenever these cancellations will be publicly announced...)!
LAST MINUTE NOTICE: As of now, there's the official declaration from TK (on their website) that Ataturk Airport based flights will be ceased by April 6th, 02:00 a.m. and all TK operations will start from the (New) Istanbul Airport will commence starting 02:00 p.m. on the same day. (To be cancelled flights, excluded)
So this time that Big Movement is for real but I am very sceptic about its consequences and possible problems arising during the next several months...
Last edited by mafaky; Mar 11, 2019 at 12:51 am
#70
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Istanbul
Programs: QR Privilege Club
Posts: 137
Tha above statement on TK's site is misleading: There will be a black out period between 02:00 and 14:00 (local times) on 6th April, for TK fights. After 14:00 hrs. (2 p.m.) TK flights will resume but there will be many cancellations for the next 2 weeks or so.
Last edited by mafaky; Mar 11, 2019 at 3:14 am
#71
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4
Hi Flyers I have a scheduled flight from CPH via Istanbul to BKK on the 4 of april, 1 day before the planned move. I have now got a email with a schedule change so that i will fly from CPH to IST Ataturk, and instead of the 4 hours stopover i have now a scheduled flight almost 28 hours later on the 5 april 20.15 instead of 4 April 20.15 from the new Airport. This of course is causing troubles for both booked hotels etc in BKK, but what about accommodation in Istanbul and transfer to new Airport the day after if i choose to keep the booking. Can i count on getting hotel/transfer and so on paid by TK ?...
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,185
Hi Flyers I have a scheduled flight from CPH via Istanbul to BKK on the 4 of april, 1 day before the planned move. I have now got a email with a schedule change so that i will fly from CPH to IST Ataturk, and instead of the 4 hours stopover i have now a scheduled flight almost 28 hours later on the 5 april 20.15 instead of 4 April 20.15 from the new Airport. This of course is causing troubles for both booked hotels etc in BKK, but what about accommodation in Istanbul and transfer to new Airport the day after if i choose to keep the booking. Can i count on getting hotel/transfer and so on paid by TK ?...
#73
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4
You could call the call center and request to change your ticket depending on availability. A local sales office would also work. I am not sure if they would give accommodation to you because you have the option to cancel your ticket. Contact the hotel department of Turkish Airlines to see if you are eligible. ( You could find the relevant e-mail address for the hotel department in the TK Miles&Smiles forum ) If you are booked on the 20:15 flight ( TK64 ) on the 5th, your flight would depart from Atatürk Airport. However, if you want to avoid the chaos, I would suggest you to cancel your ticket and rebook your flights on another airline.
#74
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4
ISTFlyer, thank you for your reply.
I think you are right about getting a refund and try to avoid IST and TK during this chaotic transition period. I have to contact agency as i have booked through them and hope that they apply to the refund ruling by TK.
I think you are right about getting a refund and try to avoid IST and TK during this chaotic transition period. I have to contact agency as i have booked through them and hope that they apply to the refund ruling by TK.