Posted on: 02-03-11 09:24:41
I traveled Turkish recently because I wanted to stop over in Istanbul for a visit. Here is my experience.
The flight was on time when I traveled from Toronto to Mumbai. The quality of seating and service is different when travelling from TO to Istanbul and Istanbul to Mumbai with the latter part being relatively less comfortable. The flight attendants hardly speak any English and gave me a beer with my alcohol when I asked for a soda. The food is more geared for western taste but you can always request a vegetarian meal if you want.
The flight back to TO was one hour late and at Istanbul airport you have to be transported to the plane by bus which is an inconvenience. Istanbul airport is nice but duty free deals are not comparable to Frankfurt or London.
Overall it was a pleasant flight with the big bonus being that the wait time at Istanbul is only 2 hours.
Quote:
Originally posted by newton
I traveled Turkish recently because I wanted to stop over in Istanbul for a visit. Here is my experience.
The flight was on time when I traveled from Toronto to Mumbai. The quality of seating and service is different when travelling from TO to Istanbul and Istanbul to Mumbai with the latter part being relatively less comfortable. The flight attendants hardly speak any English and gave me a beer with my alcohol when I asked for a soda. The food is more geared for western taste but you can always request a vegetarian meal if you want.
The flight back to TO was one hour late and at Istanbul airport you have to be transported to the plane by bus which is an inconvenience. Istanbul airport is nice but duty free deals are not comparable to Frankfurt or London.
Overall it was a pleasant flight with the big bonus being that the wait time at Istanbul is only 2 hours.
Thanks for the comments and sharing your experience.
How was your visit to Istanbul? How many days did you stay? What did you enjoy the most?
Since I am planning for a Dec visit, booking now at current gas prices - what is the scenario when the ATF price increases by Dec? Do we have to pay surcharge at time of boarding?
Hiren
I have been to London, Paris, Frankfurt but I would rate Istanbul higher than these cities in terms of infrastructure and tourist facilities. Besides IStanbul is cheaper than these cities in terms of stay and food.
You can travel from the airport to Sultanahmet area, where all the major attractions are for about $3 Canadian in the tram and metro. All monuments are well maintained and the facilities such as restrooms are better than other European destinations.
The people are very friendly, honest and welcoming. The markets are huge and you can bargain in the markets just like in India unlike Europe.
I will email you a link where you can see some pics when I get a chance to put them up.
As far as airfare, if you book now I doubt if they will ask you to pay more when your trip comes around, but with the price of oil you never know. Just check with your agent to see if fares can be revised later.
