After arriving on the 100E airport bus, I made my way to the check-in counter. Although I had originally planned to arrive at the airport about an hour earlier, I’m glad I didn’t as the counter only opened about two hours prior to departure.

 

Arrival and Check-In

After arriving at the airport, I made my way to the business class check-in line and waited for them to open. Fortunately I only had to wait a few minutes for them to open, but I kind of felt bad for the fifty people waiting in the economy line, as they were getting antsy.

 

 

The Platinum Lounge

I headed through security and made my way through terminal 2B and up to the Platinum Lounge upstairs.

Although I gained entrance by having business class ticket, access was available at the door for around $50, or you could purchase access via LoungeBuddy for $35. It’s also a Priority Pass lounge as well.

Along the back wall was a solid buffet with heavy hors d’oeuvres along with a sizable drink selection with all the standard soft drinks, wines, and liquors you’d expect.

I grabbed a seat by the window and spent the next hour plane spotting until it was time to board my flight.

The whole time I was there, there were probably less than ten people in the lounge, which was a stark contrast from most other lounges with such an open access policy.

Overall, the Platinum Lounge was a decent mid-level lounge and I’d gladly spend $35 for a visit if I had couple hours to spend at the airport.

 

Headed to Istanbul

Turkish Airlines flight 1034
BUD [Budapest] to IST [Istanbul]
October 20, 2017
Depart: 1:50 PM
Arrive: 4:55 PM
Duration: 2hr5min
Aircraft: 737-800
Seat: 2F

Boarding took place on time and I made my way onboard and grabbed my seat in 2F. The seat pitch in all the seats was quite gratuitous, even for short-haul business class.

After getting situated, one of the flight attendants came by with a tray of pre-departure beverages. I selected what was a refreshing combination of cranberry juice and mint.

Once we pushed back and the safety demonstration was complete, a few ads played on the overhead screens, one of which featured none other than Morgan Freeman.

Here’s the video:

We made good time making our way to the runway and had a smooth takeoff.

After getting in the air, the crew came around to take drink orders and start the meal service.

I decided to go with the Islim Kebab entrée. I also ordered a bourbon and Diet Coke, but more on that later.

The food was absolutely incredible. By far, it was the best meal I’ve ever had on a short-haul flight. The first course was interesting and flavorful and the entree was well-cooked and filling. I had heard about Do & Co’s catering, but this was my first chance to experience it firsthand.

The only hiccup with the meal was the beverage service. I guess it may have been a cultural or language difference, but when I ordered my bourbon and Coke, I only got bourbon. I followed by just ordering a Coke to follow and mixed them together. It was definitely quite odd. The same went for my next flight when I ordered a vodka and orange juice. Nonetheless, that wouldn’t dissuade me from flying on Turkish again.

After the meal, I checked out the in-flight entertainment system, which I have to say, was impressive. It had a wide variety of new releases available and it was as responsive as an iPad. Even though the flight was just about long enough to watch a movie, I was much more interested in looking out the window and watching the world go by.

After a short two hours in the air, we were finally back on the ground.

I definitely loved my first experience on Turkish Airlines and would highly recommend them to anyone traveling throughout Europe.

Now it was time to explore Istanbul.