Flying Turkish Air with archery gear

[Dee S]

I've flown Qatar, Ethiopian, and Delta to Africa with archery gear but I've never flown Turkish Air at all.
Currently, Turkish Air has the cheapest flights out of DFW in late October, early November.

According to the Turkish Air website, they do allow archery equipment as an oversize bag, which is normal and I'm fine with. I've even sent them an email inquiring about there policies for archery equipment in the hopes that I'd have a black and white hardcopy from them when I show up for check in.

What are the experiences you may have had with TA, good or bad, in general regarding your flight experience, from booking, the flights, luggage, etc.?

 

[wesheltonj]

I’ve had a several flights with Turkish. Excellent business class product, but no suite. The lounges in IST is beer and wine only. The food on Turkish is excellent. The food at the lounge is cooked right in front of you. If you can get a long layover, they have an Istanbul tour, or you can get a layover and overnight. The “old town” area is great, food is good and cheap. Airport security it extremely tight. Your car and driver go through security to enter the airport grounds. You go through security to enter the building. Then another security to go the gates and security again at the gates. If you leave make sure you plan accordingly. There are two hotels at the airport one in the ticketing area and another past immigration.

My coach flight was like any other coach flight.

Don’t expect much from ground staff either on the phone or the airport. But service on the plane was very good in business.

 

[Dee S]

Thanks Judge. I appreciate the information on your experiences. Looks like I'll be flying TA for the first time.
Our oldest daughter just moved to Kimberley, South Africa. She's now working for an outfitter over there, but love is what got the ball rolling. Her boyfriend, who I hunted with a couple of years ago, is a PH there. I introduced them the past January after the DSC show and it was nothing but cupid arrows and floating hearts after that.

 

[bowfishoholic]

Thanks Judge. I appreciate the information on your experiences. Looks like I'll be flying TA for the first time.
Our oldest daughter just moved to Kimberley, South Africa. She's now working for an outfitter over there, but love is what got the ball rolling. Her boyfriend, who I hunted with a couple of years ago, is a PH there. I introduced them the past January after the DSC show and it was nothing but cupid arrows and floating hearts after that.

Did you fly Turkish Air? It is one we will be considering next year. We have flown in 2014 with archery equipment. My bow made it back with a couple of broken arrows. We had to go into a secured room and open the cases in Istanbul. I see they go as oversize luggage now and an extra fee. We didn't pay any extra back then. Otherwise we loved Turkish air.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Flew TA about a year ago from DFW to IST. Aircraft was a 787 Dreamliner and b class was very nice. IST is a very nice airport but a long way from downtown.

@bowfishoholic when you had a few “broken arrows,” maybe that set off an alarm. After all, a “broken arrow” is the term the military uses for a lost nuclear weapon. There’s a great line in the movie “Broken Arrow” where someone says “I don’t know what’s scarier, losing a nuclear weapon, or that it happens so often there’s actually a term for it.”

 

[bowfishoholic]

Flew TA about a year ago from DFW to IST. Aircraft was a 787 Dreamliner and b class was very nice. IST is a very nice airport but a long way from downtown.

@bowfishoholic when you had a few “broken arrows,” maybe that set off an alarm. After all, a “broken arrow” is the term the military uses for a lost nuclear weapon. There’s a great line in the movie “Broken Arrow” where someone says “I don’t know what’s scarier, losing a nuclear weapon, or that it happens so often there’s actually a term for it.”

Only time that I had broken arrows. And only luggage ever lost on all.of our trips. Knock on