Introduction

I’m not on my way home just yet, I’m just leaving Antalya today. My first stop will be Istanbul. I’m looking forward to seeing Istanbul again. Many moons ago, it was the first place my parents let me travel to without them, when I was sixteen years old.

Getting to the Airport

The flight departs Antalya at 10h30 in the morning. Seeing as the traffic here can be a bit unpredictable, especially in the mornings, I agree to be picked up by my host at 08h30 in the morning. Traffic is quite heavy, but even while it’s moving only at a moderate pace, at least it’s moving. The journey takes just over thirty minutes.

Check-In

There is a lot of construction going on at the airport right now, so things are a bit messy. Domestic departures are in Terminal 1, even though the building is marked outside as International Terminal. There is a security checkpoint you need to go through to enter the terminal building.

Right behind security is a fairly large but empty check-in hall. The counters are covered in plastic, but I can’t see any construction. Perhaps they just close off the area when it’s not the peak holiday season.

At the far end of the check-in hall, past the regular counters and tucked away near the Burger King, is the entrance to the Turkish Airlines lounge, which is a segregated check-in area with its own security checkpoint. The lady checks in my suitcase and directs me to the lounge on the third floor.

At the security checkpoint I need to show my passport again, even though I just showed it to the check-in agent…

Antalya Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge

The Turkish Airlines lounge here in Antalya is really nothing to write home about. However, given that they only operate fairly short domestic services from here, I think it’s perfectly adequate.

Boarding

Boarding is from a bus gate, which suggests that our aircraft is either parked on a remote stand or at the international pier.

There is no separate call for Business Class passengers. However, as I pass the gate and the agent scans my boarding pass, he tells me that there is a separate bus for Business Class passengers.

Aaaaand…. Jackpot! Woohoo, we’re on a remote stand, which means I’ll be able to take a few closeups of my aircaft! Sadly, the bus pulls up right next to our aircraft. And she’s a big girl too, which makes it difficult to take photo of the aircraft in its entirety. But I’ll take it.

The Cabin & Seat

The cabin on the Turkish Boeing 787-9 is in a 1+2+1 configuration. I’m seated on 4K. On the evenly numbered rows, the K seat is by the window, whereas on the unevenly numbered rows, there are no K seats and the H seats are on the aisle. What is rather surprising about the seat, is the apparent lack of storage space for larger items like a laptop. There is a small compartment on the side that you can even lock with a code, but that is rather small.

Other than that, the first impression of the cabin is just okay. The black colour makes it seem rather drab, and the smell of old wet socks doesn’t fill me with the warm and fuzzies either. I have two windows. It’s a shame, though, that the closer one is mostly covered by the seat. To look out through it, I have to stretch and peer over the top of the seat.

The Service & Crew

There are three cabin crew working the forward cabin. They hardly interact with the passengers, but I think you can hardly blame them for that on this flight. The service is elaborate and they only have a short time to complete the full service, with a flight time of just one hour. The service on the ground begins with a glass of fresh juice. This time, I have the orange.

The flight pushes back on time. It’s a bright sunny day with a cloudless sky. As we taxi out, we pass several aircraft which seem to be parked up. Some of them look quite derelict.

The Meal – Breakfast

The menus are distributed before the doors close. Soon after we’re airborne, the crew is released and the meal service begins. On the tray is the hot meal, which consists of a cheese and turkey omelette with diced tomato. Then there is a small fruit salad, a bowl of cheese and veg, and a small dish with butter and jam to go with the bread.

The crew make several rounds through the cabin with the breadbasket. The rolls are nice and still warm. To drink I have another orange juice and a coffee with milk.

Arrival in Istanbul

We land in Istanbul slightly ahead of schedule and make our way to our stand on the D pier. From there, we are bussed to the domestic part of the terminal. The wait for my suitcase to arrive is short, it’s the first one on the belt.