JB0591

Hi

I have flown into IST a few times (on TK) and nearly always the aircraft (777 or similar) is met by buses to take passengers to terminal.

Now, we noticed two types of buses, one marked VIP. What is the VIP bus for and where does it take those passengers? I ask as we are all Star Alliance Gold even though not always flying business.

We did try to ask on our last trip (in which we were in business) but I don't think the ground handler spoke very good English.

Cheers

JB0591

Bjotr

As far as I know it brings the Business Class passengers also to the Bus gate. I was in one accidentally one day. It is also used to bring domestic Business Class passengers directly from the Lounge to their plane

duvin

Quite often the bus just gets stormed by people and leaves as soon as it is full. There is normally no check for eligibility (J or elite). The bus goes to the same bus gate.

fezoff

Oh i have actually tried once where the FA's held back the Y passengers until the bus was full. But only once

merijn

This is indeed the bus for business class but as mentioned most of the time they let everybody on until it is full.
On my last flight (A333) they did not even hold back the rest of the economy class passengers (inside the plane) plane until business class was disembarked.
So when i got of the plane as a business class passenger the VIP bus was full of economy class passengers. Grrr

JB0591

Thanks.

I have used the lounge to aircraft bus, this was at Ankara. I assume there is not the same thing at Istanbul International or Domestic terminal?

We will try the VIP bus from aircraft next Monday in Istanbul.

fezoff

Only for domestic

kiwitakingflight

TK should actually make an announcement onboard the aircraft informing C/Class customers of the bus waiting for them in addition to holding back the masses like LX does. On more than one occasion I have noticed the "VIP" bus sitting in a strange location and NO ONE using it (including myself due to only seeing it after on the main bus in front of the stairs.)

CoweyB

Last night I flew into IST from SKP. There were 6 or 7 of us in Business Class and the flight had been delayed by 2 hours and it was bucketing down with rain.

As I disembarked I noticed a mini bus which a gentleman in 1D had also noticed and headed towards. I had read this thread earlier and wondered if this was the "VIP bus" but there was no sign saying it was, but it had about 25 proper seats in it. We were followed by about 6 or so Y pax who were absolutely delighted when the doors shut after a few minutes and it left for the terminal.

Nothing was said about this on the flight and the poor couple with a screaming baby in 1A and 1C were left behind. Nor was there any attempt to block Y passengers until the C passengers had got off the plane which BA at least do well.

Sadly there was nothing like this when I arrived off the London flight earlier this week...

When I got to passport area at 1:20 there were hordes of people. Again, there was no notification on the plane of the Business Class passport channel at the far end so with no queues I sailed through. Sadly though, I missed the last shuttle to the Radisson Blu airport hotel at 01:30 so had to get a taxi driver who was clearly not pleased that I wasn't going to a city centre destination.

These have been my first three flights with TK since I was status matched (I go back to LGW tomorrow) and it's a much superior product than BA's CE offering which I am taking when I come back to IST next month. TK will certainly get my business the time after that though with only a trip LHR-BKK planned for November I doubt I will achieve the 17,000 status miles to get the second year of Elite membership under the challenge.

JB0591

Thanks for all the replies. I head out to Ankara tomorrow evening and will see if the VIP bus is still around when i get off plane as ticketed in Comfort class. They normally hold Comfort back till Business are off then allow Comfort a moment before releasing economy.