Brussels-Ankara on Turkish Airlines

BBKing · Post by **BBKing** » 11 Apr 2005, 17:14

On April 2, 2005 I made a BRU-ANK flight on board of a B737-800 of Turkish Airlines.

I arrived about 2 hours before scheduled departure time at Zaventem Airport. I could immediately check in. I asked for a window seat. The charming lady at the check in gave me a seat on the exit row (12A).

The flight was scheduled to take off at 18.25 u., but was delayed. Boarding started finally at 18.30 u. via gate B8. The B737-800 was registered TC-JFC.

Push back was at 18.46 u. and was followed by a short taxi to runway 20. Take off roll started at 18.54 u.

Shortly after take off a little snack (nuts) was offered together with (for me) a coke.

At the start of the flight the screens showed a moving map, and some flight information (both in Turkish and in English). After about 30 minutes a movie (Ocean's twelve) started. Headphones allowed to get the sound of the movie (in Turkish or in English) or some music channels.

The captain gave a short speech which was actually not to understand (not the Turkish, nor the English version).

After an hour dinner was served. Choice had to be made between corned beef or pasta. The latter turned out to be a great green tagliatelli with tomato sauce and olives. A little fresh and very tasteful salad and a little bread completed the meal. I drunk some red wine (alcohols were free on board !!).

Normally I don't like airplane food, but this was the best I ever got on board of an airliner. Very tasteful and really great meal !!

Meanwhile the sun was getting down, which gave a very spectacular and colourful sight outside. I really enjoyed.

The flight was uneventful. After the movie had ended, the moving map and the flight information was again showed.

At 21.47 u. Belgian Time (22.47 u. Turkish Time) the descend started. Shortly before landing we flew over Ankara city, which gave a great sight.

At 22.25/23.25 u. the pilot landed the airplane (quiet hard actually) at runway 03 and immediately started full and very hard reverse and braking. While taxiing in to the apron, the reason for this hard braking showed ... there was snow on Ankara Airport !!

We were parked aside a Dutch Air Force KCD-10 (T-264), and taken to the terminal with busses. The terminal turned out to be very small and old. Ankara might be the capital of Turkey, but it has an airport which is even smaller then Antwerp Airport.

At April 9, 2005 I had my flight back. The plane was again TC-JFC. Seat 24 A was mine.

Push back was at 14.40 local time, and line up followed by a rolling take off from runway 21 at 14.50 u. local time.

The flight was from the beginning very bumpy, although the sky was very clear. After about 30-40 minutes we had a great sight at the coast of the Black Sea north of Istanbul.

Above Bulgaria clouds came in, and after some minutes we lost all sight at the earth.

Dinner was served after again ± 1 hour in flight. Again choice between meat and pasta, and again I took the pasta. And again it was a very tasteful and very good meal: spirelli's with tomota sauce and olives, a fresh salad and a little bread. I took a coke to drink.

The flight was so bumpy that at a certain moment I spilled a spoon full of pasta on my clothes. The fasten seatbelts sign were turned on again and stayed on for most of the rest of the flight.

Again a movie on the screens. Don't know which one. When it was finished again the moving map appeared.

About 40 minutes before landing the clouds broke and right beneath us we could see Frankfurt. We started the descent, and the already very turbulent flight got even worse.

We entered Belgium and were in the clouds again immediately. Only some miles out on final, and at about 3000 feet we would break through the clouds and see mother earth again.

At 17.23 u. local time we landed runway 25L at Brussels Airport. At short final the pilot really had to work to keep the airplane on track. The landing was again really hard. As soon as the plane was on the ground, people started applauding ...

I couldn't see the gate number at which we were parked, but it was a very long walk to the customs and the luggage reclaim.

It was my first experience with Turkish Airlines, and it turned out to be my best flight experience ever. The flight back was bumpy, but one can hardly blame Turkish Airlines for that.

The inflight service was really great. Very good meals, free alcoholics, movies, about 10 music channels, .... great job Turkish Airlines!!

Post by **speedbird1** » 11 Apr 2005, 17:22

Thank you for that great airline experience report. Very interesting, I didn't know what Turkish Airlines where like.

Emirates

Post by **sn26567** » 11 Apr 2005, 17:55

Thanks for excellent report. I knew already tat Turkish had great food: I had the pleasure to fly GVA-IST and back on a 734 a few years ago. But at that time tere were no movies or even screens. I also had a great flight, but you even had a greater one.

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 11 Apr 2005, 19:36

Thanks for sharing this very nice report, it seems that Turkish Airlines is very good.

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 11 Apr 2005, 19:37

thank you for sharing this very nice trip report!!!

Humberside · Post by **Humberside** » 11 Apr 2005, 21:03

Great report

Air_Lac · Post by **Air_Lac** » 11 Apr 2005, 21:12

Very nice report indeed. I fully share the positive experience with THY, although mine lies over ten years back.

They have made a termenduous effort and have come a long way, as in 1977 I flew with them as well on the route GVA-IST-GVA and this was one of the most dreadful experience...unfriendly crew, disgusting food (chicken tasting like soap), no soft drinks, dirty cabin etc. Then it was still a DC-9-32.

Air_Lac

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 11 Apr 2005, 21:20

Thanks for the very nice report. It's good to know that Turkish is playing a movie for a such a flight and offering you a choice of musci channels.

Chris

BBKing · Post by **BBKing** » 14 Apr 2005, 11:08

By the way ... I remember a posting of Bart stating that he would fly to Istanbul on 2/4 and return at about 17.15 u.

I think I saw the arrival of his plane while waiting at the gate for departure ...

Bart?

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 14 Apr 2005, 11:52

That was a really interesting report, I had never read about Turkish Airlines before. The food on board did indeed sound very good, and is just the sort of stuff I would have liked. I think the moving maps add alot of interest to the flight (certainly for me) and more aircraft should have them. One of the A319 flights I went on with SNBA showed a moving map (BHX-BRU) but when I flew on the same aircraft MAN-BRU there was no map display

BBKing · Post by **BBKing** » 14 Apr 2005, 12:44

Yeah ... moving maps and flight information are really great, especially when you're an aircraft enthusiast.

The maps where shown in three versions by rotation: general European map, a map showing about 300 km and a map showing in detail the position of the plane.

chete · Post by **chete** » 23 May 2005, 10:39

Not all but many of Turkish Airlines aircraft are comforted with LCD info-screens. However, my experience with several airliners suggests that the real plus of Turkish Airlines is the helpful crew and the excellent food-beverage on board.

As for the pilots, well, some of them are not as hearable as the others.

(forgot to add, this report brought me to this site. Nice report. Hello world!)

Post by **sn26567** » 23 May 2005, 13:24

chete wrote:(forgot to add, this report brought me to this site. Nice report. Hello world!)

Welcome to Luchtzak, chete. Enjoy your trip with us!

chete · Post by **chete** » 15 Jun 2005, 09:33

thank you sn26567,

dank u well. (it's supposed to be flemish, with typos.

)