Recensione Turkish Airlines: NAP-IST-JFK-IST-NAP
So, there is much talk of TK, TK here, TK in lì, TK su, TK down, what better opportunity to see for themselves, return to Niuiocch Sites and surroundings, and take the opportunity to make a quick run to Istanbul, return?
Basically it is to stretch a little’ the road, which, if it bothers some, will not do to please lovers of aviation.
It goes Economy Plus (for friends, Class Barbon More), call from TK Comfort Class (details here), that will prove to be a good compromise for a LR.
obviously, taken to court as NAP-IST-NAP is required is a place in Y.
The configuration at the 773 and 2-3-2 (3-3-3 in Y). Pitch 46” / Width 20”.
Since you can not reserve seats from the website, a few days before departure I call the call center to a number of TK Italian, which makes contact with what is probably the Hereafter (all at the cost of a local call!), as the voice of the operator, in broken Italian (best, In any case, his English), is very weak.
Being a real little man dismissive of the danger, I choose the row 17 routes for IST-JFK and JFK-IST. It is impossible to reserve seats on the two European routes, touch it to the check-in.
You get to NAP with 90 minutes early, and I find that there is no queue at check-in and, those in the back of the plane (row 23), are the last places available.
In short, A319 full-cap, mainly ethnic traffic and Naples in continuation to the Far East.
Unfortunately I have no stories “she does not know who I am! I have a connection to Kathmandu!” to tell, Everything went well and no hothead has felt the need to take the situation in hand. 🙂
We are greeted by two young and smiling AV, as well as a strong and sympathetic (but no) aroma of onions and spices of the East who knows, due to some kind of food or pax.
Instructions:
It will be an impression, but the pitch seems slightly better than other majors, are 1.80mt and happen to touch your knees:
From the screens under the hat is continuously transmitted the Airshow. You take off rwy06 (also used for the landing of return, with tourists enchanted to see the two Coastal at low altitude).
Friday 27 July 2012
NAP-IST
Flight: TK1880
Class: And
Seat: 23F
Eqp: Airbus A319
Reg: TC-JLY
Air Time: 1h50m
Scheduled: 1350-1705
Block to block: 1359-1649
After about an hour the service starts, unlike (Creed) all major EU and NA on flights of two hours, includes a hot meal and a changeover / Tea Maker.
obviously, In no case are served meals containing pork.
Double choice: couscous, or basmati rice with curry-veal meatballs.
In addition, a turkish appetizer with olives and other vegetables, and a small tiramisu.
Good second choice, coffee (I'll find not be served the same in C and J) too bland.
In less than no time you land, and just a couple of Italic is concerned that, since we are in the queue, and having only opened the front door, tenessero them imprisoned there.
After a while you will also open the rear, and they will pull out a sigh of relief (also because they did not understand that the AV, in English, said that within one minute would be open both doors).
We go by bus, the finger is only used for the cumenda (IB does not use it even for Marcioni, in certain cases)…
After a short distance you will reach the terminal, and once you understand how the entire structure is inadequate for the amount of traffic in recent years.
In the small area for the controls for those in transit (divided in half between the Middle East not far direct and direct people in KR / JP / PRC) will form a real funnel.
Too many people, exhausting and controls that, comparison, TSA agents are rookies.
The row slows down even more when the controls pass veiled women for which the metal detector sounds.
I guess the problems with the neighbors Syrians have played a role…
The nearly two hours between flights and the other are just enough, and in fact began a long race to the last damn gate terminal that I never came, while in the screen appeared the infamous TK11 LAST CALL.
And ok,, From the moment we do for the skin of our teeth, and diligent workers placed just before the gate start to ask random before the ESTA, then the passport, straight, nay, again ESTA, clickete-clackete-clicketi consult the terminal, straight, nay, after two steps scrupulous control of a new passport because he had applied the label. Also double-check the ESTA (in doubt…).
Meanwhile, attached to the finger, “him”, TC-JJP, expected.
We are greeted by two smiling hostess cook more, and in less than no time we sit.
Really good pitch, footrest, inclination of the backrest and headrest are controlled by buttons located under the right arm, while in the left armrest houses the IFE.
Instructions:
Amenity kit (a friend also gave me what was delivered in economy):
Each Y:
Seeing the logo of WiFi, I try to connect to the network (SSID Turkish Airlines), and does not open any page. I tried again after an hour, in flight, and nothing had changed.
As they explained to me some time after, usually the service is activated after a few hours (I have no idea why).
View from outside:
Friday 27 July 2012
IS-JFK
Flight: TK11
Class: C
Seat: 17K
Eqp: Boeing 777-3F2/ER
Reg: TC-JJP
Air Time: 10h17m
Scheduled: 1820-2205
Block to block: 1849-2205
LF 100% in Y, 60% (aiming at 50) in C, almost full-J.
To avoid publishing 500 photo of departure, I decided to make a video that includes taxiing, rwy25 for takeoff and view of the city from above.
Impressive consistency of liveries aircraft attached to the finger… excluding a 777 APPENDIX, I have scarcely seen that livery TK.
