canadiantree From France, joined Jun 2006, 91 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 839 times:
Hi,
So i'm planning a trip to the Philippines via Hong Kong. Anyone here know TK's comfort class well? How about Finnair's J class? My current options are:
Finnair Y class for 600 euros
TK A (CC) class for 937 out of BUD or 1030 out of VIE
Finnair J class for 1,400 euros
From what I've seen, TK's CC looks amazing. The price is also excellent considering I'd be flying this route in August-September. I'd like to take advantage of the Lounge in Atatturk airport? How to get in without any status? I have a diners club white card with work but I doubt that would get me in. I am an Air Canada Aeroplan member, but no status.
Any tips on who I should fly to Cebu? Cebu Pacific comes to mind.
I'd also like to visit Hong Kong for a day or 2, is it worth it? Is it possible to find a decent 3 star hotel for 50 ish euros a night?
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24875 posts, RR: 60 Reply 1, posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 834 times:
TK Comfort class is excellent value for that price and its a pretty decent prouct. However AY J class for an extra EUR400 Id probably go for AY . Its the better product for not much more when you take into account the distance.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22023 posts, RR: 51 Reply 2, posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 833 times:
Flown TK comfort class 4 times. Its really a great value.
Sure your seats don't recline fully, but its still plenty comfortable and the TK catering and IFE options (including free wifi on growing number 777 aircraft) are good also.
For the lounge at IST, unless if you are Star Gold I don't believe you can access it. However Diners Club membership does offer access to lounges worldwide, just don't know which one(if any) they contract with at IST.
Enjoy your trip.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
TK787 From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 4102 posts, RR: 13 Reply 3, posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 825 times:
I have flown TK Comfort Class 8 times in the last 10 months, actually flying it again tonight.
I really like the quality of the seats, being able to use the J lavs, good food service and great IFE, and if you get it, free wifi. And the best part is, out of all those flights I have only seen the Comfort Class 100% full once, most of the time half full.
Bon Voyage!
canadiantree From France, joined Jun 2006, 91 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 806 times:
Wow thanks for the quick replies
To be fair, the AY business class fare are at 1,700 in August, the ones I found for 1,400 were in November. Also I will be travelling with my wife (honeymoon) so it would be 400 euros x 2 :/
Yes I heard about the elounges for Diners, sadly I don't think there are any in Istanbul.
I didn't realize TK had wifi on their 777. so you can surf the net even while crossing continents? That's amazing!! What's the bandwidth like?
TK lounge in IST is great although can be very over crowded recently at peak times. The other lounges at IST which one can gain access to with Priority Pass etc... are ok but nothing special.
canadiantree From France, joined Jun 2006, 91 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 801 times:
Thanks for the video
So would my comfort class ticket give me access to any lounge in Istanbul? I'm guessing not, The TK lounge looks so cool, I would love to go in just to take pictures.
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24875 posts, RR: 60 Reply 7, posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 799 times:
Quoting canadiantree (Reply 6): So would my comfort class ticket give me access to any lounge in Istanbul? I'm guessing not, The TK lounge looks so cool, I would love to go in just to take pictures.
No sadly it wont . Unless you can think of a way to get Star Gold before you go If you can rack up 20K on A3 it will get you Star Gold . You might want to sign upto A3 anyway and credit your TK flights to it then at least after you will be very close to Star Gold for future trips.
330lover From Belgium, joined Jul 2008, 504 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 793 times:
Quoting canadiantree (Reply 4): I will be travelling with my wife (honeymoon)
As most people travel only once on honeymoon, I'd say go for business on AY. Good reason for a luxury threath!
I'd connect through HEL eacht and every time above IST. Relatively small, comfortable, clear and smooth connections.
Yes, I'd say, go AY!
Britten Norman Islander VP-FBR on Falkland Islands. THAT'S FLYING!
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24875 posts, RR: 60 Reply 10, posted (2 months 1 week 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 793 times:
Quoting canadiantree (Reply 8): Really? What makes A3 so attractive miles wise compared to other Star Alliance Members?
Its very easy to get Gold status if thats the most important thing to you. They are not the best when it comes to redemptions but you cant have everything
SandroZRH From Switzerland, joined Feb 2007, 3382 posts, RR: 51 Reply 11, posted (2 months 1 week 6 hours ago) and read 690 times:
Just flown TK (albeit in J) to BKK, and while their inflight product is good, the crew was among the worst ive ever had (which rellay let the whole product down). Also, the product on the ground was pretty poor, and IST is a dump.
