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IST-YVR Route Launch
Does anyone have any insight at to when/if the IST-YVR route will launch?
I believe it was initially supposed to have started in June 2020, but got pushed to Sept 2020. It seems this date has again shuffled to Jan 2021. Of course, I don't expect any one here to know anything definitive. Was more interested in if anyone knows TK's prior history regarding new routes and whether TK will actually fly this route eventually. Or are TK more like QR where new routes are announced, but then silently disappear after a little while. Reason for this question is I'm in initial stages of planning a trip next summer, and I have the option of flying IST-YVR or IST-YUL. Would love to do IST-YVR for the simplicity, but at the same time, I'd rather avoid the headache of re-route due to cancellation. |
This route is more likely to stay.
In the past, TK did not have any of their new long-haul routes disappear after they loaded into the system. My opinion on this would be that TK is postponing the inaugural for this route and EWR month by month in order not to lose the slots and to attract passengers. Also there is uncertainity about when Canada would re-open their borders to foreigners and lift the quarantine for international arrivals. By the way, unlike other carriers who did load a bulk seasonal schedule change to their inventory for the winter season, TK decided to load the schedules for every month individually, presumably 6-8 weeks before the start of a month. Also, a reminder that when you purchase a YVR ticket and your YVR flights get cancelled, according to the TK policy, you would be able to change your destination without penalty as both Vancouver and Montreal are in the same region. |
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 32743315)
Also, a reminder that when you purchase a YVR ticket and your YVR flights get cancelled, according to the TK policy, you would be able to change your destination without penalty as both Vancouver and Montreal are in the same region.
I'm also very keen to see this route happen, although the connectivity isn't great for me... As mentioned though, with Canada closed to foreigners there's no point launching the route, but I'm sure that YVR will be thrilled to hold the slot for TK... |
Originally Posted by craigthemif
(Post 32743579)
Yes.. but if you change your TK flight to YUL yet still want to get to YVR, you're looking at an additional 6-hour flight you'd have to pay for separately. :p (i.e. you probably want your money back to make other arrangements)
I'm also very keen to see this route happen, although the connectivity isn't great for me... As mentioned though, with Canada closed to foreigners there's no point launching the route, but I'm sure that YVR will be thrilled to hold the slot for TK... |
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 32743965)
If I don't understand in a false way, the OP is ready to pay a separate ticket from YVR or YUL if needed, nothing would change if he does it know or if he does it later on, except for the prices of the separate ticket.
Of course if the OP is indifferent to visiting Quebec or BC, then booking YUL would be the safer bet as that's a route already in operation... (although I haven't been paying attention to whether TK has continued to operate it much during COVID) |
Originally Posted by craigthemif
(Post 32744087)
Fair enough. But unless the OP is a Canadian citizen YUL/YVR will be irrelevant if the borders remain closed. And surely it would be risky to buy a separate ticket YUL-YVR with no clarity about any of the entry rules (and how foreign airlines will react to them)
Of course if the OP is indifferent to visiting Quebec or BC, then booking YUL would be the safer bet as that's a route already in operation... (although I haven't been paying attention to whether TK has continued to operate it much during COVID) So I have the possibility of basically ending my trip in either YUL or YVR. It's just much more convenient for me to end up at home, versus right back to work :) Unfortunately, I typically need to make arrangements as to where I am going to be a few months in advance... So if I book IST-YVR but TK decides to cancel closer to departure, it'll be slightly difficult for me. I believe at this time, TK is operating the IST-YUL route 3x weekly. |
Originally Posted by craigthemif
(Post 32743579)
Yes.. but if you change your TK flight to YUL yet still want to get to YVR, you're looking at an additional 6-hour flight you'd have to pay for separately. :p (i.e. you probably want your money back to make other arrangements)
I'm also very keen to see this route happen, although the connectivity isn't great for me... As mentioned though, with Canada closed to foreigners there's no point launching the route, but I'm sure that YVR will be thrilled to hold the slot for TK... |
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825119)
I'm interested in this route myself, but the last time I checked, I think the flight out of YVR is in the afternoon. Is the arrival time at IST good enough for connecting flights to other stations?
