Transfer from SAW/ISTANBUL to the new ISTANBUL airport

[Matthews42]

I’m looking for some advice on process to transfer from SAW/Istanbul airport to new Istanbul airport.
Do you need to go through security and collect your luggage?
How to transfer FRM one to the other? Bus/taxi?
How long it will take?
Do Turkish airlines provide a bus/coach to transfer you?

Asking as connecting flight to Ercan from SAW/Istanbul in September has just been cancelled with Turkish airlines

Spent the last hour on the phone with them, after being cut off once trying to get a new flight and the only one they could offer us on the same day was from Istanbul.
We were travelling with older relatives for the first time!

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

[Hair Cut]

Don't attempt it, it's 76 Kilometers between the two airports.

[benjaminbutton]

Have you tried AnadoluJet ( the junior to TA) and flies out of SAW to Ercan. Used them two weeks ago.

[Matthews42]

Thank you for your replies.
The cancelled flight was with andoulujet .
Flew with them in June and they were great.
But looks like they don’t fly out of Saw to Ercan, all these flights are transferring to Istanbul.

If we were to change airlines for the Saw to Ercan leg. ie. Pegasus instead of Turkish airlines, how would that work.
Would we still need to go through security and collect your luggage?
Would we need a visa, as we would need to check in with the different airline?

Trying to find the best and easiest option for our travel companions.
Thanks in advance

[come_on_aylin]

Best avoided but if it's unavoidable it takes just under 2 hours by bus. Add another 2-4 hours, at least, to collect bags at SAW and check in at IST.
Bus details here, scroll down for times, costs, etc https://www.hava.ist/en/Voyage/VoyageTime
As said above, better to rearrange flights so that you are transferring within the same airport. If you haven't already confirmed the changes with TA they may be able to cancel the whole journey and rebook on another day or earlier on the same day. It's a good idea to look at their website, work out which flights will suit you best and ask them to change you to them. I've always found them helpful on the UK number which I Skype.

[come_on_aylin]

If we were to change airlines for the Saw to Ercan leg. ie. Pegasus instead of Turkish airlines, how would that work.
Would we still need to go through security and collect your luggage?
Would we need a visa, as we would need to check in with the different airline?

Yes to collecting luggage, going through customs and checking in again, so give yourself enough time - 3 hours
No visa required, assuming you are all UK citizens.

[Matthews42]

Great thanks come_on_aylin.
You have been very helpful.
Yes we are all uk citizens.

I think given out travel companions we will rebook with TA so the transfers are from the same airport

[forestpixie]

Thank you for your replies.
The cancelled flight was with andoulujet .
Flew with them in June and they were great.
But looks like they don’t fly out of Saw to Ercan, all these flights are transferring to Istanbul.

If we were to change airlines for the Saw to Ercan leg. ie. Pegasus instead of Turkish airlines, how would that work.
Would we still need to go through security and collect your luggage?
Would we need a visa, as we would need to check in with the different airline?

Trying to find the best and easiest option for our travel companions.
Thanks in advance

Oh noooo don't tell me that, have an October flight with them and chose them because of SAW! Don't like Istanbul.

[Matthews42]

Phoned today and they have changed all flight from stansted to Heathrow, changing at Istanbul. They were very helpful as got cut off twice and they phoned back to confirm. We are happier now with the one airline and airport.

Forestpixie, can I ask you why do do not like Istanbul airport?
This will be our first time travelling there, so was curious, thanks.

[JoandJelly]

As I found out a couple of weeks ago you cannot change just the SAW to ECN portion of the flight so my advice woukd be to get a refund and rebook with Pegasus. Flying via Izmir with Pegasus is also a good option as it is a very small airport and easy to navigate.

[MVP]

Istanbul airport is huge but well signed and there is a fast track transfer route for those over 65 .
It's an amazing airport that everyone should see, it makes Heathrow look like a portacabin

[forestpixie]

Phoned today and they have changed all flight from stansted to Heathrow, changing at Istanbul. They were very helpful as got cut off twice and they phoned back to confirm. We are happier now with the one airline and airport.

Forestpixie, can I ask you why do do not like Istanbul airport?
This will be our first time travelling there, so was curious, thanks.

Oh yikes, really! It's just getting worse. I find Istanbul too big and too much of a hassle when changing planes, plus it's super expensive.

[Brazen]

Phoned today and they have changed all flight from stansted to Heathrow, changing at Istanbul. They were very helpful as got cut off twice and they phoned back to confirm. We are happier now with the one airline and airport.

Forestpixie, can I ask you why do do not like Istanbul airport?
This will be our first time travelling there, so was curious, thanks.

Oh yikes, really! It's just getting worse. I find Istanbul too big and too much of a hassle when changing planes, plus it's super expensive.

[ozankoys]

Anadolu Jet cancelled our ECN-SAW flight on 30 September but not the SAW-STN leg! After 5 frustrating attempts phoning their Call Centres in Turkey & UK when they insisted that no alternatives ‘were available’ I bought new flights for the previous day & hope I get a refund. It took 3 months to be refunded when they cancelled my flight in March.

[JoandJelly]

Anadolu Jet cancelled our ECN-SAW flight on 30 September but not the SAW-STN leg! After 5 frustrating attempts phoning their Call Centres in Turkey & UK when they insisted that no alternatives ‘were available’ I bought new flights for the previous day & hope I get a refund. It took 3 months to be refunded when they cancelled my flight in March.

This happened to me a few weeks ago. We ended up cancelling my husband's flights as he was only going for a few days and the refund came in very quickly. Had a bit of a nightmare trying to get them to refund his extra legroom seat bookings but got there in the end. I rearranged my flights to different days.

[Panchocat]

"Istanbul airport is huge but well signed and there is a fast track transfer route for those over 65 .
It's an amazing airport that everyone should see, it makes Heathrow look like a portacabin."

How do you access this fast track transfer route please?