Ercan Stansted changing planes at SAW

[torontomapleleaf]

I have to change planes on Pegasus at Sabiha Gokcen next week (Thanks UK government) what is the process and how smooth is it?

Also do you get issued two boarding cards at Ercan/Stansted?

Thanks

TML

[ITFCMike]

Two boarding cards are issued
Going out we received clear instructions direct to the departure lounge where additional security checks were made.

Coming back from UK two boarding cards issued, we had to go through transit at Sabiha Gokcen which whilst not a problem if plane from UK arrives on time is not as straightforward as going direct to departure lounge.

As TRNC is unrecgonised security cannot be verified by the UK.
Interestingly I noticed at least two tablets were picked up at Sabiha Gokcen on the outward trip,make of that what you will, be seems to justify the UK stance.

[kedikat2903]

Going from Ercan to Istanbul lots of staff showing us where to go. It was a short walk to get bags checked by hand then straight into the queue to show boarding pass, and onto the next plane. My flight from Ercan took off nearly two hours late but the next plane was waiting. Coming back was not so good. I have never done transit before, so when we got off the plane I didn't know where to go. No staff around to ask. No signs either. So just followed everyone else. It was a much longer walk into the main airport. Eventually found Pegasus transit queue. While waiting in the queue the last call for Pegasus - Ercan was being called. Our hand luggage and passengers were pushed through the x ray machines and scanners by staff. It was manic. Then another long walk through airport. Found a screen to get gate number. More walking/running to find gate. Then had to board bus and eventually got on the plane. Maybe people who have done transit before will not find it so stressful but I really can't face that journey again , so will be going through Larnaca next time.

[sophie]

OMG kedicat 2903, Sounds dreadful. Although my husband doesn't need a wheel chair yet, he most certainly couldn't cope with what you describe. I suspect (although never done it before) our allegiance in future will be with Larnaca as and when the need arises.

[pedmoreapollo]

We travelled to Manchester via Istanbul recently and were horrified by the poor security check at Ercan. My husband walked through the security check with a bottle of water and they did not notice. The individual security screen bleeped as he walked through and again security did not stop him. In the end another passenger called out to the security guy that they had missed the bleep. He was then searched, Makes you realise the UK has a point about the quality of the checked at Ercan.
It was a nightmare at Istanbul walking to and finding the gate. Never again. Larnaca next time

[torontomapleleaf]

If it's a bad experience then it looks like Larnaca in the future which is a shame as I've been doing Ercan UK at least four times a year for 18 years.

TML

[Mr B]

I thought I would let you know how our journey back to the UK was on Monday 19th June 2017. Our new flight PC1933 from Ercan to Sabiha Gokcen took off on time 08:25 arrived at Sabiha Gokcen on time. I must admit the thought of disembarking did fill us with apprehension as this was to be our first experience with the new rules being implemented from 1st June 2017 on Pegasus Airlines. I am pleased to report there were no problems, easy to follow signage at Sabiha Gokcen, as we proceded to the security control area with our hand luggage, it was screened as were ourselves and our 2nd boarding cards were also checked, we proceded to Gate 201B were again our passports, boarding cards were inspected at the entrance to the waiting area - our hand luggage was checked by a security person, we were bodily searched and waited for our flight to be called. Flight PC1161 left about 25minutes late, our chicken sandwich meal was up-graded to a hot chicken dish, salad and pudding. We landed at Stansted Airport at 12:55. that's 25 minutes early. Well done Pegasus Airlines and thanks. We are already booked for our return to TRNC later in the year and our journey in both directions later in 2017/18. Happy customers, or Guests as they like to call us! Reading the above shows not everyone experiences the same service.

[Hector]

Frankly the misery of changing planes etc. when flying UK - Ercan or back just isn't worth the extra time & cost of a taxi from or to Larnaca airport. Used to do it but not anymore, it's Larnaca now.

[snail921]

We’re flying out (Stansted / Sabiha / Ercan) next week. Do I take it that hold baggage is booked through and does not need to be rechecked when disembarking / re-embarking at Sabiha?
TIA
Brian

[torontomapleleaf]

Mr B;

Glad you had a good experience but the negative ones from others were both on the UK Ercan leg.

I spoke to a friend today who came out yesterday and he confirmed what they said and he's now looking to Larnaca in the future.

TML

[caulkhead]

I nearly always fly to and from Ercan, except when using my air miles, and usually use Turkish or AtlasGlobal who most times are better value and friendlier than Pegasus. Apart from the first couple of trips I have found both IST and SAW easy to navigate, though it does involve some walking. This allows you to stretch your legs, which I welcome on a long flight. Last time I travelled with a friend who needed assistance and, though the language barrier meant we could not confirm what was to be happening to us, it all went smoothly. I normally travel alone so, not only ECN usually cheaper, I also save £100 each time in transfer fares!

[Bert]

After witnessing the security returning from Ercan to Uk via Attaturk yesterday I am surprised they don't have more incidents. I set off every single alarm between Ercan and Uk and no one stopped to find out what it was I was carrying . Istanbul was a nightmare cos all hand baggage has to be searched before boarding plane to Heathrow ( Turkish Airlines) and any electronic item bigger than a smart phone removed. I was asked if I had a camera to which I replied yes. I was told to show it at a deep rate desk but was so chaotic didn't bother and no body cared anyway. Upshot is the security is pathetic and organisation beyond words. The world we live in I ask you..