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Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 32825130)
Yes, the arrival bank is suitable for the late-evening Europe departures, the Indian peninsula destinations; Central Asian destinations including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan; Far East destinations; African destinations; the Middle East; so the YVR flight pretty suitable for onward connections.
I just searched up the latest departure and arrival times. TK075 IST1405 – 1550YVR 789 357 TK076 YVR1720 – 1450+1IST 789 357 Not sure what 357 means. I'm not too happy about the early departure time out of IST. I definitely would have preferred a later departure time. What is the typical departure time from IST to destinations like SIN, HKG, PVG, SYD, and TYO? I know things will change due to COVID. With KE's merger with OZ, I'm going to need a new *A program. I'm definitely interested in TK. |
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825154)
I totally forgot about you bro. You're definitely am expert here. :)
I just searched up the latest departure and arrival times. TK075 IST1405 – 1550YVR 789 357 TK076 YVR1720 – 1450+1IST 789 357 Not sure what 357 means. I'm not too happy about the early departure time out of IST. I definitely would have preferred a later departure time. What is the typical departure time from IST to destinations like SIN, HKG, PVG, SYD, and TYO? I know things will change due to COVID. With KE's merger with OZ, I'm going to need a new *A program. I'm definitely interested in TK. For Far East destinations the departure bank was always between "00:30 & 02:30" but for some of them there is a second daily ( not sure that it would operate in the future ) for a departure bank between "19:30-21:30". The arrivals at IST are generally around "05:00-07:00" to allow morning transfers as well. Sidenote 1: TK doesn't fly to Sydney Sidenote 2: TK doesn't have any requirement to fly them if you enroll to M&S and achieve status, you could accrue all your miles from other *A partners as well. Sidenote 3: If you have a connection between 4h-9h in Business Class, you would have the privilege of the free sleeping room at the IST Lounge during your layover. M&S Elite Plus members traveling on Y could also benefit from this. ( Although temporarily suspended due to COVID ) |
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 32825167)
357 means that the flight would depart on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
For Far East destinations the departure bank was always between "00:30 & 02:30" but for some of them there is a second daily ( not sure that it would operate in the future ) for a departure bank between "19:30-21:30". The arrivals at IST are generally around "05:00-07:00" to allow morning transfers as well. Sidenote 1: TK doesn't fly to Sydney Sidenote 2: TK doesn't have any requirement to fly them if you enroll to M&S and achieve status, you could accrue all your miles from other *A partners as well. Sidenote 3: If you have a connection between 4h-9h in Business Class, you would have the privilege of the free sleeping room at the IST Lounge during your layover. M&S Elite Plus members traveling on Y could also benefit from this. ( Although temporarily suspended due to COVID ) I haven't been to the new IST yet. Have you? Is there a Hilton, Marriott, or Hyatt at or near IST. If the far east destinations are between 00:30 and 02:30, then I'll have 5+ hours at IST. Is the TK lounge any good in terms of food? I'm leaning on TK because I read that they have a two year qualifying window? Sucks that they don't fly to SYD. Was there any talk of doing so? |
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825179)
FT should make you a mod! Thx bro!
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825179)
I haven't been to the new IST yet. Have you? Is there a Hilton, Marriott, or Hyatt at or near IST.
The only airport hotel in IST is the YOTEL and there are three hotels under construction in the airport city but we still have no opening dates about them, nor which chain would they be relied on. The nearest hotels of the chains that you have mentioned are 20-30 minutes away by car from the airport and 40-45 minutes by public transportation. There is a Radisson 10 minutes away from the airport but the only way to go there is by taxi.
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825179)
If the far east destinations are between 00:30 and 02:30, then I'll have 5+ hours at IST. Is the TK lounge any good in terms of food?
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825179)
I'm leaning on TK because I read that they have a two year qualifying window?
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825179)
Sucks that they don't fly to SYD. Was there any talk of doing so?
