MatthewLAX

Connecting through Istanbul is a pleasure compared to Addis.

Jalen500

Phone agents can't book them either

gvanhouten

How can one find out whether the ability to book awards on ET through United will come back?

Xyzzy

Clearly you've never been to either ADD or IST ... IST is a joy to connect at. It has one of the best *G lounges anywhere. ADD is absolutely the pposite.

beachmouse

For someone going on safari, I wouldn't be surprised if there is current concern over the current electronics in cabin ban and very expensive and fragile camera kit.

fly747first

I also find TK crew to be more willing to go the extra mile than the ET ones.

susiesan

You are correct, I had been to neither nor have flown either airline. But because this trip will be on award tickets I have to take what I can get. In taking such a long trip I look for the routing that has the lowest total travel time with the fewest connections and shortest layovers. If TK is available and is close to ET I will try for that. If not, I'll go on ET.

And yes, I am very concerned about the cabin electronics ban as it affects cameras. Hopefully when it shakes out each pax can take 1 electronic item and 1 cellphone. I'll take the tablet and my husband will take the good camera. I can check i the digital point and shoot.

Xyzzy

I hadn't thought of the recently-new electronics ban so I'm glad smeone brought it up! (FT is wonderful for that) I speak from having transited both airports. The ADD airport is pretty ghastly - even if you have lounge access.

jiaotze

FWIW, I was planning to book an ADD-TLV flight a couple of weeks ago for November, but got bogged down with other things. Earlier I checked, and of course the availability was gone.

I called the award reservations desk and the agent first ran all sorts of excuses by me (ADD is too small of an airport, only TK is willing to fly there, ET isn't a partner airline etc), following which I asked in a nice, but firm manner to speak to a supervisor. 10 mins later she comes back and says she has called web support and that she has identified the flight I want and will book it for me while waiving the phone booking fee. It took about an hour to complete, but joy was achieved.

So, it seems web support is aware of the problem and has found a mechanism via which agents can be allowed to make a booking.

I received the e-ticket almost instantaneously.

susiesan

Yikes, how tedious to have it take an hour for something you used to be able to do yourself. How much time did you have to spend o the phone with the agent searching for available award flights? Hopefully ET and UA will get this fixed soon.

B747-437B

As someone who transits both airports regularly (weekly on average through one or the other), I beg to disagree. Addis may not be as glitzy as Istanbul, but if you are *G or in Business Class the lounges are adequate and the separate priority security checkpoint and priority boarding areas make it quite painless. Meanwhile, the "priority" lines in Istanbul are a joke if you are in transit.

pbd456

is ua going to fix it?

gvanhouten

I am wondering the same thing . . .

Having to call an Agent to book is quite a frustrating process, especially when you are going in blind as to availability.

MatthewLAX

But in terms of onboard and lounge product, TK >>>>>>>>>>>> EK

I can deal with longer security lines for that.

YMMV

B747-437B

In Economy, I can pre-reserve exit rows for free on Ethiopian (near 100% success rate) while I have to pay for those on Turkish, even with status. And Ethiopian blocks the seat next to me as a *G which Turkish doesn't. And in Business Class on mid to longhaul flights (5+ hours), there is a much higher likelihood of getting a flat seat/bed on ET than on TK. And ET's Cloud Nine catering out of Addis is on par with Turkish (but some outstations can be dodgy).

The lounge is probably the only place where Turkish has a clear advantage over Ethiopian.