A very warm welcome to all Flight-Report members and visitors for this exclusive series of Flight-Report's which was an easy way having a Star Alliance Gold status. In addition, in this series I had the chance to experience the brand new Turkish Airlines Domestic Lounge at Istanbul Airport on the first day of its operation. This exclusive series would include 15 flights ( 14 on Turkish Airlines & 1 on SunExpress ) and 13 of these reports are flights to/from Istanbul Airport in Business Class. The other two flights are also domestic flights which are on Economy Class and they are not reports from/to Istanbul Airport. More details could be found in the routing section.
The fourth report of this serie would be the first review of the brand new Turkish Airlines Lounge Domestic at Istanbul Airport. I was one of the first ten visitors ( of course passengers ) of the lounge. Afterwards, this report would continue with a report of a Business Class journey to Ankara onboard the Turkish Airlines 737-800 aircraft
The routing would look like this. All reports except #2 would include lounge reviews as well.
Flight routing
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4#4 TK 2124 ISL to ESB ( J ) 737-800
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
Pax for this flight
Business Class: %100
Economy Class: %95-100
Istanbul Airport - ISL
After arriving from my previous flight from Izmir, I had used the transfer lane to reach the departures area and now I'm heading to the brand new Turkish Airlines Lounge Domestic.
On the way to the lounge, our aircraft ( TC-JVB ) named Sultangazi was getting ready for the flight at gate G2a
The gate area
The lounge has a separate entrance from the landside as well but today, I would use the elevators to the lounge which is located near gate G6.
Turkish Airlines LOUNGE DOMESTIC - Istanbul Airport
As the Business Class & Elite Plus section isn't opened yet, all passengers are being guested at the Classic Plus & Elite section of the lounge.
The first view of the lounge from my seat
The first buffet that contains cheeses, olives, fruits and vegetables
The second buffet that contains simit selections, cakes, croissants, breads, soups and butter from the countryside of Trabzon.
Drink selections. There is a coffee bar that the barista prepares the coffee that you wish within seconds.
The lounge also has two meeting rooms that could be used in case of an important meeting or conference.
The business corner with iMac computers
8 different TV channels are being screened at the lounge
The lounge also has a children zone and PlayStation machines for youth passengers.
Like TK lounges in Atatürk Airport, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Ankara and Izmir; boarding for priority passengers are made from the lounge and passengers are transferred to the aircraft with a private bus.
TK A320 getting ready for its flight to Trabzon
TC-JVA, which took me from Izmir to Istanbul was there, this aircraft would operate the GZT rotation that afternoon.
Later on, we were dropped to the elevator and then directly boarded the aircraft from the jet bridge.
TK 2124 Istanbul Airport TO ANKARA ESENBOĞA AIRPORT
While I boarded the aircraft, the crew and myself noticed that we had flown together in the previous flight from Izmir. They have welcomed me and I had taken my seat 2F
There was a heavy rain at Istanbul at that time
Shortly after boarding was completed, welcome drinks were offered. Today, I have chosen to have a raspberry juice
Shortly after menus and nuts were distributed by the cabin crew
After the doors were closed the safety video was being monitored from the overhead screens. Emmet is showing how to stow hand baggages to the overhead bins.
Ground Control Tower
I don't think I could see this airport this empty after a few months
Heading to the runway
And, we have took of on time
The terminal
We're in the air
North Sea coast
Oops… IFE closed again.
But, the route map was available at the overhead monitors
Shortly after the seatbelt signs had been turned of the meal was served
Smoked Salmon and Celeriac Salad
Grilled Chicken Brochette with roasted red pepper, grilled zucchini, sweetcorn mousseline
Do&Co's Chocolate Mousse
Bread was also distributed
Today's drink: Tomato Juice
Seatback content
Descending to Ankara Esenboğa Airport
Almost there
We have landed on time
We're heading to the terminal
AnadoluJet 737-800 being pushed back
We had parked to gate 105, next to this A321 painted in the Star Alliance livery
After saying, hope to see you soon to the cabin crew, I have left the aircraft.
ANKARA ESENBOĞA AIRPORT - ESB
Now, it's time to head to the Turkish Airlines Lounge at Ankara for the next flight back to Istanbul
ESB Arrivals level
The next report of this serie would contain another Business class report of TK's 738 aircraft, this time back to Istanbul Airport. The report would also cover the Elite Plus & Business section of the Turkish Airlines Lounge in Ankara.
Thanks for reading and hope to see you in another report.
HI Eryorulmaz, thanks for sharing this first report featuring the new Turkish Airlines Lounge at ISL!
I Added the Turkish Airlines Lounge - Domestic to the database for you so you can rate is. I also added the International lounge (for whenever that opens).
What a difference this new airport makes. With so few flights operating in that gigantic terminal it's so spacious and a big change from the crowds and cramped terminal at IST.
