That...was such a beautiful ending. The music, the genuine shock of finally being there, the hug, all the emotions, I could feel it through the screen. This video is one of your best works because of that ending. Kudos to Turkish Airlines for accessibility when it comes to having a special video for those with disabilities on top of sign language! And kudos to you for doing the menu shot jingle in Turkish, that was a nice touch! Ah yes, Milestafa Kemal Taylor. Turkey may be known for their coffee, but black tea is the way of life for their culture. Turkey has the highest per capita tea consumption in the world with an annual total consumption of over 3 kilograms per person! Fun fact: The bird was named after the country because of the guineafowl, which looks similar to a turkey but are in different families (though used to be in the same family Phasianidae; guineafowl is now in the family Numididae). Guineafowls are native across Sub-Saharan Africa and was imported to Europe through the Ottoman Empire. Once imported, Europeans came to call the guinea fowl the turkey-hen because the bird came from the Turks.
“Any Carrier of this magnitude needs a magnificent hug to maintain its worldwide operations” we need to buy Caleb a mansion in the Bay Area because he is a RUclipsr of magnitude with worldwide operations and needs a magnificent hub
Turkish airlines is one of the best airlines this types of problems you can see even in emirates,luftansa or singapore airlines as a person i flew with lots of different airlines and i can say surely if we look all the things Turkish airlines is one of the best airlines.
turkish staff just isnt educated enough on english, considering they wanna claim to be one of the chosen hubs for the "whole world". They need to improve quickly
I recently visited Istanbul, and its airport seriously needs a people mover. It was a 45min walk to go to McDonald's, which would be fine if I wasn't carrying a heavy backpack and suitcase.
Turkish delight history: According to the Hacı Bekir company, Bekir Efendi, named Hacı Bekir after performing the Hajj, moved to Constantinople from his hometown Kastamonu and opened his confectionery shop in the district of Bahçekapı in 1777. Quickly winning fame, Turkish Delight became a fashionable gift. As the dessert rose to become an object used in the act of courting, Bekir Efendi was appointed chief confectioner to the Ottoman Court. In the 19th century, Lokum made its way to the West via a British traveler who took quite the liking to the confection and brought cases of what he called ‘Turkish Delight’ to Britain. Turkish Delight is made from a sugar syrup and starch milk mixture that is cooked for five to six hours, at which point the flavor is added. The mixture is then poured into large wooden trays to be set and about five hours later they are rolled, cut and dusted with icing.
I did that new Istanbul airport when I went to Amman, Jordan and it's huge.I never did the old Ataturk Airport but I have also done Sabina Airport on the Asian side of Istanbul.
I flew Turkish last year. Great business class experience but Istanbul airport is not up to the standard in my opinion. Flight details are not accurate on the display and beside language barrier, theres not many help desk around where you can ask for directions. Had to spend more than 20 mins to finally connect to the airport wifi. Nice looking airport but lack of resources and communication support. Not trying to bash Istanbul airport but when people are flying in internationally, airport like that supposed to have resources and clear instructions for all passengers. They got lovely food though
I had a long layover here back in 2019, before the metro link opened. It was a real headache getting to the city, with a few chaotic coach routes not loaded into online planner, so very hard to make the full use of the layover without worrying about being late getting back. And yeah, the airport is absurdly large not to have any internal transit.
I’m just going there for a transfer. Would’ve liked to see some information about that. Not sure what hot minute means when it comes to passport control.
To avoid sleeping through meal service wear an eye mask with "Wake me up for meals" printed on it. I got mine from one of the holiday airlines and it has proved very useful. You can even wear it as an armband on the arm that faces the aisle.
I think that Turkey is going through a phase of hybris. Picking fights with Greece, NATO and the EU. This leads to the citizens following the examples of their leaders and their behaviour
I experienced the nightmare of Istanbul airport last year 2023 and I would never book any flight from there again,the staff are rude and 90% don’t speak English, airport itself is huge and they keep changing your gates, so there is a big chance to miss your flight. Good luck to those who are going there 😅
I met my wife online and traveled to the Philippines to meet her. Just like you, she is my life. Having a best friend and soulmate is so beautiful. Again, I want to know how things are going. I really want to know all of the details of your visit and her family.
8:50 I just finished 4 sectors with TK, TOTALLY AGREE with you on IST!! Size queens planned it for sure, totally useless and too big to function. Food & IFE were poor as well but that is fine with me. P/S I was denied boarding for IST to HEL, gate staff said I was late. Paid USD 1,300++ to get rebooked for next day and guess what? That flight was delayed 90 min.! 😂😂
$1300 USD ... ouch. Im sorry that happened to you. I dread giant megahubs for this reason, even though Im the type of person who shows up for checkin at the opening time to prevent being late
Damn that ending put a smile on my face at 11pm after a rough day in what is a gloomy world! Wish both of you all the best! p.s. Spent like 2 nights sleeping in the old Istanbul airport as a kid during the 2010 Europe volcano issue during a layover...the staff & turkish people whilst lovley generally don't often met you halfway with the langauge unless they're shopkeepers....basically...they're like the French who refuse to speak English unless essential. Surprising review of the new airport...would love to watch the world renowned architects who built it talk about how it's actually modern & efficient with reasons behind the layout.
