Oct 5, 2018, 9:18 am
Last edit by: ISTFlyer
Please note that this thread discusses only TK operations from the new airport. There will be no discussion of the politics involved. These can take place in OMNI PR. Anyone interested in general issue surrounding the new airport may find these in the "Europe" forum. The usual FT rules apply.
For a general discussion about the airport, not related to TK, please visit: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europe/1955797-istanbul-new-airport-ist-isl-master-thread.html
Lounge questions have now a dedicated thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/1963594-tk-istanbul-airport-thread-2-lounges.html
starflyergold
TK forum moderator
-----------------
This is the list of all Istanbul Airport threads where you could find more details related to your question if it's discussed in one of the forums below.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #1 - General Discussion ( YOU ARE HERE )
This is the thread that you could ask your questions about the airport related to Turkish Airlines which doesn't have a dedicated thread. For example questions about check-in desks, the Miniport service, fast-track security, care points, etc... could be asked here if they are directly or indirectly related to TK.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #2 - Lounges
This is the thread dedicated for lounges and questions about the TK lounges at Istanbul Airport. Sleeping rooms in the lounge could be discussed in the third thread as it's mainly related to longer connections. Please do refer to the respective threads in the Europe forum for other contract lounges at Istanbul Airport and PriorityPass lounges.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #3 - Stopover Hotel, Touristanbul, Sleeping Rooms
This is the thread for passengers booked a long connection. The thread has a guide that would give basic information about the free city tour, the stopover hotel option for eligible passengers as well as the sleeping rooms in the lounges in Istanbul Airport. For issues onlyrelated hotel suggestions refer to the Europe forum.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #4 - Transferring/Transit at Istanbul Airport
This is the thread were you could ask your questions about any type of transfer at Istanbul Airport. Such as what to do within a xxx hour layover, or facilities at the transfer area directly related to transit issues. Also questions related to transfer security, immigration in single/seperate tickets could be discussed here. As well as what to do in case of misconnections. The transfer hotel where passengers could access by paying: YOTEL has a dedicated thread where you could find here.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #5 - Miles&Smiles Card Pickup at Istanbul Airport
If you want to pickup your Miles&Smiles card in Istanbul Airport, please consult this thread where you would be able to find the locations of the card print points for Miles&Smiles members.
There are also threads not only related to the TK pax but to all passengers traveling from Istanbul Airport. These take place in the Europe forum.
Istanbul Airport Master Thread
For any question related to the airport instead of TK ( facilities, pay-to-use services not related to TK, transportation, rental car services, hotel services, non-TK lounges ) please consult this thread in the Europe forum. Also please discuss, Flightradar24 related ADS-B issues, delays related to the airport here, unless it's a direct TK issue.
PriorityPass Lounges in Istanbul Airport
There is no PriorityPass Lounges at Istanbul Airport at the moment. However, I would update this thread when there is an available lounge for PriorityPass at the airport.
I (ISTFlyer) have removed the FAQ's as they are now all answered in the respective WIKI sections of the respective forums.
For a general discussion about the airport, not related to TK, please visit: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europe/1955797-istanbul-new-airport-ist-isl-master-thread.html
Lounge questions have now a dedicated thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/1963594-tk-istanbul-airport-thread-2-lounges.html
starflyergold
TK forum moderator
-----------------
This is the list of all Istanbul Airport threads where you could find more details related to your question if it's discussed in one of the forums below.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #1 - General Discussion ( YOU ARE HERE )
This is the thread that you could ask your questions about the airport related to Turkish Airlines which doesn't have a dedicated thread. For example questions about check-in desks, the Miniport service, fast-track security, care points, etc... could be asked here if they are directly or indirectly related to TK.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #2 - Lounges
This is the thread dedicated for lounges and questions about the TK lounges at Istanbul Airport. Sleeping rooms in the lounge could be discussed in the third thread as it's mainly related to longer connections. Please do refer to the respective threads in the Europe forum for other contract lounges at Istanbul Airport and PriorityPass lounges.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #3 - Stopover Hotel, Touristanbul, Sleeping Rooms
This is the thread for passengers booked a long connection. The thread has a guide that would give basic information about the free city tour, the stopover hotel option for eligible passengers as well as the sleeping rooms in the lounges in Istanbul Airport. For issues onlyrelated hotel suggestions refer to the Europe forum.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #4 - Transferring/Transit at Istanbul Airport
This is the thread were you could ask your questions about any type of transfer at Istanbul Airport. Such as what to do within a xxx hour layover, or facilities at the transfer area directly related to transit issues. Also questions related to transfer security, immigration in single/seperate tickets could be discussed here. As well as what to do in case of misconnections. The transfer hotel where passengers could access by paying: YOTEL has a dedicated thread where you could find here.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #5 - Miles&Smiles Card Pickup at Istanbul Airport
If you want to pickup your Miles&Smiles card in Istanbul Airport, please consult this thread where you would be able to find the locations of the card print points for Miles&Smiles members.