As a TK expert maybe you can explain this to me. I don't follow TK narrowbody J products too closely, but it is my understanding that some feature a proper Business class seat (wide 2X2 recliners), like in this report, and other still feature a Euro-Biz type J with Y seats and blocked middle. Do you know why that is? Are TK planning on fitting the entire narrowbody fleet with the 2X2 J seating? Or do they keep separate products for a reason.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi KévinDC and thanks for your comment,
"I Added the Turkish Airlines Lounge - Domestic to the database for you so you can rate is. I also added the International lounge (for whenever that opens)."
- Thanks for it, I would rate it after I write this comment. By the way, there would be three different international lounges at ISL as announced by Bilal Ekşi ( CEO of TK ). I don't know the actual names of the lounges but I know that one would serve Elite & Star Gold pax, the other one would serve Elite Plus and J pax, and the other one would be the premium lounge that no-one know what it's going to be used for. ( My guess, it would be a a-la-carte dining hall for long-haul international J pax )
"What a difference this new airport makes. With so few flights operating in that gigantic terminal it's so spacious and a big change from the crowds and cramped terminal at IST."
- Completely agree, I'll miss the time when the airport is empty which only had 5 to 8 flights each day.
"As a TK expert maybe you can explain this to me. I don't follow TK narrowbody J products too closely, but it is my understanding that some feature a proper Business class seat (wide 2X2 recliners), like in this report, and other still feature a Euro-Biz type J with Y seats and blocked middle. Do you know why that is? Are TK planning on fitting the entire narrowbody fleet with the 2X2 J seating? Or do they keep separate products for a reason."
- The old aircrafts which were mainly delivered before 2011 ( including some leased aircraft which joined the fleet after 2011 ) had already the entire cabin fitted with 3x3 seats. They haven't changed the seating plan for those aircrafts and just changed the seats with newer ones. They usually operate these aircraft on domestic routes which doesn't have that much elite pax, shorter international routes which take less than 1 hours 30 minutes, routes from SAW, charter flights and medium haul international flights that isn't considered as a premium route such as Bilbao, Kosice, Catania, Graz. However, they could be randomly assigned to a premium route but it's not often. Also, similar to Aegean Airlines, some TK routes doesn't have Business Class and at that point these old aircrafts are being used despite the curtain. The newer aircrafts all have 2x2 J seating like the aircraft on this report. The 737-8MAX and A321neo J class seats are a bit different than these but they are also configured as 2x2. In addition, there is a rumor that TK would retire or transfer to AnadoluJet those old 737-800's after the brand their A320neo's and A321neo's arrive. However, I don't have any information about the future of the old A320's and A321's. So, they won't refit those old aircrafts but they try to phase them out while their brand new aircrafts arrive. That's the reason that they keep both of the products at the same time.
Thanks again for stopping by and hope to see you in another report.
"By the way, there would be three different international lounges at ISL as announced by Bilal Ekşi ( CEO of TK ). I don't know the actual names of the lounges"
- I've read there may be several lounges. Once you know the names, let me know and I will update the generic lounge names and add the others (contact button at the bottom of the page).
Thank you so much for the details explanation of the J seats on TK's narrowbody fleet! It all makes sense now.
Have a good day!
Hi again,
"I've read there may be several lounges. Once you know the names, let me know and I will update the generic lounge names and add the others (contact button at the bottom of the page)."
- Yes, I would. Don't worry. I'm planning on an itinerary at March where I would fly to/from ISL on an international flight. As the movement is now scheduled to be on 3 March and could be probably postponed I haven't bought my tickets yet. Probably I'll fly on one of the temporary ISL flights to Europe; of course there is no certain answer if I'll face with one of the temporary lounge corners or using one of the brand new lounges.
"Thank you so much for the details explanation of the J seats on TK's narrowbody fleet! It all makes sense now."
- No problem, you could always ask me questions.
"Have a good day!"
- You too.
Hello Eryorulmaz!
The excitement of the new Turkish Lounge! I know it’s “just” the domestic, but still, I’ve been looking forward to this.
It certainly looks very much like the old IST international lounge in the seating, and especially in the catering positions. In fact, the whole aesthetic is very similar. This is not a bad decision at all, to say the least.
Nice to be back with the same crew for this flight, and once again, the catering looks excellent.
Thanks for sharing your ongoing coverage of this most creative and interesting mileage run!
Hi hometoyyz and welcome to this report,
"The excitement of the new Turkish Lounge! I know it’s “just” the domestic, but still, I’ve been looking forward to this."
- I felt the same thing after arriving from Izmir and while walking to the lounge. I didn't know what to expect and I was filled with a lot of excitement.
"It certainly looks very much like the old IST international lounge in the seating, and especially in the catering positions. In fact, the whole aesthetic is very similar. This is not a bad decision at all, to say the least."
- Yes, it looks like the IST international lounge in the seating and catering positions. It has the same concept like the IST lounge and even the TK lounges abroad ( even though I've only been to the VKO lounge and I'll hopefully try the IAD lounge soon ).
"Nice to be back with the same crew for this flight, and once again, the catering looks excellent."
- It was nice that they even remembered people and welcomed returning customers as "welcome again sir" in Turkish.
Thanks again and hope to see you in another report.