great video. I've been living in Istanbul for about 1.5 years and often fly from Istanbul airport and, well, when I flew the first time - it was difficult to navigate, but after Incheon airport in Seoul, Istanbul airport seemed very clear
I've kinda suspected something ever since I noticed your phone wallpaper was a photo of the two of you, but didn't wanna say/assume anything cause shipping real people (esp those you don't know personally) is uncomfy at best, but now that I can finally say it - you make a cute couple. Congrats and good luck
So I’m flying to Bangkok with Turkish airlines in acouple weeks , from NYC , and there’s a 1 1/2 Hr layover in Istanbul, does that mean I need a transit visa for Turkey while I’m there ? Sorry it’s first time traveling internationally
No you don't need a transit visa for turkey, because there is no visa requirement for US citizens. On the other hand it's almost impossible for Turkish citizens to go to America, what a nice world we are living in, the masonic regime is helping hostile countries to get everything from us but we don't get anything in return, if this is not slavery.
I suspected you and Kalkidan were a couple for a few months; things like having a pic of her as your phone's lock screen wallpaper are subtle but say so much lol Happy for the both of you!
@@ClassyWhale I ended up with three lessons. Lesson 1. India is a bit far on the outer edge of the 5 hour number. Pakistan possible but nothing there of a lot of interest. UAE a bit too close, but with decent connections. Oman man was a possibility the the sightseeing, and what kind of Rando. Anything to the north Is kind of a background check and a short trip to the no fly list waiting to happen so probably not, Iraq, Iran, or Russia. Central Asia’s a bit too for. Egypt and the near-ish east was too short. It definitely could not have been Ethiopia because it would be way to obvious, although the time would work. Your SO hints had been pretty on the nose, ie Home Screen photo. Lesson 2. Watch to the end of the video before commenting. Lesson 3. I should go re-watch some CK2 and EU4 videos with some Ethiopia challenge. Lol. Hope you survive, I can barely tolerate my family.
I flew Turkish Airlines last year and I can honestly say they were the nicest team on our way from Atlanta to Istanbul. The crew to our final destination Tel-Aviv were awesome. We were not long in the terminal, but we did see some handicapped transport vehicles.
I flew Turkish in April 2023 from Washington. My reaction was like yours. However, I had heard wonderful things about Istanbul airport but was not impressed. What bugged me most was the long layover and that they only have one hour of free Wi-Fi. I would fly them again, if I had too, but not my favorite. For what it's worth, the flight from Washington to Addis ababa on Ethiopian is preferable. A bit longer at 13 hours, but I liked it better.
Second that. Turkish has great catering and nice amenity kits, but the attitude of crew and ground staff outside of the US are a pain when things go wrong.
The worst part in Istanbul airport is about the wifi which is free only for an hour on tour passport. I had a layover of 21 hours. They didnt give me the hotel, not even visa on arrival. They asked for 200$ for the visa on the same day. God knows how many hours do they take for that but still will be in the same date which might be a couple of hours before tje next flight. The easy bed type chair to sleepover is hell of uncomfortable one. Turkish staff is also not very welcoming rather a little rude. In totality very dusappointing. In the other hand Qatar Airline is the finest one. Starting ffom their staff to food and the quality of planes.
No you do not!!!! travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Turkey.html#/:~:text=Alerts%20and%20Messages%20Archive-,Quick%20Facts,None,-CURRENCY%20RESTRICTIONS%20FOR%20EXIT
07:20 Is it true that you had 2-3-2 configuration in economy on an A330. If so it is luxurious as usually it is 2-4-2. Your trip reminds me good moments as I was recently in IAD and in ADD and looking at the face of your girlfriend I thougt immediatly she may well come from Ethiopia.
@@ClassyWhale Nice! The pause between "resmi" and "ne" threw me off a bit, because "ne" means "at" as a word ending, but "what" when it's on its own. At first I thought you were trying to ask the picture what it was looking at.
I have to say, you really hit the nail on the head with Turkish-- the food is amazing, the amenities are pretty great, the customer/staff interaction is meh, and IST is just awful, not to mention they forgot my bag in Istanbul on a short but guaranteed connection. Fingers crossed my Istanbul trip later this year will be a little smoother on Delta! And of course, best wishes to you and Kalkidan; let me know if you're ever up in the Boston area!
You are exactly right. Turkish was fine. I got lucky with the cabin crew because they were nice and food was good. I flew with them a few yrs prior, they were opposites. But i can sgree, ist is a nightmare!
Amazing video. The funny thing is I’m planning a trip to South Korea to meet my partner and her family after meeting online. Turkish would be the most affordable airline with a long layover in Istanbul of course. I read they offer a complimentary tour for layovers between 6-24 hours. That could be fun. lol just started my research . I didn’t know u.s. citizens had to pay $50 in advance for visa to turkey. Very nice and informative video. Just what I needed. Thank you !