There are also threads not only related to the TK pax but to all passengers traveling from Istanbul Airport. These take place in the Europe forum.
Istanbul Airport Master Thread
For any question related to the airport instead of TK ( facilities, pay-to-use services not related to TK, transportation, rental car services, hotel services, non-TK lounges ) please consult this thread in the Europe forum. Also please discuss, Flightradar24 related ADS-B issues, delays related to the airport here, unless it's a direct TK issue.
PriorityPass Lounges in Istanbul Airport
There is no PriorityPass Lounges at Istanbul Airport at the moment. However, I would update this thread when there is an available lounge for PriorityPass at the airport.
I (ISTFlyer) have removed the FAQ's as they are now all answered in the respective WIKI sections of the respective forums.
TK operations from "Istanbul Airport" aka Istanbul New Airport (ISL/IST)
Mar 25, 2019, 1:42 pm
#556
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Miles and Smiles
Posts: 5
At the moment your favorite lounge is packed than ever, with some coaches and piano been removed. (Piano is most probably in one of those three lounges now at Istanbul Airport)
We hope THY makes all FF happy regarding their status fairly. Rather than that quality should be at least as good as Atatürk Airport. Unfair approach and lower quality will be a loss from the beginning.
We hope THY makes all FF happy regarding their status fairly. Rather than that quality should be at least as good as Atatürk Airport. Unfair approach and lower quality will be a loss from the beginning.
Mar 25, 2019, 8:15 pm
#557
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,347
I have a bad feeling about the lounges at the new airport. I really think that everyone forgets exactly HOW BAD TK lounges were in the past. To take everyone on a walk down memory lane...............The first decade or so of the "new" Ataturk airport, the "CIP" lounge was garbage, it was roughly where one of the TAv prime lounges now is, and basically served really bad drinks, the food was inedible. Then they moved to about a quarter of where the current lounge is, and it was ALSO a garbage lounge, it made no sense, they hired several of the "best" designers in Turkey to design it, and it was horrible. When they opened the first version of the current lounge, which is a quarter of the size of what it is today. There was not as much food, and the beverage selection was also not so great. It was not until they doubled the size of the lounge, got rid of "Cafe Creme", kicked out the workers cafeteria below and did a total remodel, with all of the "stations" that it became a great lounge. And it only did so, because they messed it up so many times before.
I am looking at all the imagery of ISL (no I have not been there yet) and it is starting to remind me of Chinese airports...............they look awesome from the outside, and when they open are squeaky clean, but they age badly and most importantly the soft furnishings are normally pretty bad. Judging by the cheap ABS plastics throughout the airport, the fact that the IGA lounge looks like it was designed in the late 1990's and the furniture looks terrible, I am afraid that they will in fact be doing a lot of cost cutting at the new lounges, or at least at the M&S lounge, and try to emulate a LH style FCT lounge, for the top lounge, but that the main lounge will be like an EK business class lounge at DXB, which is "meh" at best.
I am looking at all the imagery of ISL (no I have not been there yet) and it is starting to remind me of Chinese airports...............they look awesome from the outside, and when they open are squeaky clean, but they age badly and most importantly the soft furnishings are normally pretty bad. Judging by the cheap ABS plastics throughout the airport, the fact that the IGA lounge looks like it was designed in the late 1990's and the furniture looks terrible, I am afraid that they will in fact be doing a lot of cost cutting at the new lounges, or at least at the M&S lounge, and try to emulate a LH style FCT lounge, for the top lounge, but that the main lounge will be like an EK business class lounge at DXB, which is "meh" at best.
