Review of British Airways flight London → Istanbul in Business

Hi everyone



This flight is first leg of a trip to Izmir, I usually fly TK but BA has introduced a special fare, £300 return LHR-IST, so even with an extra ticket onwards to Izmir with TK , the whole fare is better than the TK fare.

No comment on my tube ride from Kensington to T5. I am not used to T5 and, thus do not like it much.


I can't find check in area for biz class, but a charming BA staff tells me to go to H zone


So let us go to H zone, I already have my BP


And it won't take long to drop off my luggage



Then onwards to the fast track

Automated emigration


And very fluent at security


Much busier on the non fast track line

And then comes adventure; gate is not known yet, is it north? south? from main building or remote boarding areas?

But let us first follow the Lounge sign; after walking some yards, no more sign; I must have missed something so let us go backwards.

No I did not miss anything, after some distance there are no more signs to the lounge.

Oh here are some BA information desks, but what a crowd!


So let us walk to the next one; a charming BA staff (another one) has to think a few seconds before she can explain the way to the lounge….. Amazing don't you think? eventually she asks me if I know Boots stores? Yes Madam, so she says, when you see Boots on your left, look for the escalator on your right, and get upstairs.

Very accurate information, and eventually I get to the lounge


They tell me I'll board at gate A7 which is just underneath.

A bit disappointed by this lounge, very crowded, not many electric sockets and the offer is sort of fast food like.



I've just had a huge breakfast before leaving home, so a cuppa will do, and then a second one.

After tea…the loo


Very clean


Time to go


GAte A7

I hope to be able to use Automated boarding on my next trip


Priorities


Hello! No it's not the A320 that will take me to IST


Mine stands a bit further at the end of a very long gangway



Priority boarding but then we get stuck in the gangway for long long minutes

Actually, they were in charge of a handicapped passenger and it took long; but why did they start the boarding operations then?



Nice welcome onboard



With the usual Western Europe airlines business class seat

But no other passenger on this row, so I won't have to share the central table and can get a second pillow for my nap.


Pitch is OK for my legs

No drink service before taKe off

But menu is handed over

Pushback on time

Some BA on our way
And some other aircrafts

A touch of the good old days, don't you think?


SAS livery is not very attractive, I think.


Once airborne, drink service starts; I am non alcoholic so I can't tell you much about the offer; orange juice for me and cashew nuts wrapped so that you can't open it. I wish I had my scissors with me.

Nice cutlery; the starter looks nice but as often it is too cold and tasteless; but I don't care much about starters so all in all it will do.

I selected chicken, does not look very attractive on the picture, but it was hot enough, plentiful and tasty.
I liked cheese
I was worried about the dessert as they called it "chocolate tart" but it was a delicious bitter cocoa mousse with a very tasty coffee cream; absolutely delicious.


And a full mug of tea, I love that..

IFE on small overhead screens; I'm not interested in that so no more comment


Bad luck, the sink can't be drained

Some reading and a little nap and we are flying over Bosphorus

Bridges on Bosphorus

Then Haliç bridge over the Golden Horn

Getting closer to the airport

Parking at the terminal gate itself.


This is my way


They gave this fast track pass while on board


A first immigration area, almost empty, but every passenger is requested to go to the next one; nobody, including turkish passengers can understand why…

Next immigration area is very busy; a fast track for TK/Star Alliance pax, with 2 officers; another one for other airlines' with one officer only.


15/20 minutes wait altogether, so not that bad and much better than the long line off fast track.


And eventually, no waiting at luggage belt where my luggage and I arrive at the same time.

On my way to the domestic terminal , where I drop off my luggage at the small check in area by the business lounge, and enter the lounge after security check; all in all 1 hour from touchdown to TK lounge. Ready to take off to Izmir, but I won't report it as I did it a few months ago: http://flight-report.com/fr/report/22031/Turkish-Airlines-TK-2336-Istanbul-IST-zmir-ADB

A little bonus if you enjoy that


Yes it is IST


Better not to compare business seats on TK domestic flights and Western airlines' European flights

Well life in Turkey may not be as horrible as reported in western press. People go out late at night and on week ends.

Saturday afternoon in Izmir; getting prepared for the crowd of people getting downtown for dinner



Thanks for having read this report and for your comments. Till next time;

Any comment to help me improve my english will be most welcome!