Wow, 13hours wait time is long. Three things I am glad you did, read a book, got some rest and made new friends. You sound like you got value out of the wait time.
When proper planning, wait times can be a cheap way to quickly see a city. I haven’t been able to pull that off just yet but I’m hoping to do so in the future
I believe that anyone with even a bit of experience with international travel would be particular about how long the layover would be when booking a flight Cos they can be truly tedious .... especially when one is flying solo.
If somehow one finds oneself in one of the international hubs with the daunting prospect of a wait that seems almost eternal , well as you said , some airlines give a few perks and a visa that would enable one get into town to see the sights is also a nice idea , as long as one keeps a careful eye on the time and makes abundant allowance for returning to the airport on schedule for the last leg of the journey .
An Airport hotel if available , can also be a good place to relax and pass time comfortably. I have been in one or two of them . I had a really nice experience at the one in Istanbul . It was a bit difficult to locate Cos the staff I asked were speaking English quite alright but of the ‘ roundabout turn’ variety , if you catch my drift . It was also a bit pricey though not outrageously so .
Having said all that , it was extremely comfortable and they had this restaurant where one could go in repeatedly to grab a bite at no extra cost . It was a pleasant experience and one I’d recommend for anyone with a lengthy layover .
Thank you Jude for this very helpful bit on the Istanbul Airport hotel, totally get your drift on roundabout turn....I especially liked the bit of repeated eating at no extra cost!
I can totally relate with this. I've enjoyed lengthy layover perks from Turkish Airlines and Emirates. Accommodation and Food Stamps - Came in very handy! I just had to notify them in advance. Great article....we're waiting for Part 2
Ah, the dreadful waiting time! I’ve had a 10hr waiting time in Paris and it was awful. The airport hotel for ‘short stay’ needed advance booking, which I didn’t have. Now I know to explore what add-ons the airline can provide! Thank you Ajalaress
Hopefully we will learn some of the perks and the airlines offering them. That may encourage me to close my eyes to long wait time
I will do a research on the perks and airlines offering them and post it Darlington, I believe it would help. Thank you
Wow, 13hours wait time is long. Three things I am glad you did, read a book, got some rest and made new friends. You sound like you got value out of the wait time.
Thank you Kidi, I indeed got value and a learning moment....
When proper planning, wait times can be a cheap way to quickly see a city. I haven’t been able to pull that off just yet but I’m hoping to do so in the future
Proper planning is absolutely key Efesa. Cheers to seeing a city while waiting to board your next flight.....
Quite a beautiful and hilarious write up Ajalaress! The common adage of "Pennywise , pound foolish" was at play.
The fact that you read a book, made friends and drew powerful lessons out of this experience however made it worthwhile
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Eagle's thought, I made lemonade from lemon 🍋😁😊
Enjoyed my long layovers in Turkey and Dubai. Worthwhile to squeeze some sightseeing into those trips with connecting flights
Thanks TMP, that's the spirit😁😁😁
Another great write up Ajalaress!!
I believe that anyone with even a bit of experience with international travel would be particular about how long the layover would be when booking a flight Cos they can be truly tedious .... especially when one is flying solo.
If somehow one finds oneself in one of the international hubs with the daunting prospect of a wait that seems almost eternal , well as you said , some airlines give a few perks and a visa that would enable one get into town to see the sights is also a nice idea , as long as one keeps a careful eye on the time and makes abundant allowance for returning to the airport on schedule for the last leg of the journey .
An Airport hotel if available , can also be a good place to relax and pass time comfortably. I have been in one or two of them . I had a really nice experience at the one in Istanbul . It was a bit difficult to locate Cos the staff I asked were speaking English quite alright but of the ‘ roundabout turn’ variety , if you catch my drift . It was also a bit pricey though not outrageously so .
Having said all that , it was extremely comfortable and they had this restaurant where one could go in repeatedly to grab a bite at no extra cost . It was a pleasant experience and one I’d recommend for anyone with a lengthy layover .
We await part 2 of your write up .
Thank you Jude for this very helpful bit on the Istanbul Airport hotel, totally get your drift on roundabout turn....I especially liked the bit of repeated eating at no extra cost!
More luck next time Ajalaress, I am sure you still had fun making new friends, window shopping and walks you took.
Learning from your experience I will be more vigilant when booking a flight ticket next time .
Thank you so much Ajalaress
Thank you Myamy...
I can totally relate with this. I've enjoyed lengthy layover perks from Turkish Airlines and Emirates. Accommodation and Food Stamps - Came in very handy! I just had to notify them in advance. Great article....we're waiting for Part 2
Lucky you DDee...I believe knowing the perks exist and notifying the airlines early is key, thank you for sharing.
Ah, the dreadful waiting time! I’ve had a 10hr waiting time in Paris and it was awful. The airport hotel for ‘short stay’ needed advance booking, which I didn’t have. Now I know to explore what add-ons the airline can provide! Thank you Ajalaress
You are welcome Akamba, thanks for sharing your experience, albeit awful....