Travelling internationally can be somewhat stressful. It is usually a very long flight with layovers, trying to find your way around strange airports and of course the time change. But I always find the last leg of the trip -Istanbul to Saudi Arabia the most stressful.
The Istanbul airport is always crowded, day and night. In the main corridor, there are not enough seats for everyone waiting for their gates to be announced. And usually the gates in Istanbul are often not announced until less than an hour before the flight. So, there are people sitting and sometimes lying on the floor, people circling like vultures for empty seats. If you get a seat, you are hesitant to get up to do anything because you might lose your seat. I don't have enough miles for the mileage clubs. I need to just pay to join one. I have had layovers there of 4-5 hours. That is do-able, shop for awhile, eat, walk around, etc. And it IS interesting to people watch there because it is a crossroads between the east and the west and it is interesting to see what people are wearing-veils, hats, dress, shoes, boots, towels if they are male pilgrims. All very different. But this flight had a 9 hour layover. So, I decided to splurge and get a hotel at the airport for 6 hours. You could choose between 1-3 hours, 3-6 hours, 6-9 hours, etc. That was very nice. It was so much better than the constant jostling and noise for 9 hours. I have learned that I have a preferred personal space bubble around me. And for this particular flight, that space bubble is usually assaulted.
The first problem is line formation (or lack of) at Istanbul airport. Everyone likes to crowd around. They don't understand the beauty of an orderly line-no stress of people cutting in or trying to get around you. This flight often has pilgrims going to Mecca. They are often in tour groups, so they like to be together. But the problem is that they don't get in the line all together. So, many are coming later joining those in front of you. Since there is assigned seating, I normally would not care when I board, but I like for my carry on to be above where I sit. I guess it is a control issue. If you board too late, it may be behind you. Inevitably, what happens is that everyone crowds around the boarding gate jostling to go forward.
Anyway, when it is time for boarding, you must first board a bus. Of course, there are people trying to get around and in front of you. This time, I got on the bus and had a small space to spare. There was an older lady looking for someone and she was pushing her way through the mass of bodies. Rather than saying Excuse Me in some language or another, she poked me in the back with her bony finger. Yikes! I pity her grandchildren fearing that finger poke.
I got on the plane, stowed my carry on above me and sat down. Success! Then, this is what almost always happens on this flight. Someone thinks someone else is in their seat. On my outbound flight, the flight was almost completely full and a lady told another lady that she was in her seat. I have to interpret what was happening because they did not speak English. The seated woman says no and won't budge. The stewardess comes over and asks both of them for their boarding passes. The seated woman can't find hers, she only has a baggage claim. The standing woman has hers. The seated woman is told she must move. She refuses and the two passenger ladies begin to argue. A steward comes over with the same result-no boarding pass and she won't budge. Now, two ladies across the aisle seem to be putting their 2 cents in to the discussion and laughing and having a fine time. The gate agent comes over and says that she must move. She says no and everyone argues again. Another 10 minutes goes by and the pilot comes out and asks what is happening. He is incredulous and asks her for her boarding pass with the same result. Then he begins asking the laughing ladies for theirs. It turns out that they are not in the correct seats. The correct seat holders had just went to the back of the plane and found empty seats. The agent goes and finds them, brings them up and makes the laughing ladies move. They are now no longer laughing and very angry. He says something to the seated lady who finally gets up and goes to the back of the plane. Not before fake spitting and it seems cursing the standing lady. At that, all the surrounding passengers start roaring laughing and clapping. Everyone is properly seated and after having been delayed for 30 minutes, we finally take off. Usually, on this flight, there is always someone who can't find their proper seat and does not have their boarding pass. Many times, they will be wearing a backpack and as they turn around again and again to look for their proper seat, not believing that it is not the one that a person is already in, they bump everybody sitting on the aisle with their backpack. The investigation takes some time, is finally resolved and we leave late.
One time, when I had a window seat, the stewardess advised the man sitting next to me that he had to put his tray table away because we were getting ready to land and if there was an emergency, I (in my window seat) would be impeded from exiting. He was laying his head on it. He waved his hand for her to go away. She repeated her request, but he said no and waved his hand for her to go away again-dismissing her. She walked down the aisle fuming and got another stewardess, who in a commanding voice said that he WOULD do it and that they were not his slaves to be dismissed! They were very angry. Now, the gentleman, in the aisle seat, who was with the reclining man began entreating him to please sit up and put the tray table away. Of course, I am assuming this because the discussion was not in English. And I didn't think it was Arabic. I don't think it was Turkish, because the stewardess was speaking to him in English. In disgust, he finally puts the table away, waving his hands around and speaking angrily. Lots of drama.
Another issue that I have is when the person behind me needs to get up, but uses the back of my seat for support. So, first my head rest is pulled down, with my head, when they are pulling themselves up and then when they are up and release the seat, it goes boingggg on my head. I have learned at the first signal of the person getting up to lean forward.
Lastly, there is customs. I got my luggage and brought it over to the line for the x ray at customs. When it was my turn, I was trying to lift my 2 fifty pound pieces of luggage onto the conveyor belt, with my laptop case and purse, when this lady behind me spotted a space between my luggage and where it goes into the machine and tried to go around me an put her stuff in the middle of mine. I like to keep my stuff all together so that I can keep track of it, because if her stuff were to be stopped for inspection the rest of my stuff would be delayed coming out. I said No, I am not finished. Please wait. Another example of people not understanding the beauty of orderly lines!!
