Transferring/Transit at Istanbul Atatürk airport
Mar 30, 2015, 9:20 am
#241
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: YYZ
Posts: 182
My family is traveling YYZ-IST-FCO this summer, with a 65 minute connection in IST. Knowing that it will be tight (we will have a 2 year old in tow), I'm wondering about changing the IST-FCO segment in advance. The flight is booked on points (Aeroplan) who charge $90 per ticket to change, but is there any chance TK will allow the change at no charge, or a minimal charge?
Mar 30, 2015, 10:43 am
#242
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
My family is traveling YYZ-IST-FCO this summer, with a 65 minute connection in IST. Knowing that it will be tight (we will have a 2 year old in tow), I'm wondering about changing the IST-FCO segment in advance. The flight is booked on points (Aeroplan) who charge $90 per ticket to change, but is there any chance TK will allow the change at no charge, or a minimal charge?
65 minutes is doable, but TK doesn't have the best on time record in the world. I'd chat up the check in people at YYZ, point out the tight connection and if your YYZ-IST flight is delayed make them rebook you at YYZ.
Choosing a random date, I'm guessing you're on this:
Departure
Toronto , Lester B. Pearson International (YYZ) - Terminal 1
Thursday 28 May 2015 22:35
Arrival
Istanbul , Ataturk (IST) - Terminal I
Friday 29 May 2015 15:25
[65 minute layover]
Departure
Istanbul , Ataturk (IST) - Terminal I
Friday 29 May 2015 16:30
Arrival
Rome , Fiumicino (FCO) - Terminal 3
Friday 29 May 2015 18:05
The only other choice is:
Departure
Toronto , Lester B. Pearson International (YYZ) - Terminal 1
Thursday 28 May 2015 22:35
Arrival
Istanbul , Ataturk (IST) - Terminal I
Friday 29 May 2015 15:25
[6 hour, 50 minute layover]
Departure
Istanbul , Ataturk (IST) - Terminal I
Friday 29 May 2015 22:15
Arrival
Rome , Fiumicino (FCO) - Terminal 3
Friday 29 May 2015 23:50
That's a long layover followed by a very late arrival in FCO with a 2 year old. I'd gamble on the shorter connection, TK will likely reaccomodate you on the later flight assuming there's room.
Mar 30, 2015, 11:20 am
#243
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: YYZ
Posts: 182
Yeah, those are the options. I know it's not very responsible or practical, but I also want to try out the world famous TK lounge! 
Apr 1, 2015, 11:50 am
#244
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
2. No fast-track for business. Unless the queue is strangely huge, normal security check is faster. If you choose the alternative, there is special immigration line, at the very right. Then you can use the direct entrance to the Lounge, at thevery left of the check-in area.
On the other hand, getting to the transit area was thoroughly confusing and needs way better signage. There seems to be two different areas one can go through - I waited in line in the first (right next to where immigration is) since I didn't know there was another one - then at the front told I was told for YYZ, I had to keep walking.
There were 3-4 people at the gate (actually, at the jetway); they could have been airport security personnel or police officers, I'm not sure. They asked each disembarking passenger to show a boarding pass for a connecting flight, and directed those who had one to the right hand side, where the jetway simply opened up to the transit area. All other passengers were directed to the left, presumably to the security control or the exit, as usual. I was among the first to leave the aircraft, I can only suppose this was the procedure used for everyone.
Shuly
Shuly
I'm curious about the "use the fast lane" (we're *Gold and flying Business) but then it talks about going through immigration to get to the "back door" to the lounge. On this option are you actually entering Turkey before going to the lounge? It doesn't matter to us, as we'll have visas since we're staying for a few days on our return trip.
Apr 1, 2015, 12:00 pm
#245
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Canada
Programs: Marriott LT Gold, IHG Club, Hertz Gold, Aeroplan, Avios, SkyMiles, Thrifty, AMEX
Posts: 985
If you want to try the lounge (and it would be almost criminal to fly J on TK and not spend quality time in the lounge), then I would spend the $90 and change to the 12:40 IST-FCO flight on the 8th, overnighting in Istanbul.
Apr 1, 2015, 1:47 pm
#246
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Gold, TP Silver
Posts: 888
Some of these statements seem contradictory. We're on a long layover ORD-IST, IST-SIN all on TK. There is mention of three different transit areas, and that you need to be in the right one? How does one know? Then there are mentions of people with onward boarding cards being directed directly to the transit area, but others say everyone goes through security.
