Turkish Airlines, any experiences?
Oct 10, 2002, 2:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Oslo, Norway.
Programs: SK EBD, AX Cent, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Club-A Plat, Avis' PC, CC Gold,Hertz PC, CX Diamond,BA Bronz
Posts: 683
Turkish Airlines, any experiences?
I'm fortunate to be invited as a guest to the world-cook(ing) championship alas Bocuse D'Or in january next year. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif
Unfortunately, this means I have to pay my own way for a meeting scheduled in IST. Booked an open jaw award ticket in C-class LYS(Lyon)-IST-ZRH-OSL with the LYS-IST on Turkish airlines and the return 3 days later on LX.
How's the service on the ground and in the air?
Any tips for IST? Staying at the Conrad.
And for pure gloating: LAst time a Norwegian entered the championships (Terje Næss), Norway won!!
Unfortunately, this means I have to pay my own way for a meeting scheduled in IST. Booked an open jaw award ticket in C-class LYS(Lyon)-IST-ZRH-OSL with the LYS-IST on Turkish airlines and the return 3 days later on LX.
How's the service on the ground and in the air?
Any tips for IST? Staying at the Conrad.
And for pure gloating: LAst time a Norwegian entered the championships (Terje Næss), Norway won!!
Oct 10, 2002, 3:04 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: UK countryside
Posts: 1,031
Turkish isn't all that bad. Food and service are OK (just), but I get a little spooked at the lack of attention to standard safety procedures. I've witnessed landings where seats were still reclined, baggage in the aisle and even cabin crew still walking around!
Istanbul is fantastic. A real experience. Food is great - try to go to one of the restaurants on the hills overlooking the Bosphorous, such as Ulus 29.
As far as hotels go, there are plenty of great places to stay. IMHO you can't really go wrong with any of the 5 star places. However, for REAL character, try the Ciragan Palace, the Divani or the Four Seasons.
By the way, I have masses of TK miles, which I got when TK split out of hte Qualiflyer programme. Can I still use them on Swiss?
Istanbul is fantastic. A real experience. Food is great - try to go to one of the restaurants on the hills overlooking the Bosphorous, such as Ulus 29.
As far as hotels go, there are plenty of great places to stay. IMHO you can't really go wrong with any of the 5 star places. However, for REAL character, try the Ciragan Palace, the Divani or the Four Seasons.
By the way, I have masses of TK miles, which I got when TK split out of hte Qualiflyer programme. Can I still use them on Swiss?
Oct 10, 2002, 10:43 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 675
The Viking,
TK is quite good. If you travel C-class, the Service nice. food OK and seats not too bad.
Indeed flghts attendant are sometimes not very safe but overall you should maybe ebjoy it.
As for Hotel in Istanbul I would very very much recommand to go to the Swissotel, the Best Hotel in IST. If you can book it just do it.
AndrewC,
To answer your question about Miles and Miles, Of what I know you can only use them for TK free tket or upgrades. Not possible to use them on Swiss, no codeshare flights TK.
kooks.
TK is quite good. If you travel C-class, the Service nice. food OK and seats not too bad.
Indeed flghts attendant are sometimes not very safe but overall you should maybe ebjoy it.
As for Hotel in Istanbul I would very very much recommand to go to the Swissotel, the Best Hotel in IST. If you can book it just do it.
AndrewC,
To answer your question about Miles and Miles, Of what I know you can only use them for TK free tket or upgrades. Not possible to use them on Swiss, no codeshare flights TK.
kooks.
Oct 11, 2002, 1:29 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,347
TK FA's have improved of late, they stopped hiring part time college students at low wages as temporary workers. The aircraft are new and the pilots are great.
As for hotels check what I wrote recently on the Hilton board about the Conrad. In short it is the worst Conrad on Earth and no one I know has been happy there (most check out after one night). The Swissotel is also quite run down and rumour has it that it will no longer be a Swissotel after this year anyway. Besides that the other advice the Ciragan,the Ritz Carlton, the Four Seasons, etc are all good bets. locationwise the FS might be a bit out of the way for your purpose.
As for hotels check what I wrote recently on the Hilton board about the Conrad. In short it is the worst Conrad on Earth and no one I know has been happy there (most check out after one night). The Swissotel is also quite run down and rumour has it that it will no longer be a Swissotel after this year anyway. Besides that the other advice the Ciragan,the Ritz Carlton, the Four Seasons, etc are all good bets. locationwise the FS might be a bit out of the way for your purpose.
Oct 11, 2002, 2:20 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Oslo, Norway.
Programs: SK EBD, AX Cent, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Club-A Plat, Avis' PC, CC Gold,Hertz PC, CX Diamond,BA Bronz
Posts: 683
Thanks for info, unfortunately I'm bound by a group reservation for the Conrad, so as HH Gold I'll work on an upgrade etc..
BTW: The trip only costs 25,000 Qualiflyer miles, excellent value!
BTW: The trip only costs 25,000 Qualiflyer miles, excellent value!