Would you travel through Istanbul to save money?

Aaliyah

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 2:39 am

I'm trying to book a ticket, and of course the lowest fares (by far) are for flights that change plans in Turkey or Ethiopia. Anyone done this recently? WWYD? How do I determine if it's safe?

sequoia

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 2:43 am

I did, recently.

Yes, the airport is safe LOL

You won't actually be in Turkey, you know. You'll just hang out at the airport until it's time for your flight. But you will have to go through security again.

Turkish airlines are kind of awful, but it's really incredibly cheap compared to every other airline.

Seraph

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 2:46 am

I would not travel through Istanbul now if you paid me to. I don't think there are any issues flying through Ethiopia.

sequoia

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 2:50 am

Again, I repeat -- traveling through a country on a layover does not put you in the country legally. To get into Turkey you need a visa anyway (it costs money).

You are not on the country's soil when you are in the international part of the airport.

It was not an enjoyable trip but it was cheap and it got me where I needed to go.

There are many dangerous things in life. Sitting in an airport for two hours isn't one of them.

shalhevet

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 2:53 am

I think someone asked this a few months ago and some people expressed their hesitations. But the relations between Israel and Turkey are much worse now. No way. People who expect us to apologize for defending ourselves are not good friends to have.

abound

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 3:21 am

Nope- I would not do it, and not only because of safety reasons. I have Jewish Pride and I stand up for the soldiers who were beaten on the Mavi Marma- and now they want us to apologize?!?! No way will I give them business and no way will I travel through their soil- its okay we do not need them like this.

Ruchel

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 11:30 am

Once upon a time we had planned to go to istanbul (for vacation, seeing the Jewish stuff, eating REAL Ladino food, etc Wink

. Now, no.

poemmom

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 11:57 am

abound wrote:

Well said. And I also try to avoid buying any Turkish products.

torquoise

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 12:24 pm

My family did it to save money. I think it was worth it. It was not a very pleasant stopover. It was kind of smelly (I'm serious, there's no deodorant in that country) and every frum jew on our flight was very obviously singled out by security, and not spoken to very nicely, but financially, it was the only way my family was able to go to Israel.

True, I had to swallow my Jewish and political pride, but like they say "Eretz Yisroel nikneh b'yisurim" - The Land of Israel is acquired through suffering, and I was ready to endure some of my own suffering to be able to visit such a beautiful, kadosh, amazing place.

But I definitely understand anyone who gets sickened by the thought of choosing Turkish airlines because of some horrible things that country has done.

poemmom

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 12:37 pm

Turquoise, I totally see your point and and didn't mean to imply that it would be wrong to go through Turkey if that's the only way you could visit Israel, or for another reason of necessity. I was only referring to choosing to do so for convenience or to save money if it is not strictly necessary.

chocolate chips

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 12:43 pm

If it really saved me money and I had to/badly wanted to go somewhere then yes I would but depending how long the stopover was. 2-3 hours ok but any longer and I would be uncomfortable.

nylon

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 12:55 pm

I am not sure I would do it on an Israeli passport. (I am really in a very privileged position when it comes to travelling in the Middle East--I have 2 passports, neither Israeli, and a not-obviously-"Jewish" last name. But I don't think I'd feel good slipping under the radar like that.)

But I think it would be safer than going via Ethiopia, which I would definitely not do. At the very least, Istanbul is a major airport that is properly run. Ethiopia's government is nothing to brag about, either.

Tamiri

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 1:08 pm

Currently, it's WRONG for a Jew to go through Turkey. I guess things don't hit the news outside Israel. Last week or the week before, a planeload of Israelis were taken aside and humiliated - I think they undressed them for NO REASON, in the airport (which, as Sequoia wrote, isn't Turkish soil - yeah, right). It's like asking during WWII if it's wise to detour through Germany. The answer: not if you value your life. Turkey is increasingly hostile towards Israel, and don't any chu"l Jews think this gives you a dispensation. It doesn't. Turkey is turning/has turned radical compared to just a year+ago.

chabadnikit

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 1:22 pm

yes tamiri has a p0int which I was just g0ing t0 menti0n ab0ut h0w they started humiIiating their jewish passengers in the istanbuI airp0rt d0 n0t fIy with turkish!

sequoia

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 1:27 pm

If you have an American passport and a not obviously Jewish last name, you are just another American to them. What on earth are you all talking about? You are not going TO Turkey. You are traveling THROUGH Turkey. You are not leaving the international zone in the airport. Is that clear?

Of course I wouldn't on an Israeli passport -- that's a separate issue.

Ruchel

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 1:29 pm

Tamiri, I wouldn't say Turkey is (yet?) a life threat like Germany was. But you are right, we (I?) didn't hear of these horrible news!!