The fact that this moment is my most-viewed video makes me so happy. Glad you enjoyed it! Trip reports are nothing without the trips they make possible :)
Yeah i had a way different experience. I felt the airport was super easy to get around compared to for example Charles de galle or Frankfurt, mainly cause it's just a big rectangle. I didn't really have any issues with staff either
most people from most countries learn a little bit of whatever language they need for a country they'll be in. expecting people to talk to you in english is uniquely an american/english problem. there's not an enormous amount to learn and marking the airline down for it feels a bit extreme. also, having flown turkish airlines multiple times, they're not usually rude, just maybe not as nice as america expects people to be. overall the complaints you had about the airline felt like you gave them too much weight
Whats in the head of the people who thinks you have learn the language of every country you visit, when there’s a universal language for travel and business and this is no an specific American Canadian problem I travel every year to at least 10 countries I’m not going to be studying for those 10 and next year for another 10 hahahaha, you’re crazy
It's not an American/English problem. I'm Russian and I speak English, French and Serbo-Croatian (and more or less understand some other Slavic languages) but I do expect every service person on international airport to speak English. For an international hub employee it should be a bonus if a customer knows their language, not a demand. I'm not planning to live in Turkey nor visiting it. Everything what I come across as an independent tourist are constant greed (up to the fact they don't want to board me on the plane to visa-free country for Russians unless I buy return ticket so I don't escape Russian military though it's none of their business), inadequately strict system (credit card removed because of 1 PIN mistake) and unwillingness to help (this doesn't apply to ordinary Turks, but to officials). So I don't understand why I should know any more Turkish than merhaba, teşekkür and çıkış and would like all airport employees to speak English at least so I don't have problems on the transit at the international transfer hub. Just imagine an Emirates/Qatar employee trying to explain things to passengers in Arabic
In most places around the world people use English as a common language. In the past it may have been French and/or German but no more. It has nothing to do with Americans lack of foreign language knowledge. For the times I have been on Turkish. Airlines and transited thru Istanbul it seems that there is a lack of basic English knowledge among airline and ground personnel. This is a negative in terms of competition and just basic hospitality.in a perfect world everyone arriving and transiting would come with knowledge of conversational Turkish ( a very hard language to master by the way) but that is just not the case.
My apologies but this is quite a stupid opinion of yours! You are asking people to learn a new language just because there will be a 2 hours layover at the airport! It doesn't make any sense.
Amenity kit is provided in long haul flights. I got one from Etihad when i was traveling from Bangalore to Abudhabi. And Abudhabi to Toronto as well. It had some creams,brush and toothpaste etc.
@@lewnwdc Not true at all. Maybe in short haul flights but international long haul flights by major players in the airline industry provides amenity kits. Do not compare with domestic or low cost airlines. I'm not talking about those airlines.
@@SujithKSunil No major airline I've ever flown (more than 70) has given coach passengers on long international flights an amenity kit. I never referred to domestic or LCCs.
@ClassyWhale want bad airport design try Heathrow especially walking under the underground at terminal 2. Or the noise created inside the cavernous terminal 5. Let alone trying to drive or get the train from anywhere north of London, it's a total nightmare
avoid this company..every day a delay!! incredible! every day! 5 days ago 2 delays...today as well..2 hours of delay from riyadh to istanbul! it's a shit!
You look like Turk so feel proud that they thought you are Turkish unless you have ancient or present beef with Turkishv….when travel at least five continents snd 136 cities you will understand the value of Turkish airlines… snd aprecited all the way compared LH , AF, SK, AI, Air china, Turkmen Ait, Ukrainian ait Egypt Air , Balkan air ,yeah you should live with difficulties little more and learn about TK and read about the available ground service before you complaint….
I'll be flying this November and I have a connecting flight from Istanbul! It will be my first time traveling with Turkish airlines. Hopefully they don't lose my luggage.
Next time you should fly direct from Dulles or New York to Ethiopia. I heard Ethiopian airlines is surprisingly good. Also you do sort of look Turkish if you tan.
screens are a must in Turkiye..even if you take a 3 hour bus ride you will have a screen and some movies and complimentary snacks.I missed that so much , soon I am flying back to Turkiye after 6 years First thing , I will take a bus trip 😂
As a myrtle Beach, SC local. Cleveland public transportation is beyond better then what we have. We literally have 5 buses that run each day and it takes an hour for each one to make the loop, and we are limited with 3 places the buses actually go. I prefer RTA Cleveland transportation any day of the week.
Thanks. You didn’t say anything about the seats and the leg room, I think? Are they ok? If you bring a small pet in the cabin, would the carrier fit in front and then will there be enough leg room? It looked too tight 😩
Darn, here I was thinking/wishing Caleb were gay. 😕 But hey glad you found love. Does your girlfriend live in Ethiopia? How did you meet. Ethiopia is high on my list of new countries to visit.
Ooh! መልካም ጉዞ! Not subscribed yet (ended up here via Kilometres in Cars, I mean...) but if there's any injera in the future of the channel, I might! When I was in Addis in 2013, they had only started to build the tram.
Regarding the amenities pouch and the socks - It's been a while since I flew Turkish Airlines, last time I did was 2017 (so before the new Istanbul airport) and I don't remember them giving us those pouches back then. As far as your changing socks comment, I've read so many articles about "ten things passengers and flight attendants dont want other passenges to do on a plane" and one of their things on the article was "being barefoot". Maybe Turkish is giving them socks because they don't want barefoot passengers on international flights🤣 Oh, also back in 2017, I'm not sure why, but Turkish had restrictions on sizes of electronic devices you could have in your carry-on if you were flying them. IIRC They didn't want people to have laptop or iPad access AFAIK for w/e reason. For context this was a Istanbul-Houston flight. It's no longer a rule as of a few years after 2017 (not sure when exactly), but it upset me because we were grounded for an hour because of this rule. Turkish Delight? More like Turkish Displeasure. It sort of put me off from trying to fly with them ever again. But I want to now to sort of give Turkish its own "redemption arc" with me. Side-note reply: I don't really have a system. Sometimes I sleep and sometimes I don't. And when I don't, I deliberately watch movies that pass the time very quickly. 10 hour flight? Okay, two 4 hour movies (if they're on the IFE, if not, 3 3-hour movies and maybe 2 episodes of a TV show) and maybe 2 tv show episodes coming up. (also, totally called that you would make a TMBG reference and show you were listening to the song) (also also, super happy for you and Kalkidan! Hope the family meeting [meeting the family? I word awkwardly sometimes] goes well).
