TRY: Istanbul Airport
1 Terminal Street, Istanbul, Turkey
The year 2022 saw me stepping my feet on the new Istanbul Airport for the first time, about 4 years after its inauguration. I mentioned in my previous post on Azerbaijan Airlines J2 76 that I'd save the post on the airport till later, but little did I know I'd lost all my photos. Such a pity, but anyway I can still briefly write about it, thanks to my BFF for sharing his with me.
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After collecting our luggage, we went straight to the dedicated Business Class check-in section to get three boarding passes each that'd bring us home the long way.
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| The airport is home to both YOTEL (Landside) and YOTELAIR (Airside). |
Built in response to the major overcrowding issue at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, the new airport is located in the Arnavutkoy district on the European side of the city. In 2022, the latter served more than 64 million passengers, making it the busiest airport in Europe. It's a proud owner of the title of 5* Airport rated by Skytrax.
I love the design of the vaulted ceiling, inspired by the country's architectural heritage as seen in many of its mosques, that allows natural light to come in.
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| The openings on the ceiling look like crescent moons from certain angles. |
Covering a total area of 7,600 hectares, the airport has one terminal to serve both international and domestic flights. There are five runways - three main and two backups - that are in operation at the point of writing. Once fully completed by 2027, it'll have six sets of runways to accommodate a total annual passenger capacity of up to 150 million passengers.
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| The three photos here were taken by me in early 2023. Stay tuned to the posts on that trip! |
With a plethora of shops and eateries spread throughout the terminal,
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| Spoilt for choice with the plethora of shops and eateries spread throughout the terminal! |
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| Omur Akkor wears two hats, that of a chef and a food historian. |
If you're an international transfer passenger of Turkish Airlines with a long connection not exceeding 24 hours, you may want to consider signing up for one of the free tours. If time doesn't allow you to visit one of the bazaars in the city, you may want to check out the colourful Old Bazaar shop at the airport.
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| I miss seeing autumn foliage~ |
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| Turkish sweets from the renowned Karakoy Gulluoglu, anyone? They're much more expensive at the airport though. |
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| Besides cats, one can see lots of dogs as well in Istanbul. |
Let's check out one of the duty free shops!
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| I wonder if I can find an Aladdin lamp there. |
I believe the following two photos were taken from the flagship Turkish Airlines Lounge located on the upper floor.
The boarding gates are located on the lower floor.
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| There are a total of 143 passenger boarding bridges at the airport. |
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| The sleep pods cost €15.00 (~S$22.25) per hour from 7am to 6.59pm, and €20.00 (~S$29.65) per hour from 7pm to 6.59am. |
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| Turkish Airlines prides itself in one that flies to more countries than any others. |
Need a free buggy ride?
Last but not least, that was my first time seeing a Kosher vending machine. Talk about inclusivity!
The next post shall feature the flagship Turkish Airlines Lounge. Watch this space!
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