Transfer in Istanbul

My flight from Basel touches down on the western runway at 15h33. And then we taxi for 28 minutes. Eventually, we pull onto our stand on the C concourse at 15h58. At 16h00 the doors open and passengers are allowed to disembark. It’s 16h08 by the time I reach passport control, and 16h20 by the time I’ve entered the country. I follow the signs for domestic security, which I clear at 16h32. From there, it takes me until 16h38 to finally reach the elevators that go one floor down to the domestic lounge at ground level on the G concourse.

Turkish Airlines Domestic Business Class Lounge

The entrance to the lounge is at the far end of the concourse. It’s quite crowded when I arrive and a lot busier than it was on my previous visit. There are also a lot more foreigners in the lounge, which I’m guessing will also be heading to Ankara on the same flight.

The lounge has a nice selection of hot and cold dishes, including some typically Turkish food, such as börek or hot rolls filled with potato.

Boarding

The flight is running late by twenty minutes. Boarding is directly from the lounge. Being a Boeing B 777, there are three busses for all the premium passengers. Our aircraft is parked on the B concourse, on the opposite side of the terminal. I just love boarding a widebody by stairs, rather than by airbridge! It allows you to better appreciate the size of the mighty B 777.

The Cabin & Seat

The B 777-300 has a different seat to the A 350 and the B 787 in the Turkish Airlines fleet. It’s obviously older, and I’m not sure if there are any plans to refurbish the aircraft.

The seats are laid out in a 2 + 3 + 2 configuration. The cabin looks attractive, but it’s certainly not state of the art. There isn’t much privacy, and while there is a good amount of storage space, it’s really inconveniently positioned. For example, there is a storage compartment with the sick bag and safety instructions in it that is located between the two ottomans in front. But that means it’s too far away to reach from your seat, especially with the seatbelt fastened.

The Service & Crew

The crew on this flight are friendly and speak good English. I wonder if they try to send their better crews on the shuttle to the capital. As usual, the service begins with a choice of welcome drink. The flight time to Ankara is announced as 45 minutes. The menus are distributed while we’re still on the ground.

The Meal

Turkish Airlines really is something else. Where SWISS can barely manage a stale croissant on a flight from Zürich to Luxembourg, Turkish Airlines will serve a full meal including starter, hot meal, and dessert. It’s the same dish as on my flight from Istanbul to Antalya earlier in the year. The crew even do a full drink service!

Given the short flight time, you’d think the dining experience would be hurried and rushed. Much to my surprise, though, it’s perfectly timed and we begin the descent just as I swallow the last bite of my delectable profiterole.

Arrival in Ankara

Despite our departure delay, we arrive in Ankara more or less on time. We taxi to our stand and an airbridge is attached to the aircraft. All passengers may use the airbridge to enter the domestic sector of the terminal, except those with an international connection in Istanbul with checked luggage. They descend by stairs to the ground floor and catch a bus to international arrivals, so that they go through customs.

Ankara airport is a weird place. The facility was built in 2008. It is quite spacious, but it’s also very dark and gloomy.

Getting into Ankara

According to Google Maps, the journey by car into the city should take 35 minutes. But they obviously didn’t consider the driving skills of my deranged taxi driver, who takes only 23 minutes. The fare is TRY880 from the airport to the Sheraton in the city centre.