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TK operations from "Istanbul Airport" aka Istanbul New Airport (ISL/IST)

Old Oct 5, 2018, 9:18 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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

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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.
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TK operations from "Istanbul Airport" aka Istanbul New Airport (ISL/IST)

Old Mar 13, 2019, 11:28 am
  #451  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: New York City
Programs: TK E/*G, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 151
Originally Posted by flyjfk
I just had my last flight from Ataturk yesterday, and bid farewell to a greatly functioning lounge and airport

I can't believe they'll close this airport instead of using it for a while for at least some regional routes (like Haneda, Gimpo, La Guardia etc.) It's just very sad...
They have SAW on the Asian side which makes LaGuardia's delays seem tame in comparison (especially during the summer). No real need to operate two European side airports, and I believe they would run into flight path issues if they tried to keep it open.
Sinter is offline  
Old Mar 13, 2019, 11:32 am
  #452  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maribor SLO
Programs: MM silver, Flying blue Platinum, A3 gold, Marriott platinum, IHG platinum
Posts: 131
I have to be in Istanbul April 5th. From April 6th till 8th there is not even one flight to the airports that I usually use: LJU, ZAG and GRZ. Just amazing. I found one flight on the 6th to VIE. Price: more than double from usually...
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 6:25 am
  #453  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 483
I'll be flying into and out of Istanbul in late June. My departing flight is out of Atatürk on TK Business to JFK. One of the big reasons I flew business was to try TK's famous business-class lounge. Will my flight definitely be out of the new airport by June based on the new announcement, and if so, is the new lounge going to be completed and as nice as the lounge in Atatürk?
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 6:31 am
  #454  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 96
Originally Posted by googs185
I'll be flying into and out of Istanbul in late June. My departing flight is out of Atatürk on TK Business to JFK. One of the big reasons I flew business was to try TK's famous business-class lounge. Will my flight definitely be out of the new airport by June based on the new announcement, and if so, is the new lounge going to be completed and as nice as the lounge in Atatürk?
Your flight will go from the new airport and the lounge photos seen so far doesn't look even close as cool as the old lounge. Happily I've been there last week again to say good by to the loved lounge.

By the way the already started to remove stuff from the Atatürk lounge. For instance the pianos are gone.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 6:32 am
  #455  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,442
Originally Posted by googs185
I'll be flying into and out of Istanbul in late June. My departing flight is out of Atatürk on TK Business to JFK. One of the big reasons I flew business was to try TK's famous business-class lounge. Will my flight definitely be out of the new airport by June based on the new announcement, and if so, is the new lounge going to be completed and as nice as the lounge in Atatürk?
I hope you realize that your question is a bit silly as of today, all our glass balls are under repair..

With your flight still being far into the future, why don't you just wait till early April to see whetever the move happens, and what the facilities offered will then be?
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 7:21 am
  #456  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 483
Originally Posted by YuropFlyer
I hope you realize that your question is a bit silly as of today, all our glass balls are under repair..

With your flight still being far into the future, why don't you just wait till early April to see whetever the move happens, and what the facilities offered will then be?
I know. I was just so excited to try that TK lounge. I heard it was the best in the world and it was one of the reasons I booked business on TK.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 7:23 am
  #457  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 483
Originally Posted by amigoflyer
Your flight will go from the new airport and the lounge photos seen so far doesn't look even close as cool as the old lounge. Happily I've been there last week again to say good by to the loved lounge.

By the way the already started to remove stuff from the Atatürk lounge. For instance the pianos are gone.
Are they moving the stuff to the new lounge? I was SO excited to try the old lounge for the first time. It's our first trip to Istanbul and one of the reasons we wanted to fly home in Business on TK was to experience what I've heard is the best lounge in the world. I'm so disappointed. So the new lounge isn't as big and will be nothing like the old lounge? Can you link to the most current photos of the new lounge?
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 7:36 am
  #458  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 483
Anyone have information on transportation from the new airport to the European side of the city? We were originally supposed to land in June at IST and were going to take the train. Will there be buses? What will travel time be like?
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 1:32 pm
  #459  
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 246
Originally Posted by googs185
Anyone have information on transportation from the new airport to the European side of the city? We were originally supposed to land in June at IST and were going to take the train. Will there be buses? What will travel time be like?
The new airport is also on the European side of Istanbul.

No trains to the city, but bus shuttles/cabs.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 4:18 pm
  #460  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: UA 1K (Million Miler). AA Gold (lifetime 1 Million). TK Elite Gold
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Originally Posted by axxoo25
The new airport is also on the European side of Istanbul.

No trains to the city, but bus shuttles/cabs.

