Turkish Airlines security measures US/UK-bound @IST
Mar 7, 2014, 7:37 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: BOS-TLV
Programs: Lots of them, no status
Posts: 1,318
My most recent transit around a week ago went as follows:
Inbound flight arrived late - 85 minutes before departure of outbound flight. It was a bus gate - I was in the first bus.
Immediately on arrival in the terminal headed to international departures, went through security.
Immediately proceeded to departure gate - no lounge for me on this trip. The lounge was in the opposite direction from the departure gate.
Arrived at gate - long line to process into the holding pen.
Net result. I waited in the holding pen for about 10 minutes before they started boarding.
Could I have gone to the lounge? Sure, if I was just looking for more exercise. It would have taken about 15 minutes just to get to and from the lounge, so I could have walked to the lounge and back. I could have grabbed something to take with me and headed back to the gate.
I hope this gives you some sense of whether you can make it. I would say if your scheduled connection time is 75 minutes or less, you should hope for no delays and favorable winds. If your connection time is more than 75 minutes, you will make your flight. If it is more than 90 minutes, you can start thinking about going to the lounge.
Edited to add: While I would hardly call myself fit, I am able-bodied and capable of walking smartly, which I did for the entire transit. This was not a stroll. If you are less able or have the challenging of herding children/other family members, I would add some time to this.
Inbound flight arrived late - 85 minutes before departure of outbound flight. It was a bus gate - I was in the first bus.
Immediately on arrival in the terminal headed to international departures, went through security.
Immediately proceeded to departure gate - no lounge for me on this trip. The lounge was in the opposite direction from the departure gate.
Arrived at gate - long line to process into the holding pen.
Net result. I waited in the holding pen for about 10 minutes before they started boarding.
Could I have gone to the lounge? Sure, if I was just looking for more exercise. It would have taken about 15 minutes just to get to and from the lounge, so I could have walked to the lounge and back. I could have grabbed something to take with me and headed back to the gate.
I hope this gives you some sense of whether you can make it. I would say if your scheduled connection time is 75 minutes or less, you should hope for no delays and favorable winds. If your connection time is more than 75 minutes, you will make your flight. If it is more than 90 minutes, you can start thinking about going to the lounge.
Edited to add: While I would hardly call myself fit, I am able-bodied and capable of walking smartly, which I did for the entire transit. This was not a stroll. If you are less able or have the challenging of herding children/other family members, I would add some time to this.
I will also pray for an incoming flight that does NOT disembark onto the apron!
Our connection on the US-bound direction is 2h20m, but we will have two kids (6 and 4) with us, so that multiplies the time needed to do just about anything and everything all by itself. I think we'll be ok. Someone somewhere up-post said they were caught in it all for upwards of 2 hours, so that got me worried.
Our non-US-bound direction has a planned layover of 1h45 unless they change the times (AGAIN), so that one will be tighter, but hopefully ok. (And there are a few later onward flights we could catch in the event it's not.)
Mar 7, 2014, 8:58 am
#17
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: BA blue, LH Senator, KQ (FB) gold
Posts: 8,215
Thanks for the info!
I will also pray for an incoming flight that does NOT disembark onto the apron!
Our connection on the US-bound direction is 2h20m, but we will have two kids (6 and 4) with us, so that multiplies the time needed to do just about anything and everything all by itself. I think we'll be ok. Someone somewhere up-post said they were caught in it all for upwards of 2 hours, so that got me worried.
Our non-US-bound direction has a planned layover of 1h45 unless they change the times (AGAIN), so that one will be tighter, but hopefully ok. (And there are a few later onward flights we could catch in the event it's not.)
I will also pray for an incoming flight that does NOT disembark onto the apron!
Our connection on the US-bound direction is 2h20m, but we will have two kids (6 and 4) with us, so that multiplies the time needed to do just about anything and everything all by itself. I think we'll be ok. Someone somewhere up-post said they were caught in it all for upwards of 2 hours, so that got me worried.
Our non-US-bound direction has a planned layover of 1h45 unless they change the times (AGAIN), so that one will be tighter, but hopefully ok. (And there are a few later onward flights we could catch in the event it's not.)