Video shot from my seat:
Istanbul
After a short, a quick passage for a drink and peanuts welcome.
A moderate turbulence follows us from Bulgaria to Poland, with the result that the signal of seat belts will NEVER be turned off in the first two hours. The service, obviously, undergoes a slight delay.
Hot towel and immediately after the menu (I choose the chicken, all good). The choice of wines falls on Turkish and French (I choose the second, I hope I have not offended :D):
IFE
After eating you can take tea or coffee (much better than the previous flight) in a porcelain cup
The extensive turbulence causes that sometimes are made small course corrections pushing further north to try to get around it, and finally finds peace passing just south of Gothenburg (not, you will not see a club from Istanbul to the Atlantic, Unfortunately).
When the windows are already closed, you get to where the summer sun does not set for a few hours.
Approaching Goose Bay, the sun decides it's time to go to sleep
Second pass, here's all good, if it were not for an Aubergine stuffed (Turkish specialties) who continue to propose in each menu.
To the west of Nova Scotia, and up to CT, you finally manage to glimpse signs of civilization, but the phone's camera is not able to play.
LI, Nord of Queens, photos and video of landing:
It touches the ground, they hang their laundry in the pitch dark, and no, no applause to celebrate the success of witchcraft which held the metal bird in the air for hours.
The A / C to 0 ° F terminal 1 welcomes in American land… but this is not new!
The time, unfortunately flies, and nothing remains but to go, ruefully, to step back…
Unfortunately touches head to the sad Terminal 1 JFK, sparring partner, late at night, flights to the Far East (as well as a charter Swift Air to Guyana).
A crowd of South Korean and Taiwanese flock to the area for check-in, but being more than two hours in advance there is no problem in moving nimbly controls.
A couple of shots from the sterile, where, indeed, the choice for those who want to go shopping (or even eat) is not very large.
Meanwhile, attached to the finger, c’è TC-JJG, here arriving at LAX:
Pax composed primarily of Turkish, Middle East, Americans, few European (including a pair of Italian North).
At the slightest hint of movement near the gate, over a hundred people takes to take the place in line (not to lose the priority, although I do not know what), passport in hand.
Will spend another twenty minutes before it happens more, also because, obviously, boarding will be made for groups.
The race starts with a 40 minutes late, which will be fully recovered in flight.
Wednesday 8 August 2012 (in theory 9, since the departure is at midnight forwarded 🙂 )
JFK-IST
Flight: TK12
Class: C
Seat: 17A
Eqp: Boeing 777-3F2/ER
Reg: TC-jjg
Air Time: 8h41m
Scheduled: 2355-1635
Block to block: 0036-1634
LF 100% in Y, 70% in C, almost full J.
As I said, a po’ for fatigue, a po’ for the homogeneity of service both in terms of cleaning that, that catering that of kindness, there are not many photos.
For those interested in, I note that the IFE has the possibility, pay by CC, to call to any telephone number.
Too bad that I have not checked if their WiFi default blocks VoIP services (Skype&members) how does DL.
Amenity kit, hot towel, dinner, smiles, sleep (so sleepy) and I wake up just above Belgrade, when to guess will arrive an hour and a half.
Thanks to a friend, here is a picture during the descent phase, with a nice tanker that probably came from the Black Sea, and a video that includes downhill, alignment, landing, clothes hanging, pre-recorded message in turkish and english:
Landed, Then, on time. Control of documents exhausting, both for the crowd, for the hot and humid almost tropical. Terminal I, day, in estate, is an oven. The flight IST-NAP is leaving the 1135 the next day, then the evening will be devoted to a visit to Istanbul flight.
TK offers a service called complimentary hotel which provides, when in transit at IST with a connection for a maximum of 24 hours (and I think at least 7h), right to a hotel among those available at the time, e transfer da/per IST incluso.
The date 8/8/2012 not was there any other special condition to be able to use the service.
Immediately he goes in search of the Hotel Desk TK, but unfortunately the ground staff or have no idea where he is, or do not speak English (pretend, but emit sounds without any logical sense).
It turns out that there is no indication official, AV and a good heart says “in front of Starbucks”. The problem is that even Starbucks is reported, but fortunately the terminal is not huge, and the treasure hunt did not last long.
Together we will form a distinct group of European, all from the Far East, who are looking for the same Hotel Desk.
Surprise surprise: nobody has the right to this service.
No between the two lazy and rude operators of the Desk deigns to explain why, and I'm not even wishing to be able, having a command of the worth of a child 5 age.
I state that JFK I had confirmation of the right to this service at check in, and the same assurance was given to other passengers.
A Frenchman from BKK and directed to LYS, the most hot-headed of the group, raises the tone and claims to speak with one of their top.
It shows a boy not too bright-eyed and listless air, that starts with “every time the same story”, and that qualifies as “il ad manager at TK IST” (yeah right) and stating that he did not direct superiors on site.
Despite complaints, even he is able to explain why, and merely repeat for half an hour “I know Sir, I’m sorry”.
