Flying with Turkish Airlines from UK to Ercan, North Cyprus

Rosa7


Joined: 23/11/2010
Posts: 27

Message Posted:
15/03/2011 03:06

Has anyone flown from London...probably Heathrow...to Ercan, on Turkish Airlines?

This flight involves landing and changing planes in a Turkish airport.

If you have, what is the proceedure at the Turkish airport? Is it easy?

Do you automatically get directed to an "In transit" area?

Is your baggage automatically put on the new plane?

I've always flown with an airline where we stay on the plane in Turkey, and am a little worried about this change if I have to book with Turkish Airlines.

I need a return flight in mid November, and there are none available with Pegasus yet.

Anyone know when the Pegasus winter timetable will be available to book on?

Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
15/03/2011 03:57

Did it a few days ago from LHR and very easy. Check-in luggage at London through to Ercan with a three hour wait in Istanbul. Follow the transit signs on arrival at Ataturk airport with passport & onward boarding card to be shown (two are issued at Heathrow). Look at my last post with reference to transit at Ataturk airport.



Richard

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
15/03/2011 05:14

probably find its cheaper, easier nd quicker to fly to larnaca and get a taxi from the airport to where you are staying in the north...............

roblyn


Joined: 21/11/2008
Posts: 144

Message Posted:
15/03/2011 12:04

Have flown from Manchester to Ercan with T/Airlines. Landed at Istanbul.I hour before second flight to continue to Ercan.

All luggage transfers completed by airline.Only necessary for you to get yourself to the departure gate for your second flight. Not difficult just follow the signs.

Great to have your luggage arrive with you but my concern was not for my luggage I was travelling with my DOG.

Frantic with worry!!! T/Airline staff were brilliant from before we boarded at Manchester to when we had to reboard at Istanbul for Ercan.

My dog arrived safely on the carousel at Ercan airport ( with the luggage).Alert and delighted to see so many people there to greet her.

Worth the extra for the service and comfort they provide

greenman


Joined: 16/02/2008
Posts: 526

Message Posted:
15/03/2011 12:32

Don't know if anyone else has had problems with delays when using Turkish airlines. Trouble is that if the UK outbound flight is delayed then you can miss the connecting flight to Ercan. This has happened to me on my last two flights and involved a sleepover in the airport (hotels are offered, but that involves exiting the transit lounge and buying a visa) It's a shame as I do like the comfort and service on the TA aircraft, but for me it's Larnaca as a first choice.

tonyf


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 153

Message Posted:
15/03/2011 12:37

Used Turkish from Manchester to Ercan on quite a few occasions. Very reliable no delays excellent leg room and aircraft transfer in Istanbul easy peasey. Shame it is now getting quite expensive, used to cost me about £230 each return with 25kgs bags and no seat reservation fees etc etc.

briggus


Joined: 25/07/2007
Posts: 161

Message Posted:
15/03/2011 14:46

Yes our fight from Manchester last May/JuneSeptember was delayed, arrived in Istanbul late and even though we legged it across the airport the Ercan plane was still there - we were not allowed to board - I suppose it would have meant our luggage arrived after us. Fotrunately there was a later plane that evening so we had only a 3/4 hour wait.

Coming back was another story after a stop over for a couple of days in Istanbul - our flight was cancelled (even though the allowed an Heathrow flight to depart) due to the volcanic ash. They wanted us to take a later flight to Heathrow - that arrived late Sunday evening and expected us to find our own way to Manchester - to pick up our vehicle. We refused and luckily there was a flight the next day. I have found the cabin staff on the flights to be very good - but the groundstaff communication leaves a little to be desired.

Glasbury


Joined: 13/08/2010
Posts: 268

Message Posted:
15/03/2011 19:25

I have flown from Manchester with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul and like previous posters the flight from Manchester was delayed so we missed the connection. Had to wait a few hours for the next flight. No problems with baggage - that was transferred onto the connecting flight. Flight was fine apart from that but it made for a very long journey.

Rosa7


Joined: 23/11/2010
Posts: 27

Message Posted:
16/03/2011 01:23

Thank you to everyone for all the helpful info. Sounds like I may be able to manage it if I have to go with Turkish airlines.

reverend


Joined: 19/03/2011
Posts: 4

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 10:49

Hi all,



Can I ask, how does one book this flight? If I go to http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-UK/ I can see frm the flight map that they have flights to Ercan. However, I cannot select that destination from their online flight booker if i choose either London or Istanbul as my departure airport !