I also flew Turkish in 2017, via Ataturk. The laptop restrictions were really annoying as I had a short notice proposal deadline on my way back and needed to work on it, which I did… on my phone!
@@dimanimatedtakes something something terrorism is all I remember - but then it wasn’t actually enforced and several people were using laptops at the gate and on the plane, which of course made me feel worse thinking I could have just ignored the notices…
@@samuell.foxton4177 That's crazy. Apparently the ban was revoked like 3-4 months after I flew them too, so it's like it "never even existed". Either way.... maybe its time to fly them again. IDK. I'm still uncertain.
I flew Turkish from Chicago to Istanbul, catching an aeroflot to Moscow from there. I had my then 4 and 2yo with me, and was 18 weeks pregnant with my 3rd. We had a 7 hour layover going there, and 10 hour coming back. I totally agree with the airport being way too big and really difficult to navigate, and almost noone spoke English. We also had to pass not one but 2 security check points, and we were transit, not exiting, and both my toddlers got patted down. Going forward, I am avoiding Istanbul airport because of all that.
I have heard from several sources now that if you are just transitting to connect to another flight (ie, NEVER leaving the airside of the airport) you don’t need a visa.
![NOSFERATU - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nulvWqYUM8k/mqdefault.jpg)
🎶 "Why they changed it, I can't say. People just liked it better that way!" 🎶
That...was such a beautiful ending. The music, the genuine shock of finally being there, the hug, all the emotions, I could feel it through the screen. This video is one of your best works because of that ending. Kudos to Turkish Airlines for accessibility when it comes to having a special video for those with disabilities on top of sign language! And kudos to you for doing the menu shot jingle in Turkish, that was a nice touch! Ah yes, Milestafa Kemal Taylor. Turkey may be known for their coffee, but black tea is the way of life for their culture. Turkey has the highest per capita tea consumption in the world with an annual total consumption of over 3 kilograms per person!
Fun fact: The bird was named after the country because of the guineafowl, which looks similar to a turkey but are in different families (though used to be in the same family Phasianidae; guineafowl is now in the family Numididae). Guineafowls are native across Sub-Saharan Africa and was imported to Europe through the Ottoman Empire. Once imported, Europeans came to call the guinea fowl the turkey-hen because the bird came from the Turks.
What a delightful plot twist. Congratulations to the two of you! May you have a bright and happy future together.
“Any Carrier of this magnitude needs a magnificent hug to maintain its worldwide operations” we need to buy Caleb a mansion in the Bay Area because he is a RUclipsr of magnitude with worldwide operations and needs a magnificent hub
All I know is Kalkidan gave me a magnificent hug when I got to Ethiopia :)
@@ClassyWhale 😂
Turkish airlines is one of the best airlines this types of problems you can see even in emirates,luftansa or singapore airlines as a person i flew with lots of different airlines and i can say surely if we look all the things Turkish airlines is one of the best airlines.
turkish staff just isnt educated enough on english, considering they wanna claim to be one of the chosen hubs for the "whole world". They need to improve quickly
As a Turk I can say that the new airport is dogshit, Ataturk Airport was one of the best in the world and now it’s been replaced with this garbage
Sen Bok yemissin!
I totally ship Calidan. Like we couldn't tell you were a couple.
I recently visited Istanbul, and its airport seriously needs a people mover. It was a 45min walk to go to McDonald's, which would be fine if I wasn't carrying a heavy backpack and suitcase.
Turkish delight history: According to the Hacı Bekir company, Bekir Efendi, named Hacı Bekir after performing the Hajj, moved to Constantinople from his hometown Kastamonu and opened his confectionery shop in the district of Bahçekapı in 1777. Quickly winning fame, Turkish Delight became a fashionable gift. As the dessert rose to become an object used in the act of courting, Bekir Efendi was appointed chief confectioner to the Ottoman Court. In the 19th century, Lokum made its way to the West via a British traveler who took quite the liking to the confection and brought cases of what he called ‘Turkish Delight’ to Britain.
Turkish Delight is made from a sugar syrup and starch milk mixture that is cooked for five to six hours, at which point the flavor is added. The mixture is then poured into large wooden trays to be set and about five hours later they are rolled, cut and dusted with icing.
Yes you looks like Turkish
The ending reveal is so wholesome, so very happy for you two ❤
Perhaps they thought you were Turkish.
sounds like you didnt get freebee from turkish airlines you are negative about everything
what do you mean?
I did that new Istanbul airport when I went to Amman, Jordan and it's huge.I never did the old Ataturk Airport but I have also done Sabina Airport on the Asian side of Istanbul.
visa waived now
Instead of telling us about the Turkish show, you could have told us about legroom, seat comfort etc.
