New Istanbul Airport

[Mattg]

It has been widely reported that Istanbul's brand new airport, which officially opened in October, will be fully operational by the end of the year. Apparently, all flights will switch over from Ataturk Airport to the new Istanbul Airport on 30-31 December.

I have no idea how the move will take place, logistically, but I notice that Singapore Airlines (for example) has cancelled flights to Istanbul on 30 and 31 December. Most other airlines still seem to be operating flights to Istanbul on those dates - hopefully this will be with minimal teething problems.

Why do I care about this, you may ask? Well by pure coincidence, I'm actually booked to fly with Turkish Airlines through Istanbul on 1 January. So far, my ticket still says "Ataturk Airport" but I have no idea if this will hold. By all accounts, the new airport should be fully operational by then! I haven't heard anything whatsoever from Turkish Airlines about the airport change.

I have a scheduled layover in Istanbul of only 1:20... guess I'll just have to wait and see whether I make it! I suspect this may be a disaster in the making.

If I have enough time, I'm looking forward to checking out the new Turkish Airlines lounge. The current lounge at Ataturk Airport is brilliant, so I have high hopes for this one.

If anyone knows which airport my flights will arrive and depart from, feel free to let me know!

 

[33kft]

I hate to say it, but I also predict utter disaster. I have stopped flying with TK personally after at least 1 drama (and witnessing at least one if not many cases of their desk staff yelling at customers at Ataturk) per flight that I have taken with them. My reason for predicting this is that they've almost never got me to my connections on time at Ataturk, causing me to sit around for another 3 hours to wait for the next flight. I reckon if that's too difficult, this is going to be something else.

Out of interest, will this new airport consolidate Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen? I know that the arriving/departing airport has been a headache for a lot of travellers in the past unaware of the distinction.

 

[Mattg]

I hate to say it, but I also predict utter disaster. I have stopped flying with TK personally after at least 1 drama (and witnessing at least one if not many cases of their desk staff yelling at customers at Ataturk) per flight that I have taken with them. My reason for predicting this is that they've almost never got me to my connections on time at Ataturk, causing me to sit around for another 3 hours to wait for the next flight. I reckon if that's too difficult, this is going to be something else.

Out of interest, will this new airport consolidate Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen? I know that the arriving/departing airport has been a headache for a lot of travellers in the past unaware of the distinction.

Well if I miss my connection, the next flight is not for another 12 hours! So I may get a lot more lounge time than I bargained for.

Then again, I suppose they might provide a hotel or tour for a layover of that length - assuming they can get their act together on the first day of operations at the new airport...

Sabiha Gokcen will remain open going forward, but Ataturk will close.

 

[Gold Member]

It has been widely reported that Istanbul's brand new airport, which officially opened in October, will be fully operational by the end of the year. Apparently, all flights will switch over from Ataturk Airport to the new Istanbul Airport on 30-31 December.

If anyone knows which airport my flights will arrive and depart from, feel free to let me know!

My prediction is that you will land in IST and have 1h20m to make your way to the new airport for your connection

 

[docjames]

<snip>. My reason for predicting this is that they've almost never got me to my connections on time at Ataturk, causing me to sit around for another 3 hours to wait for the next flight. <snip>.

Surely that's (part of) the rationale for moving to the new airport? Capacity / efficiency of connections.

 

[33kft]

Surely that's (part of) the rationale for moving to the new airport? Capacity / efficiency of connections.

No argument there, it's my observation of what occurs during these events (ie the quality and capability of the operation) that has me flying an extra few hours further via LHR on my way to TLV rather than the disaster that is IST and TK in particular.

 

[RooFlyer]

Ha. I remember when LHR T5 was scheduled to open. When I found I was flying in that day, I tried to change to a BA flight so I could use the new terminal. Best failure to get a requested change ever!

I have about 4 flights in and out of the new Istanbul airport scheduled for next year so I trust the bugd will be ironed out by then!

 

[samh004]

Why do I care about this, you may ask? Well by pure coincidence, I'm actually booked to fly with Turkish Airlines through Istanbul on 1 January.

You are such a glutton for punishment!

 

[moa999]

From what I've read the new airport which currently has the code ISL, will switch to IST on 1-Jan, Soni suspect you'll be ok

 

[Mattg]

You are such a glutton for punishment!

When I booked this trip, the airport changeover was planned for October. If I had have known, I would have probably booked a different date (or airline)!

I just had a look and my inbound flight to IST has an on-time performance of 32% and an average delay of 1h 28m. If I make this connection and everything works seamlessly, I will be genuinely amazed.

 

[33kft]

I just had a look and my inbound flight to IST has an on-time performance of 32% and an average delay of 1h 28m.

That's handy, with a connection time of 1:20. You would think the computer would do the same calculation you just did and stop surprising everyone who hasn't flown the route before, but maybe that connecting flight is so heavily overbooked that it works out for them?

 

[Mattg]

That's handy, with a connection time of 1:20. You would think the computer would do the same calculation you just did and stop surprising everyone who hasn't flown the route before, but maybe that connecting flight is so heavily overbooked that it works out for them?

Actually, the inbound flight is heavily overbooked but there are plenty of seats on the next leg!

When I originally booked, the connection time was 3:30. Alas, then there was a schedule change...

 

[33kft]

Even that would be a bit dicey with that 1:30 being an average delay. I can't say my experiences with IST's terminal and especially the security screening (and the lack of orderly queuing existing as a norm) would leave me feeling particularly comfortable with the original timing either.

That said, perhaps ISL will take care of all of that.

 

[Gold Member]

Problemas com o novo aeroporto de Istambul - Milhas e Destinos

Let’s hope it’s not raining when you arrive!

 

[Mattg]

Hmm, apparently the move to the new airport has now been delayed until March next year. Not that surprising, to be honest, and probably for the better!

Move to Istanbul’s new airport delayed until March 2019 | Ahval

 

[samh004]

Hmm, apparently the move to the new airport has now been delayed until March next year. Not that surprising, to be honest, and probably for the better!

Move to Istanbul’s new airport delayed until March 2019 | Ahval

You'll have to visit again!

 

[Antoallison]

Hmm, apparently the move to the new airport has now been delayed until March next year. Not that surprising, to be honest, and probably for the better!

Move to Istanbul’s new airport delayed until March 2019 | Ahval

Thats an interesting article on the Ahval site...

52 workers killed during the building of the new airport
Complaints of slave labour conditions
Workers who called a strike met with tear gas and water cannons
Delays to late October soft opening of airport
27 protesters detained by police from October .. till their release recently !

 

[Mattg]

Well Turkish Airlines ended up cancelling my inbound flight to Istanbul and there are no other flights that day, so I will now fly on 2 January and have a 6h 40m layover at Ataturk Airport!

On the plus side, I will probably make the connection now (and am even eligible for a free Istanbul city tour). On the downside, I now depart my origin at 03:55 instead of 09:30!

 

[Lemon_Party]

I’ve got the in laws booked through IST on the 8th, TK onto SQ.
Really hope both flights are are at the same airport- need to look at this. I’d read TK we’re moving to ISL early and everyone else would be sorted by 1st...

 

[Mikana]

The real problems will come when the new IST is actually up and running. The current government is great at pouring billions of borrowed TL into massive infrastructure projects which make it look good but it cheats on construction materials and workmanship and then ignores repair and maintence. The new HSR system is already falling apart and last week or so there was a very nasty accident on it. I gave up TK during the 5 years I worked in Istanbul and got some inside knowledge about its safety procedures.