Except for spending an extra day in Istanbul due to late departure from Athens on Saturday and missing the connection flight TK0044 to Cape Town and again arriving 45 min late on Monday in Cape Town, it was all good.
It was an old airline with the old configuration of business class seats. Not really what we signed up for for the longest leg of the trip. Disappointing.
Boarding was much delayed, and there was no explanation ( obviously they were waiting for something or someone. ) Passengers were all crowded at the gate with anxiety. On the plane, the crew worked very hard on checking for safety and serving delicious food. They were polite and courteous.
The check in process at Istanbul airport caused my family a great deal of stress and disappointment due to the following factors: 1) WE HAD TO PAY US$330 for check on bags, despite holding Economy tickets that Turkish airlines website clearly states that flights from Istanbul to Miami had a 2 checked bags allowance. 2) Airport staff not only lacked empathy for senior travelers (75 yrs old and 71 yrs old), but were also rude as well. The supervisor at check it offered "if you don't pay for the bags, you can just remain and sleep at the airport for however long you wish. What a terrible way to treat customers !!! 3) We were bumped from agent to agent to agent FIVE times, showing everyone the communication we received telling us we had the 2 bags entitlement. Two elderly people lugging 4 suitcase around and around the Turkish terminal. Again, what a sad way to treat customers !!! 4) We need a case opened to get a refund for the amount we paid. Something is amiss, screams unethical, and sounds unscrupulous......At First , we were told we must pay for 4 bags. All of a sudden, it became 2 bags, and finally all 4 bags were checked on with payments demanded for 2. Why did it vary from agent to agent???? 5) OVERALL, A TERRIBLE AND SUSPICIOUSLLY UNSCRUPULOUS EXPERIENCE FLYING WITH TURKISH AIRLINES. WE ARE TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED AND SAD THAT OUR VISIT TO A BEAUTIFUL CITY ENDED IN SUCH A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE
While we were picking up passengers in São Paulo, on our way from Buenos Aires to Istanbul, it was impossible to use the bathrooms for 90 minutes. The crew was largely inattentive with one or two exceptions. They should distribute more water for a flight that long. When I signal that I wanted to have a second glass of wine, my prayers were left unanswered…
"I had a fantastic experience with Turkish Airlines! Here are some things that really stood out to me: - Delicious food options, including a wide range of Turkish cuisine - Friendly and attentive flight attendants - Extensive in-flight entertainment options - Smooth and efficient check-in and boarding process Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with Turkish Airlines and would definitely fly with them again. The combination of comfort, service, and amenities made for a truly enjoyable flight experience."
In this long haul flight, flight attendants never stopped moving and giving excellent service. Very impressive. Very comfortable seats and excellent food
Turkish Airlines overbooked the flight and they did not allow me to board the flight even though I had the proper boarding pass and was at the gate on time. Simply unacceptable.
The fully flat bed in business class on the 777 is a little narrow, and the 2-3-2 configuration is now dated, but otherwise a comfortable and pleasant flight. It’s hard to beat the value too.
Make sure to request a vegetarian meal in advance. They printed out menus for all passengers with the options but by the time they were halfway through (for breakfast and dinner), the vegetarian options were already all taken.