@@Cantons561 k
I flew Turkish last year. Great business class experience but Istanbul airport is not up to the standard in my opinion. Flight details are not accurate on the display and beside language barrier, theres not many help desk around where you can ask for directions. Had to spend more than 20 mins to finally connect to the airport wifi. Nice looking airport but lack of resources and communication support. Not trying to bash Istanbul airport but when people are flying in internationally, airport like that supposed to have resources and clear instructions for all passengers. They got lovely food though
Did you go to his wedding?
It was a day after I left Ethiopia 😭
I had a long layover here back in 2019, before the metro link opened. It was a real headache getting to the city, with a few chaotic coach routes not loaded into online planner, so very hard to make the full use of the layover without worrying about being late getting back.
And yeah, the airport is absurdly large not to have any internal transit.
600$ is great deal
indeed, and 10 days out too!
@@ClassyWhale what website? Is it directly through Turkish airlines or different app
@@Superchargedtio I used Google flights!
I loved IST. Easy to transit. Easy to spend even 6 hours at the terminal.
0:32 Boeing 747😦
I’m just going there for a transfer. Would’ve liked to see some information about that. Not sure what hot minute means when it comes to passport control.
Dude finally comes out with the juice. Congrats Caleb!
Vid was worth the suspense. Super stoked for Istanbul content, and Ethiopia ofc.
Caleb really hit it out of the park with this series
To avoid sleeping through meal service wear an eye mask with "Wake me up for meals" printed on it. I got mine from one of the holiday airlines and it has proved very useful. You can even wear it as an armband on the arm that faces the aisle.
On the screen there is a do not disturb option, next to it, there is an option which sais wake up for food.
So very happy you got to meet the family Caleb!
I think that Turkey is going through a phase of hybris. Picking fights with Greece, NATO and the EU. This leads to the citizens following the examples of their leaders and their behaviour
I experienced the nightmare of Istanbul airport last year 2023 and I would never book any flight from there again,the staff are rude and 90% don’t speak English, airport itself is huge and they keep changing your gates, so there is a big chance to miss your flight. Good luck to those who are going there 😅
I am scared now!! 😢
I met my wife online and traveled to the Philippines to meet her. Just like you, she is my life. Having a best friend and soulmate is so beautiful. Again, I want to know how things are going. I really want to know all of the details of your visit and her family.
8:50 I just finished 4 sectors with TK, TOTALLY AGREE with you on IST!! Size queens planned it for sure, totally useless and too big to function. Food & IFE were poor as well but that is fine with me. P/S I was denied boarding for IST to HEL, gate staff said I was late. Paid USD 1,300++ to get rebooked for next day and guess what? That flight was delayed 90 min.! 😂😂
$1300 USD ... ouch. Im sorry that happened to you. I dread giant megahubs for this reason, even though Im the type of person who shows up for checkin at the opening time to prevent being late
Damn that ending put a smile on my face at 11pm after a rough day in what is a gloomy world! Wish both of you all the best! p.s. Spent like 2 nights sleeping in the old Istanbul airport as a kid during the 2010 Europe volcano issue during a layover...the staff & turkish people whilst lovley generally don't often met you halfway with the langauge unless they're shopkeepers....basically...they're like the French who refuse to speak English unless essential. Surprising review of the new airport...would love to watch the world renowned architects who built it talk about how it's actually modern & efficient with reasons behind the layout.
Aww glad you enjoyed the show! We love the support
@ClassyWhale I didn't like Turkish Airlines how could I get a refund I went to Egypt back in April 2018
@@ClassyWhaleI was overcharged at a Turkish hotel and I never was explained why that happened
Blud has never flew in europes low cost airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet
great video. I've been living in Istanbul for about 1.5 years and often fly from Istanbul airport and, well, when I flew the first time - it was difficult to navigate, but after Incheon airport in Seoul, Istanbul airport seemed very clear
Incheon airport is much easier to navigate. Much nicer airport overall.
WOW, Caleb, this was so wholesome! I figured you two had something going on! Congratulations to you both. Best of luck to you both! ❤❤❤❤
Yes, you look Turkish. Ask your mom. ; ) How tall are you? Was the seat too tight in both planes?
I've kinda suspected something ever since I noticed your phone wallpaper was a photo of the two of you, but didn't wanna say/assume anything cause shipping real people (esp those you don't know personally) is uncomfy at best, but now that I can finally say it - you make a cute couple. Congrats and good luck
IST has many people movers. Not sure why you did not run in to them. Nextime take Ethiopian Airlines to Addis.
So I’m flying to Bangkok with Turkish airlines in acouple weeks , from NYC , and there’s a 1 1/2 Hr layover in Istanbul, does that mean I need a transit visa for Turkey while I’m there ? Sorry it’s first time traveling internationally
If you're a US citizen you don't need a visa to stay in the airport. To leave the facility the visa is $50
@@ClassyWhaleso I heard as a us citizen u no longer need a visa is that true?
No you don't need a transit visa for turkey, because there is no visa requirement for US citizens. On the other hand it's almost impossible for Turkish citizens to go to America, what a nice world we are living in, the masonic regime is helping hostile countries to get everything from us but we don't get anything in return, if this is not slavery.
@@ClassyWhalenonsense
@@brandenjohnson2980no you don't need a visa
I suspected you and Kalkidan were a couple for a few months; things like having a pic of her as your phone's lock screen wallpaper are subtle but say so much lol
Happy for the both of you!
