Review - The Bodrum Edition. Review - The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul. Review - Amanjena. Turkish Airlines serves more destinations than any other airline in the world, so I was not surprised to find this direct link between Istanbul and Marrakech. Our flight was operated by a B Max 8 aircraft with standard recliner seats, while the flight to Casablanca was operated by a BER with lie-flat seats.
We were dropped off at the separate entrance for priority passengers. It also reminds me of the Queen Alia Airport in Amman. The entrance led you straight to the priority check-in counters. The check-in area was rather basic, with some seating on one side. For most premium check-in facilities, the real value-add is the time-saving. Istanbul is a very busy airport, so this perk should be quite valuable to those who have it. There are certain aspects of airlines that become synonymous with that airline.
Let me give you a few examples. The showers on the As, right? When you think of KLM, you think of the Delft blue houses. And when you think of Spirit, you think of fake Louis Vuitton duffle bags and drunk people fighting. At the entrance, you were met with this memorial-esque wall with the Turkish Airlines logo prominently lit. The automated turnstiles added to the futuristic vibe. Just like in the old lounge, there was a substantial amount of clear lockers near the entrance,.
But beware that Istanbul is a pretty banked hub, so the crowd ebbs and flows. Plenty of seating arrangements were present given the sheer size of this lounge.
I thought the lounge was an enhancement over the already fantastic old lounge. Our bird felt spanking new to me, but it could have been in storage for the past however many years. To give you a sense of how generous the recline was, I could not have a drink without spilling when reclined all the way back.