Sorry, I just needed to rant to get this out of my system! :)
The Istanbul airport is always crowded, day and night. In the main corridor, there are not enough seats for everyone waiting for their gates to be announced. And usually the gates in Istanbul are often not announced until less than an hour before the flight. So, there are people sitting and sometimes lying on the floor, people circling like vultures for empty seats. If you get a seat, you are hesitant to get up to do anything because you might lose your seat. I don't have enough miles for the mileage clubs. I need to just pay to join one. I have had layovers there of 4-5 hours. That is do-able, shop for awhile, eat, walk around, etc. And it IS interesting to people watch there because it is a crossroads between the east and the west and it is interesting to see what people are wearing-veils, hats, dress, shoes, boots, towels if they are male pilgrims. All very different. But this flight had a 9 hour layover. So, I decided to splurge and get a hotel at the airport for 6 hours. You could choose between 1-3 hours, 3-6 hours, 6-9 hours, etc. That was very nice. It was so much better than the constant jostling and noise for 9 hours. I have learned that I have a preferred personal space bubble around me. And for this particular flight, that space bubble is usually assaulted.
The first problem is line formation (or lack of) at Istanbul airport. Everyone likes to crowd around. They don't understand the beauty of an orderly line-no stress of people cutting in or trying to get around you. This flight often has pilgrims going to Mecca. They are often in tour groups, so they like to be together. But the problem is that they don't get in the line all together. So, many are coming later joining those in front of you. Since there is assigned seating, I normally would not care when I board, but I like for my carry on to be above where I sit. I guess it is a control issue. If you board too late, it may be behind you. Inevitably, what happens is that everyone crowds around the boarding gate jostling to go forward.
Anyway, when it is time for boarding, you must first board a bus. Of course, there are people trying to get around and in front of you. This time, I got on the bus and had a small space to spare. There was an older lady looking for someone and she was pushing her way through the mass of bodies. Rather than saying Excuse Me in some language or another, she poked me in the back with her bony finger. Yikes! I pity her grandchildren fearing that finger poke.
I got on the plane, stowed my carry on above me and sat down. Success! Then, this is what almost always happens on this flight. Someone thinks someone else is in their seat. On my outbound flight, the flight was almost completely full and a lady told another lady that she was in her seat. I have to interpret what was happening because they did not speak English. The seated woman says no and won't budge. The stewardess comes over and asks both of them for their boarding passes. The seated woman can't find hers, she only has a baggage claim. The standing woman has hers. The seated woman is told she must move. She refuses and the two passenger ladies begin to argue. A steward comes over with the same result-no boarding pass and she won't budge. Now, two ladies across the aisle seem to be putting their 2 cents in to the discussion and laughing and having a fine time. The gate agent comes over and says that she must move. She says no and everyone argues again. Another 10 minutes goes by and the pilot comes out and asks what is happening. He is incredulous and asks her for her boarding pass with the same result. Then he begins asking the laughing ladies for theirs. It turns out that they are not in the correct seats. The correct seat holders had just went to the back of the plane and found empty seats. The agent goes and finds them, brings them up and makes the laughing ladies move. They are now no longer laughing and very angry. He says something to the seated lady who finally gets up and goes to the back of the plane. Not before fake spitting and it seems cursing the standing lady. At that, all the surrounding passengers start roaring laughing and clapping. Everyone is properly seated and after having been delayed for 30 minutes, we finally take off. Usually, on this flight, there is always someone who can't find their proper seat and does not have their boarding pass. Many times, they will be wearing a backpack and as they turn around again and again to look for their proper seat, not believing that it is not the one that a person is already in, they bump everybody sitting on the aisle with their backpack. The investigation takes some time, is finally resolved and we leave late.
One time, when I had a window seat, the stewardess advised the man sitting next to me that he had to put his tray table away because we were getting ready to land and if there was an emergency, I (in my window seat) would be impeded from exiting. He was laying his head on it. He waved his hand for her to go away. She repeated her request, but he said no and waved his hand for her to go away again-dismissing her. She walked down the aisle fuming and got another stewardess, who in a commanding voice said that he WOULD do it and that they were not his slaves to be dismissed! They were very angry. Now, the gentleman, in the aisle seat, who was with the reclining man began entreating him to please sit up and put the tray table away. Of course, I am assuming this because the discussion was not in English. And I didn't think it was Arabic. I don't think it was Turkish, because the stewardess was speaking to him in English. In disgust, he finally puts the table away, waving his hands around and speaking angrily. Lots of drama.
Another issue that I have is when the person behind me needs to get up, but uses the back of my seat for support. So, first my head rest is pulled down, with my head, when they are pulling themselves up and then when they are up and release the seat, it goes boingggg on my head. I have learned at the first signal of the person getting up to lean forward.
Lastly, there is customs. I got my luggage and brought it over to the line for the x ray at customs. When it was my turn, I was trying to lift my 2 fifty pound pieces of luggage onto the conveyor belt, with my laptop case and purse, when this lady behind me spotted a space between my luggage and where it goes into the machine and tried to go around me an put her stuff in the middle of mine. I like to keep my stuff all together so that I can keep track of it, because if her stuff were to be stopped for inspection the rest of my stuff would be delayed coming out. I said No, I am not finished. Please wait. Another example of people not understanding the beauty of orderly lines!!
Sorry, I just needed to rant to get this out of my system! :)
Remember - it's just part of the adventure!
ReplyDeleteShauna