Aboard TK2336

I wouldn’t say that we were rushed getting to our ADB departure gate, but we didn’t have time to dally at IST either. I’ll catch up while we wait for boarding to be completed.

This airport is huge and there is a lot of walking involved to get from one place to another. The walk to the domestic transfers immigration checkpoint took about 20 minutes from the gate where TK34 arrived. There was no one else in line there, so getting through the formalities was easy peasy.

Next, we went through the security checkpoint between immigration and the domestic gates … that took another 5-10 minutes or so, with the most time given over to taking out electronics, etc. and putting them away after we got through the formalities here.

Finally, we walked another 10 minutes or so to our departure gate. As boarding was being called by the time we made it to the gate, we didn’t even take the time to search out the domestic business lounge for the BizClass shuttle to the aircraft, which was parked on the tarmac.

No complaints. I’d rather stay on the move than sit around killing time … especially during a pandemic.

We were the first to board the aircraft … a 777-300 that is normally used for long haul flights. We would have flown on a similar craft had our flight equipment from the US to Turkey not been changed to a Dreamliner. Bright, airy, and spacious.

As was the case on TK34, we were given a hygiene kit that included a disinfectant wipe for the touch-points around our seats and a mask … just one for the 45-minute flight ahead of us.

The rest of the BizClass passengers are now taking their seats. Time to put my electronics away. More later.Read more