[sophie]

I hate to have to confirm the pathetic security at Ercan, but here goes. Every time we go through, my husbands replacement knee sets the bleeper off, most times no-one says a word but on two occasions someone has approached him and he says "new knee" in Turkish (which he's not) and he gets a "tam mam" . However back at Stanstead, the hand scanner is used and once he was asked to show the scar. Bit different eh??

[woodspeckie]

Same with me with my 2 replacement knees when the buzzer goes off I just point to my knees and I am waved through, different at Manchester I was put through a full body scan, physically scanned twice.

[kaiserphil]

Same with me with my 2 replacement knees when the buzzer goes off I just point to my knees and I am waved through, different at Manchester I was put through a full body scan, physically scanned twice.

Yes, my 2 replacement knees are a pain going through security. When I last went to TRNC via Istanbul I carried a chit written for me by a Turk here in Germany, so no problems.

They cause me all sorts of problems in Munich and UK airports though. When I flew from Newcastle last March you would have thought I had the word "Terrorist" tattooed on my forehead. I am all for security, but the way I have sometimes been treated is a disgrace.

[woodspeckie]

They cause me all sorts of problems in Munich and UK airports though. When I flew from Newcastle last March you would have thought I had the word "Terrorist" tattooed on my forehead. I am all for security, but the way I have sometimes been treated is a disgrace.[/quote]


Agree, a terrible feeling.

[kaiserphil]

They cause me all sorts of problems in Munich and UK airports though. When I flew from Newcastle last March you would have thought I had the word "Terrorist" tattooed on my forehead. I am all for security, but the way I have sometimes been treated is a disgrace.

Agree, a terrible feeling.[/quote]

British citizen aged 76 - not going to cut up rough - what an easy target!

[guru]

Our experience.

9th June flew STN to ECN via SAW. Landed at SAW and people for Turkey got off, those for ECN told to remain in seats for further announcement. They came along and counted those still on plane. Then came along again and asked to identify our hand luggage. Then announcement to get off plane and take hand luggage so we all got off, walked 30 yards up the gangway to the gate, waited there for 20 minutes (didn't have to go through any security) and then told to get back on plane..... so the point of getting off the plane was WHAT exactly??!!

Coming back on 25th we flew back ECN via Izmir to STN. Izmir was even more farcical. First we got off the plane onto a bus which drove for about 5 seconds no more than 50 FEET then stopped and we got off. Went into building on ground floor and went through security portals and hand luggage all X-rayed. No info' as to where to go, but eventually sussed we had to go upstairs. Went upstairs to the gate and queued up in two queues where staff were waiting at tables to hand search our hand luggage and rub down search each person. I eventually got to front of queue only to be told that I had to go into the other queue, as my queue was only searching women and the other queue was for men! No attempt to inform anyone of this when we all started queuing as there were men and women in each queue. TRY COMMUNICATING PEGASUS!!!

Then major arguments ensued with some passengers. One passenger told he couldn't take his phone backup charger on and would be confiscated so he smashed it on the floor, Kindles removed from certain people. Every mobile phone had to be passed through a template similar to that used by Royal Mail back home for letter and parcel sizes. If your phone didn't fit (older style phones) through the template then you couldn't take it on board!!

TBH some of it down to passengers not making themselves aware of the rules i.e. Kindles and such like but all in all a complete farce regarding the searching. Quite why we had to have everything searched again at the gate when they had already searched us via X-ray and metal detector portals downstairs is really beyond me.

We already have flights booked with PGS for September but next year seriously going to look at LCA as I really can't be doing with this faff.

[DenizIsmail]

Thank you for the information GURU much appreciated Reading all the comments from fellow members I am now not looking forward to our flight to TRNC on the 19th August.

GURU do you board a different plane at Turkey with new boarding passes or do you get on the same one with same boarding passes ?

[caulkhead]

With Atlas at IST laptops, iPads, phones and anything else that doesn't fit through the Royal Mail type slot is transported separately in the hold in a special container. You are given a receipt for anything handed in and this is used to collect items from the information desk in baggage reclaim. When I collected my iPad there were other people from the Pegasus flight doing the same, so assume Pegasus has a similar arrangement. No need to smash up items that can't be carried!

[guru]

Thank you for the information GURU much appreciated Reading all the comments from fellow members I am now not looking forward to our flight to TRNC on the 19th August.

GURU do you board a different plane at Turkey with new boarding passes or do you get on the same one with same boarding passes ?

We boarded the same plane but friends of ours who travelled on a different PGS flight a couple of days later boarded a different plane.

[mikea11]

We recently went back to uk to visit family. The security at Ercan was a joke. The girl operating the scanner screen, after passport control, just sat there looking at her nails, bored. The chap operating the one as you enter the airport was nearly asleep. When the alarm went off it was just ignored in both locations. At Istanbul the security at the transit was pretty good. You cannot blame the UK for making the changes. In future it looks like Larnaca for us.

[Keithcaley]

US laptop ban lifted on Emirates and Turkish Airlines, so perhaps it won't be too long before normality returns to ECN > UK flights...

details here