I'd definatly go for AY J for an extra 400€, you will get much better value for money.
aerorobnz From Rwanda, joined Feb 2001, 6320 posts, RR: 14 Reply 12, posted (2 months 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 683 times:
I have flown comfort class on TK several trips. I flew HKG-IST, HKG-IST-GRU-EZE and it really is a quality product. For the price it is amazing value, and the Gold Lounge in IST is excellent. It certainly was a pleasant plus to spend 3-4h - They even have flight radar on the wall via projector....
The crew can be a little hit or miss (as with any airline I have ever flown) but I'd certainly fly them again given the opportunity
Quoting OA260 (Reply 10): Its very easy to get Gold status if thats the most important thing to you
extra luggage, lounge access and priority tags on the bags - It's the stuff that makes flying a lot good. A3 is good for those years you don't fly as much but still want the perks.
Quoting 330lover (Reply 9): I'd connect through HEL eacht and every time above IST. Relatively small, comfortable, clear and smooth connections
What is so difficult about IST?? The signage is clear, the gate lounges are ok and I have been to many other airports that I didn't like more.
mercure1 From French Polynesia, joined Jul 2008, 604 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (2 months 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 683 times:
I also agree that TK comfort class product is excellent value. For routes I have flown it was often only a few hundred more € compared to cheaper discount fares.
In maybe 10-times in IST in last 4-5 years, I simply do not understand this comment.
The international terminal is still quite new (only 13-years old), has lots of shopping and dining options, plus the new TK lounge is amazing. (the old one was good also)
The only annoyance is maybe the lines at passport control, but for a transit passenger this is not an issue.
canadiantree From France, joined Jun 2006, 91 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (2 months 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 674 times:
Thanks guys.
I'm seeing some J fares with Finnair for 1273 euros but its out of BUD and inbound to AMS so I'd have to buy an other flight to get home to VIE. Also the dates aren't my preferred ones as opposed to TK.
I guess my only concern is paying 4oo euros extra per person for just a wider seat? Is it actually possible to sleep on a seat that doesn't recline fully, say for 4-5 hours nonstop?
The food definitely looks great and, from what I've seen has nothing to envy to Finnair's J class product. Also I absolutely love middle eastern food.
I am wondering, how the heck to airlines price their tickets? For the same dates here is what I found
Vienna- Hong Kong return: 1030 euros
BUD-HKG return: 933 euros
BRU-HKG return: 912 euros
CDG-HKG return, 1400 euros
etc etc. I guess it's all about demand? Not actual distance?
Do you guys have special tactics to predict when a fare is going to increase? I'm 75% decided on TK but still hesitant (plus my fiancee is still waiting for travel approvals).
I'd be flying from Aug 7th to Sept 3.
Thanks a million for all the comments everyone, the information supplied here is a gold mine!
aerorobnz From Rwanda, joined Feb 2001, 6320 posts, RR: 14 Reply 15, posted (2 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 650 times:
Quoting canadiantree (Reply 14): Is it actually possible to sleep on a seat that doesn't recline fully, say for 4-5 hours nonstop?
I flew HKG-IST-GRU-EZE nonstop in Comfort and I slept just fine in a window seat for about that long. In fact I slept about as much as I did in Business Class HKG-AKL on NZ lie flat beds. To put it another way, the extra money you save over Finnair you can spend on a nicer standard of hotel in HKG.
As far as the other side of the question which few have answered yet. I have flown a number of carriers within the Philippines and they are all about as good as each other. Just book whichever allows you to connect easiest through HKG - Cebu from memory has Cebu Pacific, Air Phil express and Cathay Pacific direct and the others fly via MNL. To compare, they're all better than anything that North America or Europe has to offer domestically in Y. I enjoy watching the crew feed water and sell duty free to a full 744 on the hour flight MNL-CEB... it's pretty cool.
Sponsor Message: 
From France, joined Jun 2006, 91 posts, 
From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24875 posts, 
From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22023 posts, 
From Belgium, joined Jul 2008, 504 posts, 
From Switzerland, joined Feb 2007, 3382 posts, 
From Rwanda, joined Feb 2001, 6320 posts, 
From French Polynesia, joined Jul 2008, 604 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
