vivamuci

Despite being airborne quite frequently, I am still excited about every flight I take.

Since I haven't been on an inaugural flight, I booked a ticket on the first day of operation for IST SFO. I have to go to Los Angeles but I thought TK might do something special for the first flight or is the first day of operation to a major new destination business as usual?

Are other FTers on the flight?

BigFlyer

So how was the flight?

Peppep

Which time zone has passed 13/4 already?

starflyergold

Airlines tend to celebrate inaugural routes with a small do at the gate. Not sure what TK usually do but I would expect some food/drinks. Upon arrival you should be greeted by a water arch courtesy of the local airport fire brigade, not sure if they still do that in California given the water shortages there.

sactoflyer

It's only March.

Rowill64

I'm booked SFO-IST in J class on December 2. Not exactly inaugural, but I'm looking fwd to it anyway. Using the 77W metal, should be comfy.

vivamuci

Let's wait and see. Considering how bad the water shortage is, it might not happen.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...-conservation/

I will post pictures here should there be a special event for the inaugural out of Istanbul.

I purchased the "J" special ex Helsinki priced at €1.500 rt. a.i. and cancelled my mileage ticket for that.

My ticket is to SFO and ex LAX. However my schedule changed and I need to fly back to IST from BOS. The fee for the rerouting was only €70! A very good deal considering the restriction of a "P" fare on LH/UA/LX/AC.

DBCme

A good point.

Might want to arm the fire brigade with misters, rather than hoses.

vincewy

At TPE's inaugural flight (March 31st, 2015) a few days ago it didn't when it arrived due to water shortage that results in not only water restriction, but rationing this month.

FlyLXA333

Who's gonna be on this flight?! Whats flying time west bound? Flying in the upcoming winter SFO-IST-SKP-IST-SFO. Better than flying through Zurich/LX to get more sleep in and then only 40 minutes to SKP. My first int'l flight as a west coast resident! Suspect this will be pushing around 14 hrs flying time in the winter for IST-SFO in the winter. Definitely worth using award here.

gilbertaue

They can always mix in some additive with the water and make foam out of it - like what MAN Airport did to VA . Using additive would use less water.

starflyergold

Yes, that worked really well at MAN

UA1K_no_more

IST-SFO arrived 45 minutes late.
SFO-IST departed 2 hours late.
Not uncommon for TK flights, it appears.

vivamuci

I will forgive them the delay this time.

There was a gate party at gate 219 in Istanbul.

All flights used runway 35L for departure that day.
We taxied down to 17R and lined up there. That was quite unusual as all other planes lined up at the other end on the runway.

Then ATC closed the crossing runway for arrival, so we could depart.

We took off, headed out above the Sea of Marmara with an immediate sharp turn to the left.
The captain flew at a very low altitude along the Bosphorus
(he came on the PA and said, I want to give you this opportunity to wave good bye to Istanbul)

Possibly they also wanted to show off their special flower power paint job.

After our departure IST resumed its usual runway ops.

Once we reached the coast of the Black Sea, we began climbing to our cruising altitude.

Before landing, the pilot circled above SFO and we had a fantastic view.

KATERGOO

What about service on board ? ... I will take that same flight in a few weeks, same J fare from Helsinki :-)