Istanbul New Airport

It is new and modern building of the new Istanbul airport, but there is a problem with the baggage trolleys in the transit area - you need to put a deposit ot EUR 1.00 or TLR 10, but when you take the trolley from the automated station, very often the wheel is broken and it doesn't move smoothly. You return the trolley, get deposit back and then try again, but it gives you back the same trolley. Many people were complaining...

You must allow 2 hours transit time in the new airport. From landing (if on time) 20-25 minutes can be the taxi time to the terminal. International transfers can often be directed through security again. You might have a 20 minute walk to your connecting gate. I use this airport 6 times a year - don't expect your luggage to make it in an hour. Hand luggage only if possible. Airport is amazing, you wont have time to enjoy it with an hour transit time.

I had booked Turkish airlines with connecting flights from Istanbul airport. My flight reportedly landed at 6:41 AM and I had to catch the connecting flight at 7:45 AM. I was allocated with last row in flight and it took me few minutes to get out of the flight on terminal B9 . I asked flight crew how to get to terminal D4 as I had to catch my connecting flight in 40 minutes. They said "We don't know, ask inside airport". We entered into terminal, there wasn't single staff or information desk. We followed transfer signs hung on terminals. After walking for five minutes we were still on the same terminal and I stopped a service staff and asked where is terminal D4, he didn't understand English. I walked away following signs that said international transfer. Finally after taking elevator down and walking for few minutes I found a information desk on the left side of security check. It was already past 7 am. We asked them how to proceed for connecting flight. They showed us the transfer desk located 100 meters away. We went there and asked Transfer desk. They said finish the security check in and go. We finished security check within 10 minutes. And we headed to another escalator to go up. We then ran towards gate D according to the airport signs. It took us at least 10 minutes to reach the floor where gate D and E were located. There was no announcement or whatever about last call. We reached Gate E4 and saw last call mentioned on display and we ran towards the gate D4. But the boarding gate was closed and I was looking for staff. No one understands English and I found a information desk, they said we don't know, go to Turkish airlines desk. Well we just missed our flight and went to transfer desk immediately after consulting with Turkish airlines help desk. We did not get change of tickets because they said it only takes 15 minutes. I still don't understand how it's my fault because I just followed signs on the airport to reach my terminal and without any announcement my connecting flight just flew away. I was left with no choice but to pay huge penalty (4x the ticket cost) . Most importantly staff do not speak English you have to change at least 3 counters to find English speaking person.

I was too soon with my previous review. Things have gotten worse. In the new airport when transferring you are forced to take a long walk to go through security which wasn’t necessary in Ataturk but when you then do get to your gate your passport is checked twice by two people that are 1m apart from each other (???) and then you are directed to a table where your luggage is opened!!! By security personnel. I haven’t seen anything like this since I travelled to Venezuela over 10 years ago. How medieval!!! If traveling to the US avoid IST and Turkish Airlines!