Bus routes
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 4:29 pm
  #461  
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,QR Platinum,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold, HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,180
Originally Posted by googs185
Are they moving the stuff to the new lounge? I was SO excited to try the old lounge for the first time. It's our first trip to Istanbul and one of the reasons we wanted to fly home in Business on TK was to experience what I've heard is the best lounge in the world. I'm so disappointed. So the new lounge isn't as big and will be nothing like the old lounge? Can you link to the most current photos of the new lounge?
There would be three different lounges in Istanbul Airport, each in different concepts and different eligibility. As some of the Turkish Airlines administrators stated this year, the new lounges would have everything that there is in the lounge in Atatürk. The lounge in Atatürk would be similar to the new Miles&Smiles lounge which would allow all Miles&Smiles Elite or above, Star Gold and TK and *A Business Class passengers. However, the other two lounges would be more luxurious than the current lounge. They are the Business Lounge which Miles&Smiles Elite Plus and TK Business Class passengers could enter. There would also be an Exclusive Lounge but there is no idea about the eligibility and what they are going to offer. The only available photos are at Bilal Ekşi ( TK CEO )'s twitter account and I have linked that post somewhere in this thread. If you don't want to waste your time just visit Bilal Ekşi's official Twitter account.

Just be aware that until the lounges are opened to service, you would be handed meal vouchers worth ₺70 per person which could be used at any food retail outlets after the security checkpoint. However, at least one of the lounges would be ready in June 2019.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:10 pm
  #462  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden
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Posts: 1,021
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
you would be handed meal vouchers worth ₺70 per person which could be used at any food retail outlets after the security checkpoint..
I presume this happens at checkin. Do you have any insight as to what happens for transit Elite passengers? I have 2 Istanbul transits over the coming months.

Thanks for all your information throughout this process.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:35 pm
  #463  
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
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Originally Posted by sydunipete
I presume this happens at checkin. Do you have any insight as to what happens for transit Elite passengers? I have 2 Istanbul transits over the coming months.

Thanks for all your information throughout this process.
For know on the transfer desks are not ready, when I arrived from Ercan to Istanbul Airport last Wednesday morning. TGS ( Turkish Ground Services ) agents were guiding international transfer pax to an open door that led passengers from the arrivals to the departures level. Also international-domestic transfers had a special immigration desk in the normal immigration queue which an agent opened the one of the locked gates for connecting domestic passengers. There are temporary service desks around the terminal for the moment. After the grand movement, probably all transfer security checkpoints and service desks would be opened. This time TK would have a service desk at the entrance of all concourses. If you would need a meal voucher ( if closed during your travel ) probably someone would be there at the lounge lobby checking your eligibility and handing meal vouchers. For Istanbul origin passengers, meal vouchers are given at the check-in desks. Kiosks does not work for the voucher so you would be asked to proceed to a staffed desk.

My next travel(s) from Istanbul Airport ( ISL to become IST ) would be on early-May so I won't be able to report everything on the spot in April but probably someone would give feedback about the process at the airport.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 6:43 pm
  #464  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 834
We are traveling business class on TK and have a 9 1/2 hour layover in IST on 11 April & 4 hrs on 23 April 2019. Now there wont be any lounges (arrival or departures) for our use during this transit?
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 6:54 pm
  #465  
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Originally Posted by northsideguy
So I have a 9 1/2 hour layover in IST on 11 April & 4 hrs on 23 April, and there wont be any lounges (arrival or departures)?
One of the contract lounges "IGA Lounge" would open with the movement. During my visit, I have noticed that the SkyTeam Lounge was also ready. I think that these lounges would both offer access to major credit cards and Priority Pass.

However, construction is still going on in the Business Lounge which could be partially opened at that date but the Miles&Smiles Lounge seemed that it needed a lot of work when I visited the international departures hall this Tuesday. I have no idea about the Exclusive Lounge. Also there are no signs for the Arrival Lounge so I won't be able to comment on that until I see any signs about the lounge.

In my opinion, one of the three scenarios be followed,

1- The Business Lounge would be opened on 6 April and all passengers including Elites and Star Golds on all *A carriers would be admitted to this lounge until the Miles&Smiles Lounge is ready. Other *A carrier pax may be denied throughout the capacity problem.
2- The Business Lounge would open to service on 6 April and only admit Business Class passengers and Elite Plus passengers due to capacity reasons. Elite and Star Gold pax would be handed vouchers and other pax on other *A carriers would be auto-denied due to *A protocol permits denying other carriers' passengers due to several reasons including capacity. Meanwhile, other *A carriers would contract either the IGA Lounge or the SkyTeam Lounge.
3- None of the lounges would be ready and partially open after the movement. All eligible passengers would be handed meal vouchers.

For your first leg you would also eligible for a hotel but I am not sure if your route permits a free hotel stopover neither if the HotelIstanbul process would continue after the movement to Istanbul Airport.
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