The Turkish Airlines Experience
I've just come back from a lecture gig in Turkey and flew an internal and international flight on Turkish Airlines. What an experience!
First off, I have to say coming in to Istanbul over the mountains and the coastline is very impressive, the weather was perfect. But what made the experience better was that on the international flight, there was a selection on the interactive back-of-seat screen called 'flight cam'. I found it by accident as we trundled along the taxiway waiting to take off as the screen in front of me defaulted to it.
'Flight Cam' is completely useless in mid-flight as there's nothing to see for the clouds. but on take off, landing and chugging along to the gate, there was something worryingly exciting to have the cockpit-eye view of the way ahead. Just like being part of a large simulator. Well, I liked it. I would've taken a pic but whenever the chap in front moved around, a loose cable gave the screen a purple tinge. There's also a button marked 'aft-cam', which simply shows you what cloud you've just flown over. Landing at Heathrow was fantastic, watching the landing lights getting closer.
Other good things. Breakfast: a cheese sandwich with, not roasted peppers, just thick slices of raw, crunchy pepper. Hmm, crispy and tasty. Turkish red wine: actually, very nice indeed for a dry red. Can't for the life of me remember what it was called. Dual English and Turkish language everywhere - that is, the staff, the text of the in-flight rag and all the notices.
Only two down sides. The airbus for the international leg had a distinct lack of legroom. This was because the box of tricks controlling the in-flight entertainment consoles for each seat was underneath that seat. So one small handbag, usually not an issue, actually squandered any legroom I had. Second, the bloke next to me fell asleep and snored very loudly for about two hours. Again, usually fine, but my i-pod decided it didn't want to play ball anymore and the airline headphones weren't the most effficient things I've ever used.
All in all, though, a cracking flight and I'd recommend Turkish, and both my flights were economy. Changing at Istanbul was interesting - I was walking very quickly and I only just made it on a 30 minute transfer (leave more time). All this even after the end of the flight was rather spoiled because of congestion at Heathrow - again - which meant lots of Turkish lift music - and a fire alert in baggage re-claim just as we walked through. Great.
Absolutely shattered now though, as I was at the airport for 2.45 GMT... zzz...
First off, I have to say coming in to Istanbul over the mountains and the coastline is very impressive, the weather was perfect. But what made the experience better was that on the international flight, there was a selection on the interactive back-of-seat screen called 'flight cam'. I found it by accident as we trundled along the taxiway waiting to take off as the screen in front of me defaulted to it.
'Flight Cam' is completely useless in mid-flight as there's nothing to see for the clouds. but on take off, landing and chugging along to the gate, there was something worryingly exciting to have the cockpit-eye view of the way ahead. Just like being part of a large simulator. Well, I liked it. I would've taken a pic but whenever the chap in front moved around, a loose cable gave the screen a purple tinge. There's also a button marked 'aft-cam', which simply shows you what cloud you've just flown over. Landing at Heathrow was fantastic, watching the landing lights getting closer.
Other good things. Breakfast: a cheese sandwich with, not roasted peppers, just thick slices of raw, crunchy pepper. Hmm, crispy and tasty. Turkish red wine: actually, very nice indeed for a dry red. Can't for the life of me remember what it was called. Dual English and Turkish language everywhere - that is, the staff, the text of the in-flight rag and all the notices.
Only two down sides. The airbus for the international leg had a distinct lack of legroom. This was because the box of tricks controlling the in-flight entertainment consoles for each seat was underneath that seat. So one small handbag, usually not an issue, actually squandered any legroom I had. Second, the bloke next to me fell asleep and snored very loudly for about two hours. Again, usually fine, but my i-pod decided it didn't want to play ball anymore and the airline headphones weren't the most effficient things I've ever used.
All in all, though, a cracking flight and I'd recommend Turkish, and both my flights were economy. Changing at Istanbul was interesting - I was walking very quickly and I only just made it on a 30 minute transfer (leave more time). All this even after the end of the flight was rather spoiled because of congestion at Heathrow - again - which meant lots of Turkish lift music - and a fire alert in baggage re-claim just as we walked through. Great.
Absolutely shattered now though, as I was at the airport for 2.45 GMT... zzz...
posted by The Stoat | 18:36
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