The note is the fact that he is not able to provide explanations, and a group of Czechs showed him a statement of the ticket sales office in Prague, they had bought tickets PRG-IST-BKK.
IL “manager” answers that we all could send an e-mail before leaving, to ask for clarification about.
Ball, the French guy had sent (and in fact was present in its smartphones) several days before departure, with a lot of request for read receipt, and has never been answered.
It runs for reinforcements, and returned shortly after saying that a necessary condition for this service is yes TK have a connection with a period of time between 7 e 24, but “you could have taken another flight”.
In short, and to put the case of trafficking JFK-IST-NAP, the only solution would have been… none, as, while taking flight departing from JFK to 1635 and arriving at 0935, you would have been entitled to complimentary service from hotel 0935 all 1135, starting time of the second flight, but this would have been impossible, because you will need a connection time greater than or equal to 7 hours (10 ore in Y).
In short, must choose a connection involving THE MINOR as possible, and hope that the waiting time between the two flights in excess of the 7 hours.
The testacalda French says that none of this was written in the site, that no one has ever answered by email, and claims to have a written statement from the “manager”. obviously, he refuses.
He goes to the Hotel Desk and asks one of the two hard-working young ladies a written statement. At refuse, then one of the two writes: “YOU DONT HAV RIDE TO OTEL“. I do not know what a “HOTEL”, and suppose that “RIDE” is “right”, but I wonder if the hotel is in Turkey cavalchino or guide them.
The boy (by now, for fun, the whole group follows him in his raids) points out that the sentence does not make sense.
Contends that the declaration is signed or stamped, but the girls do not even want to give their name to voice, and one of the two rips the sheet (that, incidentally, was the paper on which was printed the ETKT boy).
At this point he takes the phone and take a picture of the two employees and the sheet strapppato, with the result that the Hotel Desk phone to call the police (a naso, I would pretend to), while shouting “not! NO PHOTO!”.
That said, is certainly not a problem to find accommodation on their own in the city center, but, at least personally, I feel compelled to criticize the lack of clarity of TK (as well as the rudeness and unwillingness of his ground staff).
They do not answer email, and their employees are not aware of the offers of the company, since both JFK to BKK had confirmed that the right to complimentary hotel. and, heck, learn to speak and write in English.
Found to be arranged and made a nice tour of the city, pass directly to the next morning, hunting for some unusual livery.
Unfortunately dominated by white-red TK (and I mean almost every single gate, if we exclude a 777 in EK), and I can only find this little guy to Turkmenistan, than a flight to Isfahan Mahan Air (not photographed from the sterile):
A few photos:
I do not think I've seen other than the lounge of TK and EK (beautiful, surrounded by wood and glass), but certainly will myself escaped.
Meanwhile, it's time to start the Gate, and a good player Old (Curious, as hand luggage!) cheers the air with notes oriental flavor.
Thursday 10 August 2012
IS-NAP
Flight: TK1879
Class: And
Seat: 6A
Eqp: Airbus A320-232
Reg: TC-JAI
Air Time: 2h
Scheduled: 1125-1235
Block to block: 1134-1235
This time he was sent an A320 compared to the A319 overflowing of going.
I have no idea of the LF in J, having entered the top there was still no. J for short range uses the chairs in the Comfort Class.
Load factor is not very high, there was a decent number of free places in the queue, I'd say slightly less than 70%, composed of Turkish and Italian tourists.
Excellent pitch, sitting very convenient location for 2 flying hours:
Catering is the same as is NAP-IST, then cous cous and rice / meat and a good choice on drinks (inclusa a beer locale, the Efes).
Nice menu of the short-range (Unfortunately I have not photographed!), with a red cover and a porthole central, from which a balloon that says: “who is now in the kitchen?”
The flight goes smoothly, the staff is friendly and speaks English acceptable. The slow descent begins just touched the coast Pugliese, and the approach to the runway 06, as always, stunned most pax.
They spend ten minutes in the parking lot in the pitch and the arrival of the bus, leading area of flights from outside the Schengen.
It forms the tail of non-EU citizens, while the gap EU is not manned by any agent. After a while’ of general uncertainty, an old man walks to the booth, and get an agent who says, in annoyed tone:
– “but it does?”
– “I am a European citizen, I put in a queue at the gate for EU citizens”
– “Embee, not see that it is closed?”
– “you tell me what to do”
– “eh, go to the gate outside the EU, not?”
At this point a shout, mostly due to the fact that it would be a good idea to consult with education to a gentleman of a certain age, which otherwise had no reason to line up in a row non-EU. Abound easy ironies of the type: “There must have degraded to non-EU citizens”.
The diligent agent finally decides to check the documents in a very hasty (while still remaining outside the booth, and by being arranged sideways to the row of people), as if it were a favor.
Shortly after, customs officers were doing their cacchiacci, while two people were waiting to declare certain goods. Welcome to Italy!
The suppliz er… TR is finished. In short, I hope I have done something pleasing telling of these 18560km with TK. 🙂
How was your experience with Turkish Airlines?