Mar 25, 2019, 11:36 pm
#558
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,591
With all due respect, let's wait until the airport and all the lounges are completely operational before worrying about them "aging badly".
Mar 26, 2019, 2:34 am
#559
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,347
Fair enough about the aging thing, however we are now less than 11 days from the purported grand opening, you would have thought that TK would have been sending out tweets, etc of how great and grand the lounge(s) are, rather than perhaps one picture of essentially an entrance? I recall when T5 opened at LHR, you had material coming out at least a month before about the BA lounge(s). Similar with SQ and Singapore T3, Similar with EK and their T3, etc. Instead perhaps the most insight in the entire World about the lounges is taking place right here, on FT, and we do not even understand what is going on with them, and I fear that some of the TK management also does not know, or understand the impact of this on their airline.
What I fear is the following, and give me some latitude here, as I am using this story to illustrate this. When the current IST terminal opened in 1999, they installed on all the baggage conveyor's an optical system that was to "protect bags" with an optical eye so that if there was a bag directly in front of the baggage outflow, the outflow would stop until the carousel was clear. This system was installed because a certain person at that time had seen this system in operation as DUS airport, and convinced himself that this was a great system, and all baggage damage would now cease. Of course 99% of all baggage damage does NOT occur from that grand half meter slope drop. Forgetting also the fact that DUS has the passenger volume of even back then, maybe 2 hours of IST (and now perhaps 20 minutes). So they installed the system, and it has always been a joke............and has essentially meant that people sometimes wait for bags much longer than needed (and there are other factors at play as well, such as only having Xray machines only on 3-4 belts, these decisions were also taken at that time, by the same people, which have contributed to this). I guess what I am trying to say is that if this lounge "concept" is how we understand it to be, that this is based on certain people looking at a QR - especially as the former head of M&S mover to QR a couple years ago, and trying to emulate them, forgetting the fact that Qatar has almost no local population, and a tiny O/D market, or looking at LH FCT, but forgetting that TK has neither First Class nor an top Honors Circle level (and that the FCT lounges are relatively TINY), and instead trying to graft on concepts that really do not fit what TK is, nor making effective plans for what and where TK and the new IST airport could be in 5-10 years.
What I fear is the following, and give me some latitude here, as I am using this story to illustrate this. When the current IST terminal opened in 1999, they installed on all the baggage conveyor's an optical system that was to "protect bags" with an optical eye so that if there was a bag directly in front of the baggage outflow, the outflow would stop until the carousel was clear. This system was installed because a certain person at that time had seen this system in operation as DUS airport, and convinced himself that this was a great system, and all baggage damage would now cease. Of course 99% of all baggage damage does NOT occur from that grand half meter slope drop. Forgetting also the fact that DUS has the passenger volume of even back then, maybe 2 hours of IST (and now perhaps 20 minutes). So they installed the system, and it has always been a joke............and has essentially meant that people sometimes wait for bags much longer than needed (and there are other factors at play as well, such as only having Xray machines only on 3-4 belts, these decisions were also taken at that time, by the same people, which have contributed to this). I guess what I am trying to say is that if this lounge "concept" is how we understand it to be, that this is based on certain people looking at a QR - especially as the former head of M&S mover to QR a couple years ago, and trying to emulate them, forgetting the fact that Qatar has almost no local population, and a tiny O/D market, or looking at LH FCT, but forgetting that TK has neither First Class nor an top Honors Circle level (and that the FCT lounges are relatively TINY), and instead trying to graft on concepts that really do not fit what TK is, nor making effective plans for what and where TK and the new IST airport could be in 5-10 years.
Mar 26, 2019, 2:22 pm
#560
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 483
No official announcement from TK yet. Neither Mr. Bilal Ekşi ( CEO ) or Mr. İlker Aycı ( Chairman of Board ) told the entrance policy on their statements that they have introduced and talked about the exclusive lounge.
