I definitely went through 6 or more security "things" on Saturday. I don't know that I'd call them security 'checks', but...

Firstly walking into the airport, where all bags are X-rayed and all passengers go through metal detectors (#1)

Next in the check-in line a lady checked my passport, and checked that I had a US visa. I'm not going to count this as it was cursory at best.

Then the usual checks before check-in, where they scanned my passport, asked some questions, etc, and then finally put the first of what would become 3 stickers on the pack of my passport. (#2 )

Next check-in, but no real security stuff there.

Then off to security (#3) and immigration.

At the gate there were 2 separate checks of who-knows-what where i gained passport stickers number 2 and 3. The second check was very cursory for me, and I think was actually the equivalent of #2 above for connecting passengers (#4 and #5 ).

Then, whilst lining up for the physical checks they collected everyones boarding passes (in groups of about 10 people) and went off and did something with them. I'm not sure what, but given how long it took them to return it obviously wasn't just crossing them off a list. (#6)

Then the full shoes-off, bags open, explosives swap checks (#7)

Maybe that's 4, maybe it's 8 - depending on what you count. It does mean I had to line up 11 separate times (including immigration, everything above, and then dropping off my electronics at the gate) from when I arrived to the airport to when I boarded the plane. In fact, the only place I didn't have to line up was to actually board as they had already boarded everyone in the gate area by the time I got through the lines!

I can add another check:pThere is also the random check when entering the airport by car through the main outside gate. The whole process gets tiring if you are based here.

1. Entering the perimeter of the airport. There has always been the possibility of a check at this point, the frequency of how often people are checked has of course increased since June 28 last year, but not since last week.

2. Entering the airport. There has always been a security screening when entering IST.

3. An airport employee checking visas in line can happen with any airport anywhere, and is not necessarily a security "check" as you already stated.

4. Scanning your passport etc at check-in has also been standard on flights to the US, UK and Israel out of IST for some time.

5. Security and immigration. This is standard everywhere in the World.

6. Stickers 2 and 3 ARE a new thing, but as you note, #5 is just a repeat of your number #2 .

7. For US, UK and Israel flights there have always been the shoe off, bags open guys around, the question is with what frequency they are doing these, i.e. 10 people per plane.........those with SSSS (for US flights) or everyone. Obviously these days because of the electronics ban, it is more the latter.

My whole point is that IST security is generally better than most places and has always been, and that most of what they are doing now already existed. The writer makes it seem that the amount of security checks has doubled, when it has not, and this among other things makes me feel like the writer really had no background about what he was writing about.

So is it fairly certain right now that passengers can do a gate-side check-in of said items that get placed into bubble wrap and their marked cases that gets returned back to you stateside once they confirm your stub/ticket/whatever? I'm routing VCE-IST-to the US and I really would prefer not to put my electronics into my luggage at VCE but would be ok checking it in at IST if that process is indeed in place...

In addition to what's been shared in these threads, here's the info from TK airlines FYI:

http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-us...re-comfortable

For some reason that link rerouted me to their regular website, but I assume it's the same (or similar) to this link that I found: https://p.turkishairlines.com/en-us/...-bound-flights

Thanks for the reply, this is good to see their official release about this as I'd like to do a gate check rather than baggage check from VCE. Best wishes to everyone else who have to deal with this in the coming days/months.

The "new' website is region specific and cannot be accessed from every country.

TK to distribute (loan) surface like tablets (hybrid of a notebook and tablet) with pre-installed security/privacy software in the coming months. The tender is ongoing. Also U.S. bound flights to get fixed gates (with a new sterile area arrangement) with the introduction of the new gate scanners. Have to say that TK is pretty much doing all they can to keep pax inconvenience at the minimum. Also new headsets to be distributed.

Maybe TK should move their LAX flight to TIJ. I would gladly make a run to the border to avoid dealing with the nightmare that is TBIT, and I would rather see my landing fees go to a government that is not mired in corruption. Maybe that would allow them to re-time the flights so that a 12 hour layover is not required for transit into the EU.

This whole deal is just so obviously written by the horrific US and UK legacy airlines, who have no desire in ever providing a decent service to flyers and dislike competing with airlines that don't treat their customers like trash.

Electronics and Baggage Delivery Took 1.5 hours after landing
 

I flew IST to ORD yesterday. Went through 3 security checks at the gate in IST and surrendered my laptop at the final check. We left IST late due to a late arriving aircraft.
After landing late in Chicago, it took 1.5 hours after landing for the electronics and baggage to be delivered. Turkish personnel were very frustrated as well saying the TSA selected this flight for an intensive search upon arrival and inspected everything. They added that in the last week, 6 out of 7 Turkish flights to Chicago had the additional inspection. Many passengers missed connections and many were very frustrated.
To further complicate things, the TSA did not keep the laptops in the pre-assigned bags with the manifests. They were all mixed up after the TSA inspection. When the Turkish personnel opened the luggage to distribute the laptops, the manifests did not match up with the laptops in each bag. Then they had to start searching every bag for a specific laptop.
Not a fun ending to a flight.

TSA staff member: "Gee, nice airline you guys have here....it would be a shame if anything happened to it..."

Laptops allowed for ex-UK flights on TK?
 

Hi Folks,

Is the ban only for INBOUND flights to the UK/US or are OUTBOUND flights subject to the ban also? I will be flying LHR-IST this evening and want to plan accordingly.

Thanks in advance for the reply.

TFD

Only inbound flights are affected.

Was on TR yesterday from Antalya to LGW via Istanbul Ataturk. My husband packed his iPad in his hold baggage and I handed in my iPad and Kindle at the IST departure gate.

Bags were checked through to LGW as usual from ANT, with no questions asked about where our electronics were. Security checks seemed as normal there.

At the IST departure gate there were three checks: the first to manually check your BP against your passport, the second to screen your passport (only one person with a single terminal doing this, so the queue moved exceeding slow), and finally a brush down body search/thorough search of your hand baggage/request to give up electronics. Moble phones were waved through. My iPad and Kindle were put into separate bubble-wrap bags, details written on a list, which I signed, then onto two-part numbered baggage tags, the small tags being given to me. I was told I would need them to reclaim the items. My items were then sealed and placed in a hard-sided suitcase.

At LGW, immediately as we disembarked, those who had handed in electronics were asked to wait to one side. As soon as everyone was off the 'plane, the suitcases were bought out and three members of staff quickly distributed our items to us, checking carefully against the receipt tags. This all took less than ten minutes, although there were only about 15 of us waiting - most people seem to have put their electronics in their hold baggage.

The new procedure was slow and a bit frustrating at IST, but I think Turkish have done their best with this problem and are taking security extremely seriously - and I for one would prefer a bit of a wait to an eternal one..... . I'd suggest getting to the gate a bit earlier than you may usually do. Our flight took off a only a few minutes late despite the extra security.

The only thing that annoyed me was throwing away the beautiful huge bubble-wrap bags away afterwards, but I have nowhere to store them!

Claranda. This report is very helpful. Travelling this weekend with a connection through IST to LHR. Thank you