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Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 32825203)
You're welcome :)
I consider the first question as an unfunny joke. :D I would like to ask you that, have you ever been to YVR? :D ( Just kidding ) The only airport hotel in IST is the YOTEL and there are three hotels under construction in the airport city but we still have no opening dates about them, nor which chain would they be relied on. The nearest hotels of the chains that you have mentioned are 20-30 minutes away by car from the airport and 40-45 minutes by public transportation. There is a Radisson 10 minutes away from the airport but the only way to go there is by taxi. The TK Lounges at IST ( both the M&S Lounge and the Business Lounge ) had a decent amount of food pre-COVID, now they only offer limited content with limited hot food and mostly pre-packaged individual items. I have no clue wheater the lounges would return to their old normal at some point. No, the M&S program has a one-year qualifying window but a very generous two-year re-qualifying window compared to other *A frequent flyer programs. TK starting to SYD was always a rumor but it always stayed as a rumor. Once, it SYD showed as a TK destination on the route map of the Skylife but that was all, no other indications were present by the airline side. I won't be doing any flying until the pandemic is over so I'm not going to worry how things are like. In terms of food, I've been a lounge at the old IST with my Priority Pass, but wasn't impressed with the food selection. I forgot the name off the top of my head. Without a decent food spread, any long layover at IST will be brutal. Oh, my bad then. It's 40k miles to qualify and 37.5k to re-qualify in the 2 year window? I'm assuming status follows the start and end of a calendar year? OT, but what's the longest TK flight out of IST? To go back on topic, I'm not sure if TK have any A350s in it's fleet, but if it did, I would have preferred that over the Dreamliner. |
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825217)
Haha. I wasn't sure if you have been flying due to COVID. My apologies.
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825217)
I won't be doing any flying until the pandemic is over so I'm not going to worry how things are like. In terms of food, I've been a lounge at the old IST with my Priority Pass, but wasn't impressed with the food selection. I forgot the name off the top of my head. Without a decent food spread, any long layover at IST will be brutal.
I have reviews of both around the forum and on other websites.
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825217)
Oh, my bad then. It's 40k miles to qualify and 37.5k to re-qualify in the 2 year window? I'm assuming status follows the start and end of a calendar year?
Although, TK does not follow a calendar year format. You could earn the 40k miles in any given 365-day interval of your choice.
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825217)
OT, but what's the longest TK flight out of IST?
Indirect: IST-EZE ( 7614 miles ) via GRU
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 32825217)
To go back on topic, I'm not sure if TK have any A350s in it's fleet, but if it did, I would have preferred that over the Dreamliner.
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Start pushed back to March 9th 2021 as of today.
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code share query - AC ?
Originally Posted by YYCCL3
(Post 32838253)
Start pushed back to March 9th 2021 as of today.
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Originally Posted by Antonio8069
(Post 32838339)
Interesting. Any speculation on what the AC codeshare arrangements will look like? (TK currently operates out of YUL & YYZ).
By the way, due to the joint venture agreement between LH, UA, and AC; Air Canada is not allowed to sell point-to-point tickets on the YYZ-IST codeshare, plus they could also not use this service for selling onward connections to Europe. |
As of today, it looks like they are only selling flights starting May 2. Curious if this route will be just outright cancelled at one point, since it hasn't even been opened.
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Originally Posted by toonomadic
(Post 33058945)
As of today, it looks like they are only selling flights starting May 2. Curious if this route will be just outright cancelled at one point, since it hasn't even been opened.
Vancouver is a strategic destination for TK and due to the border closures and Canada implementing 15 days of self-isolation where the first 3 days are spent in a hotel room, I don't think there is demand at this point. |
Originally Posted by toonomadic
(Post 33058945)
As of today, it looks like they are only selling flights starting May 2. Curious if this route will be just outright cancelled at one point, since it hasn't even been opened.
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 33058969)
If I'm not wrong, TK would start the route at some point, most likely when Canada re-opens their border and removes quarantine for arrivals.