Thanks



rev

Sideways



Joined: 21/01/2009
Posts: 529

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 11:22

I flew with Turkish a few days ago, no problem. At least you get a choice of food and drink plus a film.

You can book with "Lastminute.com" or "Vayama". I paid £194 which was a lot cheaper than the other airlines.



Pete

arrry



Joined: 19/08/2008
Posts: 1235

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 11:49

Message 10.......where it says where you want to go type in Lefkosa and that will automatically change it to Ercan. More expensive than Pegasus though.

greenman


Joined: 16/02/2008
Posts: 526

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 13:56

Message 10: Chooses North Cyprus then it will change to Lefkosa in the destination box.

reverend


Joined: 19/03/2011
Posts: 4

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 20:39

Thanks so much arrry and greenman !

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 20:46

With Turkish airlines, you need to change planes, yes they do automatically load you luggage onto your transit flight but there are always risks, with plane changes. e.g: loading your bag onto a wrong plane, or not seeing the bg that is supposed to be loaded on to another flight. Plus, if your first flight has a delay it may affect your transit flight too as you may miss it. These are the risks.

Try Onur airlines, they have started selling tickets to NC.

climakool


Joined: 09/11/2008
Posts: 190

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 21:19

done it once and would never do it again - now fly to larnaca so much better

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 22:08

For the hassle of the wait at Istanbul, the superior flying service & expense offered by THY is well worth it. If the plane is going to come to a sudden stop against a mountain, I'd rather go down in luxury than in a tin-pan, cheap cowboy operating outfit!



Richard

paddywack


Joined: 04/05/2009
Posts: 959

Message Posted:
19/03/2011 22:45

Fly Dublin --Ercan all the time,never a problem.

Rosa7


Joined: 23/11/2010
Posts: 27

Message Posted:
21/03/2011 02:26

Msg 15...oceana......I've looked at Onur airlines website, but no UK flights in the search boxes. Does anywhere else do their bookings...where maybe the UK flights are available?

begonia


Joined: 19/05/2009
Posts: 229

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 15:29

I have flown London to Ercan. No problems at all and only a short wait in Istanbul. I thought they were going via Ankara now.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 16:26

Rosina Msg 19 - Theer are Onur flights due from the UK but they can only be bought as part of a package one to three weeks - if you want one priced please ask off board.



Tom

info@flightholiday.co.uk

eastendjoker


Joined: 24/04/2008
Posts: 166

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 16:39

via Ankara from stansted mon-fri but we had our outward sat flight altered to heathrow advantage to to this is 20.00 arrival .

Zoots


Joined: 05/02/2011
Posts: 669

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 16:44

For info, Thomas Cook return flights UK to Paphos have been selling for £100. Hire a car in the south and you have freedom to tour the whole island.

TheSaints



Joined: 28/01/2009
Posts: 1369

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 16:51

We always use TA and have the change of flight at Istanbul and have never had any problems either when using TA from the UK, Paris or Moscow.

For us it is the only way to fly to the TRNC if we wanted to fly to the South we would have bought in the South.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 17:16

Mike & Vinera Msg 24 - I agree with what you say -but due to demand we also sell Pegasus probably "CTA2" (the new airline) and flights to the South too.

Rosa7


Joined: 23/11/2010
Posts: 27

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 21:40

Tom...msg 21.......Afraid package flights no good to me, as I book accomodation privately in an apartment and usually stay for a month.....Thanks anyway.

paddywack


Joined: 04/05/2009
Posts: 959

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 23:29

Msg 23

Well said, totally agree.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
22/03/2011 23:36

Rosina Msg 26 - how aboutt Pegasus, Turkish or maybe CTA2 when it finaly comes about?

Contact me and we can try to help.

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
28/03/2011 23:56

Hi Rosa



I will let you know tommorrow x

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
29/03/2011 00:15

Mel Msg 29 - if you are answering Msg 19 its been done on Msg 21 - if not sorry and I will go away

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
29/03/2011 00:22

Yes I was answering msg 19, but the one I was going to say is also package but I dont think Rosa wants package after reading msg 26.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
29/03/2011 01:45

Rosa Msg 26 - we are happy to supply independant scheduled service flights. Email or call us for help.