Onur Air to Antalya

JetB · Post by **JetB** » 16 Oct 2004, 17:07

Dear Luchtzak members,

A few weeks ago I book a last minute deal on-line, 8 days to Turkey in a 5 star all inclusive resort. Price ? only 400, not bad !.

Didn't know what airline I would fly since this was a package deal. To be honest I was a little shocked when my tickets arrived. The reason was Onur Air, working at the airport I know how often this company was late this summer. And reading flight reviews on-line made me a little scared.

So anyway, last Wednesday I parked my car at the airport and took the crew bus to the main terminal building. Check-in was just open and the line wasn't to long. Handling agent for Onur Air is Aviapartner and a friendly guy checked me in. Its always nice when you know people at the airport, I booked my emergency exit seats in advance and the seat next to me was blocked, way cool......

Passing the security checkpoint is not something I like to do, expacily if you know that your colleges can search your bags and even search you. Yes these guys are bastards when it comes to colleges going on a trip. Good news, I wasn't stopped and passed the metal detector without a problem.

Gate 32, Onur Air flight to Antalya, aircraft was an Airbus A321. Have to say the AC was in good condition and even inside to me surprise was nice and clean. Crew was very helpfully and friendly. Push-back was even on time, that was a nice surprise !.

English ! oh boy, I know my spelling isn't so good but these turks still have a long way to go. Safety instructions showed both in Turkish and English, didn't understand both !.
A nice word from the captain before we took off, didn't understand what he was saying. I was wondering how these people communicate with the control tower or even Eurocontrol ?.

Flight was only 3.5 hours and was comfortable, 3 times drink service and a cold meal. Chicken and pasta with a sweet and wet Turkish cake. Crew stayed friendly during the flight. Landing in Antalya was soft and on time. So after reading Onur Air horror story's I have to say "wrong", this was a nice company.

My stay in Turkey wasn't so good, I stayed in Kemer, Hotel Art Corinthia. This hotel chain even has a nice hotel in Antwerp. But the one in Kemer is a dump, it was closing in two weeks and management didn't spend money for up keeping anymore. I changed rooms 3 times. Not once did the AC work, and not once was the room clean. Sun Trex, my agent didn't care and after a call didn't even show up. I originally booked a hotel in Alanya and ended up in Kemer, only 3 hours away from the place I booked. I'm going to have a good talk with Sun Trex / Correndon next week, but the only thing I can suggest for now is "think twice before booking Sun Tex / Correndon".

One week later, and it was time to get back to Brussels. Antalya airport is not really a nice place to be. "Security" OH MY GOD ! this word can not be found in a Turkish dictionary. The X-Ray machine looked more like a laundrymachine. Bags and bags pushed in there without any space in between. I was wondering how the operator even could see a thing, and didn't see one bag being opened.

Checking line was extremely long, and staff not friendly. There are some shops at the airport but prices seem to be high.
One gate was used for two flight, one to Germany and the Brussels flight. We had to take the stairs down where we had to take a bus. Problem was finding out witch bus to take, remember these people don't understand English !.

A 15 min bus drive took us to the Onor Air AC, a A321. Friendly crew was waiting and helping everybody to fiend his seat. Same story all over, we left on time, didn't understand the Turkish / English safety instructions and didn't understand the captain. But it was a smooth flight, same meal, chicken and pasta and again a clean and nice looking A321 (believe it was an old Air Inter one).

To conclude, Turkey is a nice and friendly country, but defiantly not ready to join the EU. Onur Air is a nice airline that only serves one dish (cold chicken and pasta).
And run away from Sun Trex and Correndon, these company's are only interested in your money and don't care about your vacation.

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 16 Oct 2004, 17:55

i'm sorry your holiday turned into a disaster, but i heard before that the touroperator you mention are a big dissapointment

MKAirlines · Post by **MKAirlines** » 16 Oct 2004, 18:07

hello,

its one of the first times i hear somebody is not complaining about Onur Air

except for the meal

Many Thnx for the nice report

Greetings,

Nico

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 16 Oct 2004, 22:51

Thanks for the report Bob.

I'm sorry for you that the hotel wasn't fine, but I'm indeed very surprised to hear that your flights were ok.

Chris

744rules · Post by **744rules** » 16 Oct 2004, 23:09

Onur air crew always seemed very friendly and professional to me

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 17 Oct 2004, 10:07

Thank you for sharing this interesting report

Post by **sn26567** » 17 Oct 2004, 10:12

Thanks for very interesting report, Bob. Being an employee at the airport seems to bring in a lot of advantages: free parking, best seats in the aircraft, etc.

Sorry to hear your vacation was not as good as expected. Did you try to complain via Test-Aankoop/Achats ? They are very good on claims for bad vacations...

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 17 Oct 2004, 11:26

you can always try "klant of koning" on TV1 too...

JetB · Post by **JetB** » 17 Oct 2004, 17:03

I have to give Sun Trex / Correndon the chance to fiend a solution. In my opinion that would be compensation, but who knows....
Maybe if it blows up in my face I go to this TV1 show.

I was watching the Onur Air A300 today

, guess I was lucky to fly the A321 the only decend AC Onur Air has.

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 17 Oct 2004, 17:39

I was watching the Onur Air A300 today, guess I was lucky to fly the A321 the only decend AC Onur Air has.

The A321 that belongs to Onur Air was (I think) a former Aero Lloyd aircraft, a defunct German charterairline (in the end of 2003).
It still had the Trigema colour scheme from Aero Lloyd when the aircraft started service with Onur Air.

When in service with Aero Lloyd:

In service with Onur Air:

AN124 · Post by **AN124** » 17 Oct 2004, 17:49

Thanks for the detailed report.
Good to here some positive response about Onur.

@B744Skipper
The A321 in the Trigema livery is indeed on Ex Aero Loyd one.
Onur Air took over the contract with Trigema, that the reason they are still flying in this livery.

Best Regards,
Yvo

A318 · Post by **A318** » 21 Oct 2004, 21:51

BobClaes wrote: I was watching the Onur Air A300 today , guess I was lucky to fly the A321 the only decend AC Onur Air has.

Hey Bob, I guess so too

Serious, Onur and Fly Air are frequent visitors in EIN but they always come with the most awful A300's flying around

That's why I am a little surprised with your comment about correndon since they always fly in EIN with brand new? boeings, they look pretty good to me but ofcourse a real LCC like RYR.
Hope you enjoyed your time off anyway.

Greetz,

Erwin