I totally started looking for flight times of 4.5-6 hours from Istanbul to areas east and south.
Lol
What did you find?
@@ClassyWhale I ended up with three lessons.
Lesson 1.
India is a bit far on the outer edge of the 5 hour number.
Pakistan possible but nothing there of a lot of interest.
UAE a bit too close, but with decent connections. Oman man was a possibility the the sightseeing, and what kind of Rando.
Anything to the north Is kind of a background check and a short trip to the no fly list waiting to happen so probably not, Iraq, Iran, or Russia. Central Asia’s a bit too for.
Egypt and the near-ish east was too short.
It definitely could not have been Ethiopia because it would be way to obvious, although the time would work. Your SO hints had been pretty on the nose, ie Home Screen photo.
Lesson 2. Watch to the end of the video before commenting.
Lesson 3. I should go re-watch some CK2 and EU4 videos with some Ethiopia challenge.
Lol. Hope you survive, I can barely tolerate my family.
@@FreeJaffa92 wow I need to hire you as a private investigator!
I flew Turkish Airlines last year and I can honestly say they were the nicest team on our way from Atlanta to Istanbul. The crew to our final destination Tel-Aviv were awesome. We were not long in the terminal, but we did see some handicapped transport vehicles.
I flew Turkish in April 2023 from Washington. My reaction was like yours. However, I had heard wonderful things about Istanbul airport but was not impressed. What bugged me most was the long layover and that they only have one hour of free Wi-Fi. I would fly them again, if I had too, but not my favorite. For what it's worth, the flight from Washington to Addis ababa on Ethiopian is preferable. A bit longer at 13 hours, but I liked it better.
How did you like the service on Ethiopian Airlines?
It was a number of years ago, but I remember it being fairly good compared to most other airlines I had travelled at the time.
Second that. Turkish has great catering and nice amenity kits, but the attitude of crew and ground staff outside of the US are a pain when things go wrong.
_🎵At least it's not LaGuardia🎵_
Congratulations, she’s Beautiful! 🥰💐
The worst part in Istanbul airport is about the wifi which is free only for an hour on tour passport. I had a layover of 21 hours. They didnt give me the hotel, not even visa on arrival. They asked for 200$ for the visa on the same day. God knows how many hours do they take for that but still will be in the same date which might be a couple of hours before tje next flight.
The easy bed type chair to sleepover is hell of uncomfortable one.
Turkish staff is also not very welcoming rather a little rude.
In totality very dusappointing.
In the other hand Qatar Airline is the finest one. Starting ffom their staff to food and the quality of planes.
For free wifi, go to C gate, they have free turkish airlines wifi.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who hears the name Istanbul and thinks of that song lol 😂😂😂
If you have a problem with the name you’ll have to take it up with the Turks.
You only need a visa if you want to leave the airport correct?
Correct!
No you do not!!!!
travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Turkey.html#/:~:text=Alerts%20and%20Messages%20Archive-,Quick%20Facts,None,-CURRENCY%20RESTRICTIONS%20FOR%20EXIT
No! Entry fee to enter Türkiye as of January 2024
07:20 Is it true that you had 2-3-2 configuration in economy on an A330. If so it is luxurious as usually it is 2-4-2. Your trip reminds me good moments as I was recently in IAD and in ADD and looking at the face of your girlfriend I thougt immediatly she may well come from Ethiopia.
3:21 Was that "menü resmi, menü resmi, menü resmine bakıyorsunuz"?
Yeah! I google translated Miles in Transit's "Menu Shot" into Turkish
@@ClassyWhale Nice! The pause between "resmi" and "ne" threw me off a bit, because "ne" means "at" as a word ending, but "what" when it's on its own. At first I thought you were trying to ask the picture what it was looking at.
I have to say, you really hit the nail on the head with Turkish-- the food is amazing, the amenities are pretty great, the customer/staff interaction is meh, and IST is just awful, not to mention they forgot my bag in Istanbul on a short but guaranteed connection. Fingers crossed my Istanbul trip later this year will be a little smoother on Delta! And of course, best wishes to you and Kalkidan; let me know if you're ever up in the Boston area!
You are exactly right. Turkish was fine. I got lucky with the cabin crew because they were nice and food was good. I flew with them a few yrs prior, they were opposites. But i can sgree, ist is a nightmare!
Amazing video. The funny thing is I’m planning a trip to South Korea to meet my partner and her family after meeting online. Turkish would be the most affordable airline with a long layover in Istanbul of course. I read they offer a complimentary tour for layovers between 6-24 hours. That could be fun. lol just started my research . I didn’t know u.s. citizens had to pay $50 in advance for visa to turkey. Very nice and informative video. Just what I needed. Thank you !
I only discovered how generous their stopover program was (and how cheap Turkey was) after I made all my plans 😭😭😭
Do you pay 50 dollars, even if you are just transiting. I am not going to the city?
@@icegeniceballer1228 no
You can fit around 12 KPIE terminals in Istanbul international airport
I love the way you segued from a flight review to a meeting with your Fiance. So cool. I want to see the video of your vacation with your sweetheart.
