Turkish Airlines - Review my flight from Hanoi to Barcelona

Prior to my trip to Europe, I chose Turkish Airlines. The airline, along with Emirates, Etihad is one of the largest regional airlines in the Middle East and the world.

I booked Noi Bai - Barcelona Airport - El Prat (BCN) both ways transit twice through Ho Chi Minh City and Istanbul total time for the afternoon is 20 hours in the afternoon is 24 hours (transit in Ho Chi Minh City Chi Minh is 6 hours), terrible for long time on the plane.

But the most regrettable thing is that I do not know about a free sightseeing around Istanbul that Istanbul Airways arranges for passengers if I have transit time here more than 24 hours, otherwise I chose to fly like that.

Outbound: Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh - Istanbul - Barcelona Airport - El Prat

Round trip: Barcelona Airport - El Prat - Istanbul - Ho Chi Minh - Hanoi

Step up to the Boeing 777, a little shocked because the first time the plane is so big, service is quite good. The impression is probably the food because the team of young beautiful hostesses serve too thoughtful and for guests to eat without rest, the drink can call more comfortable. On the plane is full facilities, full multimedia system so that I can watch movies all the way to kill time. There are also virtual systems like me sitting in the cockpit and observing the flight path and everything on the nine clouds.

The first leg I transit in Ho Chi Minh City, not off the plane but sit waiting three hours after the next flight. Next stop at Istanbul International Airport in Turkey at 12pm, I moved into the transit area for a flight to Barcelona at 1:40 am. The Middle East is comprised of Qatar and Dubai, and Istanbul is planned as an air hub for the world's transport. It builds Istanbul Airport as a miniature world, goods or services. there is also.

About fares

Usually when I find a cheap ticket I always go to the website of that airline hunting, like with Turkish Airlines. Ticket prices of Turishairlines to Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City at 3 million VND / pm, also go to Europe for Hanoi - Barcelona if buy near the day (from 1 month to 15 days) cost about $ 800- $ 1000 round trip. The price is the same or cheaper than Vietnam Airlines, but VNA usually flies straight and Turishairlines must transit twice in Ho Chi Minh City and Istanbul.

Tips to save when buying from Turish Airlines is that you can hunt cheap tickets through Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, then from these cities fly to Europe, the price may be less than 2-3 million VND (100 usd) there.

Sometimes there are cheap tickets you need to follow their email so that when the tickets are cheap they will inform you. There are times where the price for a trip Hanoi - Paris round trip is 350 to 400 EUR, super cheap to the imagination right?

Check-in issues

Since I am a photographer, wherever I go, I also have loads of equipment, the total weight of the gear and the tripod is 6-7kg. Although Turkish Airlines allows for a maximum of 30kg / pass, I still want to carry everything, so I was very nervous when carrying luggage with all sorts of clothes (European 3 still quite cold, outdoor temperature is always around 10 degrees Celsius, weight is over 10 kg. But surprise is that Turkish Airlines is very easy for check-in baggage luggage, ground staff have no idea, many people carrying armpits carrying a lot of bags, suitcase is still the same. It is true that five-star airlines, customer service is always placed on the top.

Remember to check in at your home to avoid airport check-in. They also allow you to choose your own seat, ie you do not have to pay if you want to choose seats near the window, or seats near the wing... Ai check-in early seat selection is fine seat.

Transit in Istanbul

In the case of Hanoi-Barcelona flight I will have 2-3 transit stages, the first leg of the check-in staff have printed all the tickets already. So at each transit station I do not have to check-in or print tickets anymore but just go to the transit area and wait for the plane. In addition, checked baggage will automatically transfer to your next destination, but you do not have to pick up your luggage and check in again.

Airplane facilities

In line with the standard of a five-star airline, the routes I fly are with the larger Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s. The aircraft are very wide with passenger compartment of 3 rows of comfortable seats, different from crowded crowds when traveling on A320s A320s, JetAsia or AirAsia. I have to bring up a few suitcases according to the person is enough space.

The passenger compartment is divided into several chambers, of course the first class is separate, but the other compartments are also separated by a curtain-drawn door. Seat is comfortable with multimedia system including movies of all genres, music or video games. Game handles are used to make phone calls and you only need to pay to be able to make calls to the ground at any time. It is because of this convenience that flying a few dozen hours also help, watching movies to kill time is okay.

On long flights, each person is provided with a set of personal hygiene products (brushing their teeth), eye shields for sleeping and thin blankets, and leggings. This one they free and if anyone wants to take the guy at the airport they do not say anything. This is noteworthy because with Europe's dusty shady people sleeping at the airport, having a thin Turkish Airlines blanket is very useful.

Crew

In general, the young hostesses are beautiful, well-educated and come from all the different countries. The quality of the service is impeccable because they are always smiling and serving thoughtfully. At the time of the meal, the hostess gently came to the table and said one by one what he wanted to eat. With a short flight like Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City although the principle is not distributed blanket but when I asked the hostess still give me a blanket and said that my priority only ^^!

Food on the plane

As many flights from Hanoi to Barcelona, and each turn is long (about 8 hours), so the menu on the plane is also very diverse. With a short stroll like Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City, there are light meals including breads, dairy and juice. As long as Ho Chi Minh City - Istanbul, Istanbul - Barcelona meal is also more splendid and has a lot of options. They serve menus according to the preferences, culture or religious beliefs of passengers such as Hindus, Muslims or Indians.

Of course I eat only Western food, usually the hostess comes and asks for the main item is chicken or cows. But whether it is full of starch ingredients (rice or mashed potatoes), protein (meat), vegetables, desserts (pastries, dairy) and fruit juices. If you need a meal that suits your own conditions, they have menus such as Low-Calorie Meal, Low-Salt / Sodium Meal, or Low. Cholesterol (Low Cholesterol)...

Food is generally good call, they eat a lot of meals on a long flight but if hungry is just add food. Fruit juice or purified water, too, anyone who needs some wine is available.

General assessment

In addition to all these amenities, to deserve the title of Turkish national airline, Turkish Airlines has many other services to satisfy tourists. If you miss a flight or any complaints, you can reflect with the staff and they will compensate you well. Many missed departures are reimbursed by additional services such as free flight transfer, stay in luxury hotels during the waiting period,..

If anyone chooses a flight that transits in Istanbul for a long time can register a tour around Istanbul by Turkish Airlines, obviously you have to pay extra evisa fee.

Flying with TurishAirlines with me is absolutely gratifying and pleasant, only a small note is that some of the aircraft also used a long time ago, quite old, the place to charge the phone on the seat many times when not active. But generally speaking, it's not a big deal because every problem they're thinking of is a benefit to the customer first.

On my last flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, I arrived at the airport quite late and was entangled in customs procedures for too long.

Do not understand why I have gone through dozens of airports where nothing to be asked but when I come back to my Vietnam they see something in my Backpack and search everything in my Backpacko to find. Finally, it turned out to be a two-finger, multi-functional, steel-only tool. So I'm late for the 15 'flight (the flight time is always 30' before the takeoff time), just run and hear the staff Turkish Airlines they call me: "Hanoi, Hanoi is not it?! "

And I was the last passenger to step up on that flight.