Vancouver is a strategic destination for TK and due to the border closures and Canada implementing 15 days of self-isolation where the first 3 days are spent in a hotel room, I don't think there is demand at this point. The new Canadian rules about hotel quarantine are completely about dis-incentivising Canadians from travelling internationally. (borders are of course shut to foreigners already) I can't really see that changing until a significant % of the population is vaccinated, and that's not going to happen by May and probably not before the summer. Simply not the time to be launching a new route... But longer term there still may be a market for South Asia <--> Western Canada that isn't really well served by anybody. |
Originally Posted by craigthemif
(Post 33059210)
I had been about to move over some Marriott points to book some August flights to/from YVR, when the J award space just disappeared yesterday. That's not a great sign IMO, but of course it could be meaningless.
The new Canadian rules about hotel quarantine are completely about dis-incentivising Canadians from travelling internationally. (borders are of course shut to foreigners already) I can't really see that changing until a significant % of the population is vaccinated, and that's not going to happen by May and probably not before the summer. Simply not the time to be launching a new route... But longer term there still may be a market for South Asia <--> Western Canada that isn't really well served by anybody. If cancellation is coming for June I'd rather know it earlier than 2 weeks/1 month prior and rebook for later than fly LH/AC to my final destination in EU. Fingers crossed. |
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 33058969)
If I'm not wrong, TK would start the route at some point, most likely when Canada re-opens their border and removes quarantine for arrivals.
Vancouver is a strategic destination for TK and due to the border closures and Canada implementing 15 days of self-isolation where the first 3 days are spent in a hotel room, I don't think there is demand at this point. |
Originally Posted by lsquare
(Post 33059241)
Why do you think YVR is a strategic destination for TK?
Also, someone in airliners.net was mentioning that Turkish had spent a lot of effort getting those slots. Initially, the Canadian government rejected TK's slot request, then they provided 2 slots for arrival/departure and after another set of negotiations, they have agreed that they will have 3 slots for arrival/departure. |
Originally Posted by craigthemif
(Post 33059210)
I had been about to move over some Marriott points to book some August flights to/from YVR, when the J award space just disappeared yesterday. That's not a great sign IMO, but of course it could be meaningless.
The new Canadian rules about hotel quarantine are completely about dis-incentivising Canadians from travelling internationally. (borders are of course shut to foreigners already) I can't really see that changing until a significant % of the population is vaccinated, and that's not going to happen by May and probably not before the summer. Simply not the time to be launching a new route... But longer term there still may be a market for South Asia <--> Western Canada that isn't really well served by anybody. AC flies to South Asia, but it's pretty expensive and that's probably due to a lack of competition. |
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 33059473)
YVR is slot limited because the Canadian government wants to protect Air Canada. That's why none of the ME3 is able to fly to Vancouver. TK would have strategic importance carrying the Central Asian population from/to their native country. There is a hugeYVR <-> Central Asia market and TK is now part of it.
Also, someone in airliners.net was mentioning that Turkish had spent a lot of effort getting those slots. Initially, the Canadian government rejected TK's slot request, then they provided 2 slots for arrival/departure and after another set of negotiations, they have agreed that they will have 3 slots for arrival/departure. |
Looks like it's happening
https://biv.com/article/2021/04/turk...-flights-may-2
mentions that the route will start May 2nd. Curious to see how things go. |
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Originally Posted by hfly
(Post 33213815)
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Originally Posted by nacho
(Post 33214130)
Yep got an email about it, so it's definitely serious.
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Originally Posted by tobegold
(Post 33214379)
Starting May 2 per emails, return fares between IST and YVR are over 35% more when originating from YVR vs IST in J, can get lower fares on LH. YVR gets very little competition compared to most other NA gateways.
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Originally Posted by nacho
(Post 33214688)
Would people who live in Vancouver fly into SEA instead? SEA is not a particularly big airport though.
Otherwise it would be a bit crazy to return on a 12-hour long haul flight and then drive 3+ hours (including another passport control / customs) to get home... |
Originally Posted by craigthemif
(Post 33214961)
Lots of Canadians do it for US or Mexico flights.