Feb 18, 2015, 4:10 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1
My wife and I plan to fly to the U.S. on Turkish Airlnes (transit at IST) next month. She uses a wheel chair, but we have about four hours transit time. Has any one flown from IST to the U.S. lately? Are these 3+ security checks still going on in 2015?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Feb 18, 2015, 4:37 am
#19
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
My experience last summer when flying IST-JFK was rather similar. Was told in the lounge to head to the gate at T-1hr, for the document check. Business Class passengers could use a separate line for document check, and sadly I ended up getting the dreaded SSSS which resulted in some extra screenings. Not as bad as when flying United and the whole process didn't take more than 10 minutes. Priority boarding was also very orderly and proprly enforced with separate lines for premium passengers.
Feb 21, 2015, 6:00 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: ZRH / YUL
Programs: UA, TK, Starwood > Marriott, Hilton, Accor
Posts: 7,295
I flew TK to Canada yesterday, and similar proceedures were still in effect. Between the curb and the aircraft, I counted 7 passport checks but only 2 metal detector / security screenings (one to get into the terminal and one to get airside).
Apr 21, 2015, 1:04 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 79
Sorry to bring up this inactive thread but I need to know:
Did they make you and all the passengers take off their shoes?
My experience last summer when flying IST-JFK was rather similar. Was told in the lounge to head to the gate at T-1hr, for the document check. Business Class passengers could use a separate line for document check, and sadly I ended up getting the dreaded SSSS which resulted in some extra screenings. Not as bad as when flying United and the whole process didn't take more than 10 minutes. Priority boarding was also very orderly and proprly enforced with separate lines for premium passengers.
Apr 26, 2015, 12:04 pm
#22
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: Delta Flyer
Posts: 227
Apr 27, 2015, 12:59 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Gold, TP Silver
Posts: 888
Apr 29, 2015, 1:49 am
#24
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 79
At least at ICN, they give you slippers for you to put on before taking off your shoes for US bound flights.
I would love to visit Turkey, but the chances of being SSSS for visiting or having a layover over there is not worth the hassle.
Apr 29, 2015, 2:25 am
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
Each security check has a different purpose.
This is done to officially keep terrorist out of the airport building. India does the same thing.
Were you screened or your luggage only?
Ok, almost every airport in the world has this (safe for SIN-type airports).
First, there was an x-ray screening just to get into the airport, but I expected that.
Then there was a screening when checking luggage.
There was an x-ray screening to enter the general gates area.
Apr 30, 2015, 2:35 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: RIX
Programs: SAS Lifetime Gold, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, TK*G Elite+, airBaltic VIP, Sixt Plat, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,079
I just had SSSS in IST bound to US. Entrance of the airport, after the passport control - the regular checks. At the gate it was passport and Visa/ESTA check followed by a SSSS check which consisted of brief handbag scanning. They opened my bag but I didn't have to take my belongings out. That was absolutely fine. Much better experience when I flew to US on TK last year and had 7 security checks.
May 1, 2015, 4:56 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: Delta Flyer
Posts: 227
Frankly, I hate taking off my shoes and having my socks touch the dirty floor of the airport.
At least at ICN, they give you slippers for you to put on before taking off your shoes for US bound flights.
I would love to visit Turkey, but the chances of being SSSS for visiting or having a layover over there is not worth the hassle.
At least at ICN, they give you slippers for you to put on before taking off your shoes for US bound flights.
I would love to visit Turkey, but the chances of being SSSS for visiting or having a layover over there is not worth the hassle.
May 2, 2015, 3:30 am
#28
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,592
Frankly, I hate taking off my shoes and having my socks touch the dirty floor of the airport.
At least at ICN, they give you slippers for you to put on before taking off your shoes for US bound flights.
I would love to visit Turkey, but the chances of being SSSS for visiting or having a layover over there is not worth the hassle.
At least at ICN, they give you slippers for you to put on before taking off your shoes for US bound flights.
I would love to visit Turkey, but the chances of being SSSS for visiting or having a layover over there is not worth the hassle.