AFAIK, from an insider source, the entrance source would be flying on TK ( international flight ) J and holding an Elite Plus status. An article back in early-January 2018 stated the same thing; but it doesn't sound realistic to me.
AFAIK, from an insider source, the entrance source would be flying on TK ( international flight ) J and holding an Elite Plus status. An article back in early-January 2018 stated the same thing; but it doesn't sound realistic to me.
Mar 26, 2019, 2:25 pm
#561
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 483
I just looked at my ticket, it says "I" class. We booked the business class with points. Will we get access to business lounge?
Mar 26, 2019, 2:30 pm
#562
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,347
Googs, if you read what everyone is writing, the airport is NOT OPEN yet, no one has seen any lines, and the whole point of what we are all discussing is that no one knows for sure.....
Mar 26, 2019, 8:30 pm
#563
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, Marriott & SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, ShangriLa Jade, Enterprise Plat, Taj Gold
Posts: 3,347
It looks like TK has officially changed their hotel policy. Transit times now have to be 9 and 12 hours for J and Y respectively.
Damn... going to miss my hotel on my 7.5 hour layover!
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-g...ice/index.html
Damn... going to miss my hotel on my 7.5 hour layover!
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-g...ice/index.html
Mar 26, 2019, 8:33 pm
#564
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
It looks like TK has officially changed their hotel policy. Transit times now have to be 9 and 12 hours for J and Y respectively.
Damn... going to miss my hotel on my 7.5 hour layover!
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-g...ice/index.html
Damn... going to miss my hotel on my 7.5 hour layover!
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-g...ice/index.html
Mar 26, 2019, 8:50 pm
#565
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, Marriott & SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, ShangriLa Jade, Enterprise Plat, Taj Gold
Posts: 3,347
Yes, they are changing their hotel policies. Probably, there would be more sleeping rooms in the new ISL lounges; that's why TK has increased the hours to qualify for the service. However, to benefit from the sleeping rooms; one of your flights should dure more than 8h.
Mar 26, 2019, 8:52 pm
#566
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Yes, the duration of one of the flights should be more than 8 hours. In Atatürk Airport they are strict about the layover time ( if it's between 4h and 7h ) but in Istanbul Airport I guess that they would maintain the same strictness, however the layover time requirement would change to ( between 4h and 9h ) for Elite Plus and Business Class passengers.
Mar 26, 2019, 8:56 pm
#567
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, Marriott & SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, ShangriLa Jade, Enterprise Plat, Taj Gold
Posts: 3,347
Yes, the duration of one of the flights should be more than 8 hours. In Atatürk Airport they are strict about the layover time ( if it's between 4h and 7h ) but in Istanbul Airport I guess that they would maintain the same strictness, however the layover time requirement would change to ( between 4h and 9h ) for Elite Plus and Business Class passengers.
So no sleeping room for me I guess. Traveling with a small child, hence all the questions.
Mar 26, 2019, 9:09 pm
#568
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Once QR gave me a free hotel in Doha even while my layover was 10h30m, which was under the minimum 12h limit for those days. This happened, when I was flying Y and holding Ruby status at that time. However, I don't think TK would personally care about you and the ground staff would tell that they are doing what they are told to do and they won't make exceptions. If you want a rest I would suggest you to rent a room at the airside YOTEL for 4 hours which would cost you €70 as it would be difficult to leave the airport and come back within 7.5h. You could spend the rest of your time around 3h in the lounge. Just be aware that hourly reservation for the YOTEL could only be done at the front desk at the hotel.
Mar 27, 2019, 12:10 am
#569
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,591
I presume this is one of the international lounges (given the size and state of readiness), taken from a tweet by TK CEO Bilal Eksi
Mar 27, 2019, 1:02 am
#570
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Sacramento area, CA USA
Programs: UA Gold Million Miler, HH Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,858
Durusu Hotel...
I am sorry I brought it up. Flyertalkers beat me to it. It is now fully booked, likely beyond the hotel's wildest dreams. Alas, regardless, we still have to get to the airport from downtown Istanbul by some means. Our flight is not until 4 pm so we will start out early and hope for a nice lunch at ISL's *Gold amazing new lounge. 