Otherwise it would be a bit crazy to return on a 12-hour long haul flight and then drive 3+ hours (including another passport control / customs) to get home... Quite some Swedes use CPH to fly out (we used to do the same), and a 2+ hours drive is not uncommon. Sweden has introduced border control since 2017 from DK (it's amazing how countries can just ignore Schengen treaty), waiting by the bridge is not uncommon anymore (they check passports, random scan cars with SE licence plate, random scan of foreign passport - just experienced this today, sometimes the customs are also there looking for particular things). I wonder how bad it is with border crossing between the US and Canada, I know people said don't cross to the US around Niagara falls, no idea about what's like between Vancouver and Seattle. Hopefully I can try the new route soon as I really don't mind seeing Vancouver (let's see when the world is normal again). |
Originally Posted by nacho
(Post 33214688)
... SEA is not a particularly big airport though.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e549e2d250.png https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...578725ee1f.png |
Originally Posted by SFO777
(Post 33216783)
Huh? SEA not big? Seattle/SEA sees more passengers each year than Toronto/YYZ, and nearly twice as many as Vancouver/YVR. And that's in a normal year. Today, with Canada in a virtual paranoid lockdown and the US back to normal, I suspect that SEA currently sees more passengers than every Canadian airport combined.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e549e2d250.png https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...578725ee1f.png |
Originally Posted by nacho
(Post 33216947)
How come IAH is not on the list? What about IAD? I normally fly into the bigger airports from Europe to the US like LAX, SFO, IAH, DFW, IAD, so compared to those I found SEA similar to DEN.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5e33ae08d7.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5b0127fff6.png |
Guys, we all know that IAD covers a lot of diplomatic travel and more transatlantic travel compared to both IAH and SEA.
IAH is United's center-US hub, thus, it's highly normal that there are more flights in total from IAH. Same reason for DFW and ATL to be on top of the list, central-American hub of the AA and DL Also, I think that we all know that the Canadian government is stingy in giving slots to foreign carriers to protect their wonderful Air Canada. In the USA, there are no similar restrictions like that. |
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
(Post 33218371)
Guys, we all know that IAD covers a lot of diplomatic travel and more transatlantic travel compared to both IAH and SEA.
IAH is United's center-US hub, thus, it's highly normal that there are more flights in total from IAH. Same reason for DFW and ATL to be on top of the list, central-American hub of the AA and DL Also, I think that we all know that the Canadian government is stingy in giving slots to foreign carriers to protect their wonderful Air Canada. In the USA, there are no similar restrictions like that. |
While I welcome any new non-AC service into Canada, I am puzzled by the timing of this launch. Yes, there is light in sight at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel, but for now Canada's extremely onerous quarantine rules still make intl. travel virtually impossible. And there is no clear end date for this, amidst hysterical public discourse in Canada.
I wonder why TK didn't wait with the launch until the quarantine requirement is dropped? Does cargo alone pay for the flights? Is there a "use it or lose it" clause in the traffic rights? Curious. |
Over the last decade Canada has made it almost impossible for airlines like TK, and the ME3 to get additional cities and/or frequencies. TK has been trying to get this route for a very long time. I would assume that if they do not start by a certain date that they will lose it, and who knows when they will get it back, so they are going for it, and hoping that in the next 6. 12. 18 months or whatever that the situation changes. I would also think that TK knows that there is a good amount of connecting traffic from all sorts of countries that would like this additional option to Vancouver (you know, like the subcontinent, africa middle east and eastern europe).
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Originally Posted by hfly
(Post 33220513)
Over the last decade Canada has made it almost impossible for airlines like TK, and the ME3 to get additional cities and/or frequencies. TK has been trying to get this route for a very long time. I would assume that if they do not start by a certain date that they will lose it, and who knows when they will get it back, so they are going for it, and hoping that in the next 6. 12. 18 months or whatever that the situation changes. I would also think that TK knows that there is a good amount of connecting traffic from all sorts of countries that would like this additional option to Vancouver (you know, like the subcontinent, africa middle east and eastern europe).
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