The fact that this moment is my most-viewed video makes me so happy. Glad you enjoyed it! Trip reports are nothing without the trips they make possible :)
I love turkish airlines and istanbul airport ❤ 🇹🇷 ✈️
Yeah i had a way different experience. I felt the airport was super easy to get around compared to for example Charles de galle or Frankfurt, mainly cause it's just a big rectangle. I didn't really have any issues with staff either
@@ishaqmo7200 i agree. I found Istanbul airport large but compact. The staff is friendly and there is plenty of food options 😃
That’s cheap, my r/t $1,100.00
"Turkish Airlines' Economy" is wrong English. Right: "Turkish Airlines's Economy." Here, the word AIRLINES is not plural. It is the name of a company.
most people from most countries learn a little bit of whatever language they need for a country they'll be in. expecting people to talk to you in english is uniquely an american/english problem. there's not an enormous amount to learn and marking the airline down for it feels a bit extreme. also, having flown turkish airlines multiple times, they're not usually rude, just maybe not as nice as america expects people to be. overall the complaints you had about the airline felt like you gave them too much weight
Yeah but it's just for a connecting flight he's not actually visiting Turkey
Whats in the head of the people who thinks you have learn the language of every country you visit, when there’s a universal language for travel and business and this is no an specific American Canadian problem I travel every year to at least 10 countries I’m not going to be studying for those 10 and next year for another 10 hahahaha, you’re crazy
It's not an American/English problem. I'm Russian and I speak English, French and Serbo-Croatian (and more or less understand some other Slavic languages) but I do expect every service person on international airport to speak English. For an international hub employee it should be a bonus if a customer knows their language, not a demand. I'm not planning to live in Turkey nor visiting it. Everything what I come across as an independent tourist are constant greed (up to the fact they don't want to board me on the plane to visa-free country for Russians unless I buy return ticket so I don't escape Russian military though it's none of their business), inadequately strict system (credit card removed because of 1 PIN mistake) and unwillingness to help (this doesn't apply to ordinary Turks, but to officials). So I don't understand why I should know any more Turkish than merhaba, teşekkür and çıkış and would like all airport employees to speak English at least so I don't have problems on the transit at the international transfer hub. Just imagine an Emirates/Qatar employee trying to explain things to passengers in Arabic
In most places around the world people use English as a common language. In the past it may have been French and/or German but no more. It has nothing to do with Americans lack of foreign language knowledge. For the times I have been on Turkish. Airlines and transited thru Istanbul it seems that there is a lack of basic English knowledge among airline and ground personnel. This is a negative in terms of competition and just basic hospitality.in a perfect world everyone arriving and transiting would come with knowledge of conversational Turkish ( a very hard language to master by the way) but that is just not the case.
My apologies but this is quite a stupid opinion of yours! You are asking people to learn a new language just because there will be a 2 hours layover at the airport! It doesn't make any sense.
Wow, I have flown something like 70 airlines and I've never seen Economy Class get an amenity kit. That's shocking that Turkish does that!
Amenity kit is provided in long haul flights. I got one from Etihad when i was traveling from Bangalore to Abudhabi. And Abudhabi to Toronto as well. It had some creams,brush and toothpaste etc.
@@SujithKSunil Hardly any airlines fine a kit to coach passengers, usually only Business Class
@@lewnwdc Not true at all. Maybe in short haul flights but international long haul flights by major players in the airline industry provides amenity kits. Do not compare with domestic or low cost airlines. I'm not talking about those airlines.
@@SujithKSunil No major airline I've ever flown (more than 70) has given coach passengers on long international flights an amenity kit. I never referred to domestic or LCCs.
@@lewnwdcits common in Asia
Hilarious and fits into every cliché about Americsns that he did like to walk, even on moving walkways 😂
I don't mind walking, I just think it's bad airport design
@ClassyWhale want bad airport design try Heathrow especially walking under the underground at terminal 2. Or the noise created inside the cavernous terminal 5.
Let alone trying to drive or get the train from anywhere north of London, it's a total nightmare
@@old.not.too.grumpy. that's also pretty bad
7:35 was that a? NO! NOOOOOOOOOOO
WHY IS THERE AN ETHERNET PLUG IN AN AIRPLANE 😂😂😂
caleb youre the man that last bit was so cute--im sure her fam loved ya
avoid this company..every day a delay!! incredible! every day!
5 days ago 2 delays...today as well..2 hours of delay from riyadh to istanbul!
it's a shit!
I mean, I didn't know you were a couple; but, I certainly expected you were
This is most people
You look like Turk so feel proud that they thought you are Turkish unless you have ancient or present beef with Turkishv….when travel at least five continents snd 136 cities you will understand the value of Turkish airlines… snd aprecited all the way compared LH , AF, SK, AI, Air china, Turkmen Ait, Ukrainian ait Egypt Air , Balkan air ,yeah you should live with difficulties little more and learn about TK and read about the available ground service before you complaint….
I'll be flying this November and I have a connecting flight from Istanbul! It will be my first time traveling with Turkish airlines. Hopefully they don't lose my luggage.
Next time you should fly direct from Dulles or New York to Ethiopia. I heard Ethiopian airlines is surprisingly good.
Also you do sort of look Turkish if you tan.
screens are a must in Turkiye..even if you take a 3 hour bus ride you will have a screen and some movies and complimentary snacks.I missed that so much , soon I am flying back to Turkiye after 6 years First thing , I will take a bus trip 😂
How many weight can you carry with you
It's on their web site, I don't remember exactly!
