International Airline Transportation - Turkey...

airports with direct international flights and Bodrum, Canakkale, Denizli, Kayseri, Nevsehir, Trabzon, Adana, Gaziantep, Samsun with domestic flights through Istanbul are all reachable with airplanes. The Turkish Airlines is the main Airline Company that has access to many points in the world. The Company is one of the best airline companies in the world with strategic partnerships of American Airlines. Additional to Turkish Airlines there are some other private airline companies flying between Turkey and European cities (Germany,The Netherlands...) as Fly air, Atlas air , Onur Airlines... Istanbul has been choosen by some European airline companies as the stop over and transfer port because of its well orginised airport and infrastructure. Most airline companies do have access to Turkey (Mainly Istanbul).

Direct International Traffic receiving Airports

Procedures in Airports (International Terminals)

Click for Domestic Terminals

Arrival Terminal: After the plane arrives the groud you will either walk through the exit pipe to reach the arrival terminal or picked up by a bus in front of the plane. When you enter the building you should follow the exit or passport control sign boards unless you are a transit passenger (Transit passengers should follow the instructions of airline staff where to go). Incase you have already arranged a visa in your passport or are a citizen of a country that Turkey does not asks for a visa to come in, just proceed to the passport control desks. In case you are a citizen of a country that the Turkish custom issues a visa on site proceed to the visa desk to buy for stamp before the passport control. At the passport control additional to security check from the computers they mainly check your validity of passport and visa. The passport control desks might be seperated for EU and non EU citizens. Click for visa information - Click for visa or customs questions.

After the passport control walk to the lagguage pick up point. You can pick trolleys or rent uniformed carriers for your lagguages. In Istanbul you pay a non-refundable amount for a trolley (1 USD or similar in other currencies). Your plane details will be mentioned on top of the lagguage bant. You could make usage of the duty free shops or banks to change money in the hall. After taking your lagguage walk to the exit. Incase your lagguages are not accured on the lagguage bants you should find the lost and found desk and fill in a report with the help of the lost and found staff. You would need the lagguage numbers sticked to your used flight ticket on your check-in. You should ask your paper copy with the claim, lagguage numbers and telephone numbers of the lost and found and the airline company to follow up in case it is needed. 

After, you would walk through the customs check point but incase you look not suspicious or have specific lagguage, no one would check your belongings. Now you have reached the arrival terminal after the customed area. Incase you are picked up by someone check for a sign. In this area you could find banks, postal services, telephones, toilets(Toilets are located in all passed areas), travel agencies for hotel bookings and rent a car service, and restaurants. When you walk out you would notice the HAVAS airport bus (Green yellow colored)to the city center and the yellow taxis. Welcome to Turkey... 

Departure Terminal : Generally speaking it is adviced to be ready at the airport two hours before the flight for international ones. The check-in desks are closed 40 minutes before the flight time. In case you are later than that, you could not fly. After you enter the international departure terminal, on the entrence you and your lagguages will be checked through x-trays. After this point you should find your airline company's check-in desks. In Istanbul Ataturk airport big information boards mentioning the desk numbers of the airlines or on entering the main building seperated entrence doors according airline companies could be helpfull. When you find your airlines' check in desks just check the correct one seperated as Economy, Group check-in or Bussiness-First Class. Your ticket and passport would be checked. As on this point a seat assignment will be done you should react in case you have a special request. After your lagguages are weighted and taken (You are allowed for one lagguage (20 KG) and one hand bag per person); your passport, your used ticket cover sticked with the lagguages check-in numbers, your boarding passes (Gate number and seat number mentioned on it) and your ticket will be given back. According your flight time you should follow the announcements that would call you to the gate number. You would walk through the passport and hand lagguages x-tray controls to reach the customed area. You could do some shopping or eat something while waiting your call to the gate. To find your gate you can follow the sign boards. Generally there are three calls for each flight and a personal last call, for checked-in persons that does not show up, is made. Every gate has a seperate waiting hall and announcement system. After the gate is ready to board, in some airports, people are called according their seat numbers (for example row 1 to 15 and then row 16 to 25 etc). The check-in cards with your tickets will be collected before entering the gate. You either walk through the pipe or picked up and driven to the plane. Sometimes you are asked to show your lagguages but this is more common on domestic flights. So you have placed your hand lagguage in the area top of your seat and seated in the plane . Wish you a good flight and hope to see you back in Turkey.!

Security in Airports

Overall speaking Turkish airports are very save and the security is always on top level behind the scenes. After the World Trade Center's Terror attact , the flight to Newyork of Turkish airlines from Istanbul was one of the first that United States accepted to take on from Istanbul airport as scheduled. The permission was given after serious security procedures checks and Turkish airport security system was accepted to be on high standards.

The first security control is on the road to the airport complex before entering the buildings. All vehicles are checked and suspected are controlled strictly. Second security fact is the camera system that starts from the front of the terminals and continue allover the complex. When entering the terminal buildings both International and domestic you and your belongings will be checked through x-trays. On departures one more x-tray check point is stated after the passport control point before the gate. Your lagguages are also checked ones more in the back part through x-trays before loading to the plane.

In all terminals there are special quards and policemen 24 hours on duty. Additionally there are custom polices and civilian guards that check security on regular basis.