I'm curious about the "use the fast lane" (we're *Gold and flying Business) but then it talks about going through immigration to get to the "back door" to the lounge. On this option are you actually entering Turkey before going to the lounge? It doesn't matter to us, as we'll have visas since we're staying for a few days on our return trip.
I'm curious about the "use the fast lane" (we're *Gold and flying Business) but then it talks about going through immigration to get to the "back door" to the lounge. On this option are you actually entering Turkey before going to the lounge? It doesn't matter to us, as we'll have visas since we're staying for a few days on our return trip.
Apr 1, 2015, 2:22 pm
#247
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,174
Transferring/Transit in Istanbul
I flew DUB-TLV last week - no security screen at IST 
Is that new?
And no time to try the lounge
Is that new?
And no time to try the lounge
Apr 1, 2015, 3:47 pm
#248
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Scotland
Programs: Star Alliance
Posts: 476
Apr 2, 2015, 1:21 am
#249
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,591
Apr 2, 2015, 10:48 pm
#250
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2
Chances are you'll miss the connection, unless of course your outbound is damaged as is routine with TA. The airport is confusing for first travellers and lines are long at security. If you get stranded you will find how the TA staff don't give a toss about service.
Apr 5, 2015, 12:03 am
#251
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 210
CDG-IST then IST-ADB
Will be flying on AF economy CDG-IST arriving 2.20pm, any thoughts on whether I can make the 5pm domestic flight to ADB on TK? Would it make a difference if I don't check any bags?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Apr 6, 2015, 3:23 am
#252
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 476
Is Qatar considered clean or dirty by Turkish?
I'm inbound from DOH to IST, and have 1:40 to make the flight to LHR.
I thought this was plenty of time, and last time doing LHR-IST-DOH just walked UP the ramp at arrival from LHR to get straight into the secure area. Not even a BP check.
But I'm getting nervous about doing it in reverse. Checking the past couple of weeks, the QR flights have a habit of arriving in IST late, and having previously experienced the charming TK customer service after missing a connection, I never want to deal with them again. Ever.
And this time the flights are on different PNR, so I have no connection protection. Hand luggage only though.
I'm inbound from DOH to IST, and have 1:40 to make the flight to LHR.
I thought this was plenty of time, and last time doing LHR-IST-DOH just walked UP the ramp at arrival from LHR to get straight into the secure area. Not even a BP check.
But I'm getting nervous about doing it in reverse. Checking the past couple of weeks, the QR flights have a habit of arriving in IST late, and having previously experienced the charming TK customer service after missing a connection, I never want to deal with them again. Ever.
And this time the flights are on different PNR, so I have no connection protection. Hand luggage only though.
And to confirm, Doha isn't considered clean, so I had to go via the transit area and be re-screened again. What was chaos, and my inbound was late, so I only had an hour.
However, I did just manage it within that hour.
One further hint / warning: an hour before the flight my flight was showing 'Final Call' so I really raced to the gate... to stand there for 45 minutes before boarding started. Final Call at Istanbul just means they want people to wait at the gate.
Apr 6, 2015, 9:59 am
#253
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
Just came through today. Off a flight from ORD. We were bussed which was fast and then there was a lane for International Connections. The guy looked at our onward bps and we were right in the INTL departures area. No security. From off the bus it took like 10 seconds.
Apr 6, 2015, 10:11 am
#254
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
Not checking the bags will make little difference, the wait at immigration will be longer. Even if AF is willing to interline the bag all the way to ADB, I'd still recommend picking it up at IST, you should be able to clear immigration, pick up the bag, and get to domestic terminal within 1.5 hours (it gets a lot worse after 4pm), the check-in cut off time will be 4:15pm officially at TK.
Last edited by vincewy; Apr 6, 2015 at 9:18 pm
Apr 7, 2015, 2:35 am
#255
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SIN
Programs: Turkish E+, Alitalia Freccia Alata Plus
Posts: 182
I'm transferring tomorrow at IST.
I have *A Gold and Elite +.
My layover is overnight.
Do they provide a hotel for this period? If so, how do I claim it?
There is a flight that departs from IST to my destination about an hour and half after I arrive on my first flight, so maybe this negates receiving a hotel.
I have *A Gold and Elite +.
My layover is overnight.
Do they provide a hotel for this period? If so, how do I claim it?
There is a flight that departs from IST to my destination about an hour and half after I arrive on my first flight, so maybe this negates receiving a hotel.