As a myrtle Beach, SC local. Cleveland public transportation is beyond better then what we have. We literally have 5 buses that run each day and it takes an hour for each one to make the loop, and we are limited with 3 places the buses actually go. I prefer RTA Cleveland transportation any day of the week.
Top ten anime twists
Yes, you look turkish❤ and sorry for the turkish staff🎉
Yeah, Turkish people I met in Istanbul city were much nicer than in the airport!
Omg I’m a big fan of you you actually replied❤
You did show the legroom? Better to have gone nonstop on Ethiopian but probably more expensive.
I took Ethiopian on the return trip. That video will hopefully be up soon!
Is a smoking area?
No
Thanks. You didn’t say anything about the seats and the leg room, I think? Are they ok? If you bring a small pet in the cabin, would the carrier fit in front and then will there be enough leg room? It looked too tight 😩
You said "YUNS"! Does that mean that you are from the most wonderful city in the USA and my FAVORITE city in that country, PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania?
yes
Darn, here I was thinking/wishing Caleb were gay. 😕
But hey glad you found love. Does your girlfriend live in Ethiopia? How did you meet. Ethiopia is high on my list of new countries to visit.
We met in the US, she's an international student :)
@@ClassyWhale Will she be settling in the USA permanently or are you moving to Ethiopia?
Ooh! መልካም ጉዞ!
Not subscribed yet (ended up here via Kilometres in Cars, I mean...) but if there's any injera in the future of the channel, I might! When I was in Addis in 2013, they had only started to build the tram.
Video on the Addis light rail coming in 3-4 weeks ;)
Do u need a visa coming from the usa anymore?
Regarding the amenities pouch and the socks - It's been a while since I flew Turkish Airlines, last time I did was 2017 (so before the new Istanbul airport) and I don't remember them giving us those pouches back then. As far as your changing socks comment, I've read so many articles about "ten things passengers and flight attendants dont want other passenges to do on a plane" and one of their things on the article was "being barefoot". Maybe Turkish is giving them socks because they don't want barefoot passengers on international flights🤣
Oh, also back in 2017, I'm not sure why, but Turkish had restrictions on sizes of electronic devices you could have in your carry-on if you were flying them. IIRC They didn't want people to have laptop or iPad access AFAIK for w/e reason. For context this was a Istanbul-Houston flight. It's no longer a rule as of a few years after 2017 (not sure when exactly), but it upset me because we were grounded for an hour because of this rule. Turkish Delight? More like Turkish Displeasure. It sort of put me off from trying to fly with them ever again. But I want to now to sort of give Turkish its own "redemption arc" with me.
Side-note reply: I don't really have a system. Sometimes I sleep and sometimes I don't. And when I don't, I deliberately watch movies that pass the time very quickly. 10 hour flight? Okay, two 4 hour movies (if they're on the IFE, if not, 3 3-hour movies and maybe 2 episodes of a TV show) and maybe 2 tv show episodes coming up.
(also, totally called that you would make a TMBG reference and show you were listening to the song)
(also also, super happy for you and Kalkidan! Hope the family meeting [meeting the family? I word awkwardly sometimes] goes well).
I also flew Turkish in 2017, via Ataturk. The laptop restrictions were really annoying as I had a short notice proposal deadline on my way back and needed to work on it, which I did… on my phone!
@@samuell.foxton4177 Yikes!
Do you remember why there were restrictions? I forget. They never really gave us an explicit reason either.
@@dimanimatedtakes something something terrorism is all I remember - but then it wasn’t actually enforced and several people were using laptops at the gate and on the plane, which of course made me feel worse thinking I could have just ignored the notices…
@@samuell.foxton4177 That's crazy. Apparently the ban was revoked like 3-4 months after I flew them too, so it's like it "never even existed". Either way.... maybe its time to fly them again. IDK. I'm still uncertain.
1:06 this is the similar rolling stock used on Singapore's Sengkang-Punggol LRT.
Terrible experience I have had with Turkish airlines
Don’t talk bad about Turkey and Turkish airlines!🇹🇷
Have you never heard of a constructive review?
Oh look
It's Jared the subway guy
So sweet when lovers meet. The excitement before is priceless.
I flew Turkish from Chicago to Istanbul, catching an aeroflot to Moscow from there. I had my then 4 and 2yo with me, and was 18 weeks pregnant with my 3rd. We had a 7 hour layover going there, and 10 hour coming back. I totally agree with the airport being way too big and really difficult to navigate, and almost noone spoke English. We also had to pass not one but 2 security check points, and we were transit, not exiting, and both my toddlers got patted down. Going forward, I am avoiding Istanbul airport because of all that.
great synopsis at the end of vlog....congratulation to both of you 🥂
Cathay Pacific has external cameras on their 747s, or at least used too, it's been ages.
Did you need an e-visa for Turkey!? I have a flight to Saint Petersburg, Russia and a layover in Istanbul. I'm also leaving from Dulles.
Yes, $50 and you need to buy it online a few days in advance
I have heard from several sources now that if you are just transitting to connect to another flight (ie, NEVER leaving the airside of the airport) you don’t need a visa.
As of 2024 there's no longer an e-visa requirement for American citizens visiting Türkiye.
My gate was f3 to jeddah a1j to logan
Great call out to RMTransit!
Cool that you foreshadowed your destination at 1:03!
Great video btw!
6:10 ok They Might Be Giants 😏
We love Kalkidan, it is great to see you two together!