Just a quick update on the flights to Turkey situation. This week Turkish Airlines have announced they will operate a daily service between Istanbul and London Gatwick from 20th December 2011, this is in addition to their regular Heathrow service.
Given the hideous prices and stingy baggage allowances that are blighting charter flights the scheduled flights are starting to look a lot more attractive lately and although they often involve a change the hub airports they use are often attractive places to spend a few hours with some excellent shopping opportunities 🙂 I know someone who flies via Munich just so he can buy Gucci shoes duty free!
I’m particularly talking about flights from Izmir’s Adnan Menderes Airport (code ADB) which covers the northern Aegean area including Kusadasi and Selcuk, the Cesme Peninsula and those pretty places north of Izmir around Eski Foca.
Those further south will use Bodrum (yuck!) or Dalaman airports (you’ll need to sell a kidney before you buy a coffee there! It makes Bodrum look cheap).
Izmir airport is 18km south of the city and 80km from us here in Kirazli. It is a very pleasant airport; uncrowded, spacious, and new, with reasonable prices and good transport links. Compared to the charter hell hole which is Bodrum/Milas airport it is on a different planet.
Izmir to UK Winter 2011/12
Turkish Airlines – via Istanbul – to Heathrow and Gatwick (from 20th December 2011) several times daily and Stanstead a couple of times a week. – Turkish Airlines – book online
Lufthansa – via Munich – several flights every day to Heathrow – Lufthansa – book online
Pegasus Airlines – Direct from Izmir to Stanstead on a Thursday and Saturday, via Istanbul every other day – Pegasus – Book online
All have online booking and the prices this winter are reasonable. Lufthansa is coming out cheapest on my searches for December and January 2012 but Pegasus isn’t too far behind them, Turkish Airlines does tend to be a bit more expensive.
Internal Flights Turkey
If you can get a cheap flight into Istanbul then an internal flight down the coast is normally reasonably priced and the schedule is regular. The buses in Turkey are really cheap but the internal flights aren’t extortionate. All these carriers provide internal flights in Turkey and have online booking in English.
Atlas Jet – Atlas Jet – Book online
Pegasus (again) – Pegasus – Book online
Turkish Airlines (again) – Turkish Airlines – Book online
So, no excuses for a Winter Break in Turkey! Anyone thinking of maybe possibly broaching the subject with their other half has plenty of options for planning an escape from a gloomy UK. We may not be offering sunbathing weather but that deep blue sky, it’s so beautiful in winter.
I managed to book a return flight last week with Turkish Airlines from Bodrum (via Istanbul) to Heathrow(my preferred airport) for 27th December. I had been looking at Pegasus as I have used them recently and even though they go to Stanstead which is inconvenient it had been worth it on cost. However, on this occasion Turkish Airlines were cheaper by around 60 pounds, and that’s not including the extra one pays for food/drinks etc with Pegasus. It’s a shame if Pegasus are set on pricing themselves out of the market.
I agree about Bodrum airport (yuk) but as it’s only 10 minutes up the road from us it’s convenient, although Izmir is much nicer.
Pegasus started well on the old KTHY route but they are now getting pricey. I do miss KTHY, they were so generous on baggage and turned a blind eye to excess kilos. Makes me feel a bit guilty, the amount of excess baggage they let me get away with over the years probably caused their financial meltdown!
I gave up on the charter airlines years ago, after my first knee replacement – the seat pitch is just too small for a tall person and I object to having to pay extra for a modicum of comfort.
I usually travel with Lufthansa from Izmir as I have found them to be consistantly cheaper than Turkish Airlines. Although Izmir is further from Datca than Dalaman I can get a direct bus, and the airport is infinitely better than the hell-hole that is Dalaman!
With 20 kilos luggage allowance, comfortable seat, in-flight meal and alcohol all included it’s still cheaper than the charters if you book well in advance! The stop in Munich breaks up a boring 4 hour journey, and the terminal, though large, is easily negotiated.
I really do dislike the charter airlines, it feels like they think they are doing you a favour by transporting you at lousy times in hideous planes to crummy airports and they try and flog you extras all through the flight – no, I don’t want one of your bloody scratch cards! Personally I think they are trying to be as unappealing as possible to “flight only” customers and are marketing towards the All Inclusive customer.
Lufthansa are offering really good prices at the moment and their schedule into the UK from Izmir has a lot of choice. They would be my first choice now BA has stopped the route (grrr).
Karen
. . just had a reasonably decent return with EasyJet – but then it was only at 10% capacity. Still kept coming round with the scratch-cards and teddy bears, though!
Thanks for these Karen. I still have not booked my flight ticket so they will come in handy when searching. Agree with you that Izmir is ten times better than Dalaman or Bodrum. I am quite happy to head in that direction and go via Istanbul.
I was sat the other day remembering flight ticket prices from years gone by! Oh they were the days 🙂