Hi, I am transiting in Istanbul from SQ392 from Singapore onto to A3991 to Athens (Aegean Airlines). The tickets are separate and I was told by Singapore Airlines they will do the through check-in for me at Perth, the orgin aiport. If they are unable to check my bags all the way throguh Athens, is there a Star Alliance transfer desk at IST Ataturk that will take care of the bags and issue the new boading pass?
Well if SQ has said that they will not perform check in to your final destination, and that you will have to pick up your luggage, that will mean you will not reach the transfer area. You will have to go through passport control and then pick up your luggage in IST (note, Aussies require to register for an e-Visa to Turkey which costs USD20). Afterwards, you will have to go to the departures hall from the arrivals hall and do check in all over again for your new flight. I would recommend a MINIMUM 3hr connection for this - but to be entirely safe I'd recommend 5hrs in case the flight fom SIN is late.
Given that both airlines are members of StarAlliance you should be ablle have SQ check your baggage all the way through to Athens and also issue you your boarding passes on Aegean.
That way you bypass Athens Immigration and head for the sign that says transit passengers where you show your passport & BP to gain access.
I just had to show my BP and Passport to bypass immigration and pass on through into the transit area for my next flight.
I seem to recall that the access to the transit area was just off to the right of the immigration counters but just look for the signs relating to passengers transiting
i just did exactly the same thing but from Singapre as I flew scoot from Sydney, upon collecting my bags in Sydney i presented my tickets for SIN-IST (one ticket) and Istanbul-Athens on A3 991 then from Athens to Rhodes. I only recently flew out on the 11th June 2016 from Sydney.
In Singapore my bags were checked all the way through to Rhodes despite the Aegean and Singapore flights being on seperate tickets.
howecer that was not to be the case, this is just my Facebook post I have today send through a 3 page letter to Singapore Airlines.
1. Rocking up to the airport, missing the passport 2. Leaving Singapore 1 hour late due to a pressurisation problem with the plane 3. Circling above Istanbul for 1.5 hours because the Bloody Turks can't get their Radar working 4. Have to land in Ankara cause plane has no fuel left 5. Sit on a plane for 1.5 hours waiting to refuel and for the Radar to be fixed at Istanbul airport 6. Missed the connection flight to Athens 7.now have missed the following flight to Rhodes 8. Finally land in Istanbul where the helpful Turkish staff have 1 staff member assisting all 87 passengers who had a connecting flight to Athens and Other destinations across Europe. 9. Takes the Turks 1.5 hours to process my boarding pass, in the meantime my bags are no where to be heard of. 9a. No wifi 10. downgraded from business 11. Onboard announcements are made in Turkish only flying Turkish airlines 12. Finally get to Athens all bags accounted for then have to proceed to re check in bags to Rhodes
13. Now I supposedly have a 6 hour wait in Athens after requesting back in Istanbul for the 19:40 flight to Rhodes so I can relax a bit in Athens and go into the city to visit my cousins. Turns out Turkish Airlines never notified Aegean that my flight times had changed and I missed my flight to Rhodes all together. Upon returning to the airport the very helpful Aegean Staff were able to immidialtey place me on the next flight to Rhodes which was the one i had requested in Istanbul and source my bags for me.
Hi Kosta, that sounds like you were very unlucky from the very start. If the Singapore Airlines flight landed on time in IST, would you have been ok to transit onto the Aegean flight to Athens? So would your bags have been automatically transferred and you weren't required to go to a transfer desk or collect your bags and re check-in?
The staff in Singapre issued me with boarding passes all the way to Rhodes. And the bags were also seamlessly put through all the way to Rhodes. However my grandmother for example did a similar routing to yours though from Sydney, she just had to ask in Singapore for the boarding passes to Athens but the bags went straight through.
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International transfers at Istanbul Ataturk
Yanni
Yanni
Aegean Airlines - Miles & Bonus
Member since 15 Jun 2016
Total posts 49
International transfers at Istanbul Ataturk
Yanni
Yanni
Aegean Airlines - Miles & Bonus
Member since 15 Jun 2016
Total posts 49
Hi, I am transiting in Istanbul from SQ392 from Singapore onto to A3991 to Athens (Aegean Airlines). The tickets are separate and I was told by Singapore Airlines they will do the through check-in for me at Perth, the orgin aiport. If they are unable to check my bags all the way throguh Athens, is there a Star Alliance transfer desk at IST Ataturk that will take care of the bags and issue the new boading pass?
popkin1
popkin1
Member since 20 Jan 2013
Total posts 1
Well if SQ has said that they will not perform check in to your final destination, and that you will have to pick up your luggage, that will mean you will not reach the transfer area. You will have to go through passport control and then pick up your luggage in IST (note, Aussies require to register for an e-Visa to Turkey which costs USD20). Afterwards, you will have to go to the departures hall from the arrivals hall and do check in all over again for your new flight. I would recommend a MINIMUM 3hr connection for this - but to be entirely safe I'd recommend 5hrs in case the flight fom SIN is late.
Hope this helps!
cssaus
cssaus
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
Member since 29 Jan 2011
Total posts 81
Given that both airlines are members of StarAlliance you should be ablle have SQ check your baggage all the way through to Athens and also issue you your boarding passes on Aegean.
That way you bypass Athens Immigration and head for the sign that says transit passengers where you show your passport & BP to gain access.
Yanni
Yanni
Aegean Airlines - Miles & Bonus
Member since 15 Jun 2016
Total posts 49
Do you mean bypass Istanbul immigration?
cssaus
cssaus
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
Member since 29 Jan 2011
Total posts 81
Correct.
I just had to show my BP and Passport to bypass immigration and pass on through into the transit area for my next flight.
I seem to recall that the access to the transit area was just off to the right of the immigration counters but just look for the signs relating to passengers transiting
kpkazzie
kpkazzie
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 01 Apr 2013
Total posts 63
Hey Yianni I'm Kosta,
i just did exactly the same thing but from Singapre as I flew scoot from Sydney, upon collecting my bags in Sydney i presented my tickets for SIN-IST (one ticket) and Istanbul-Athens on A3 991 then from Athens to Rhodes. I only recently flew out on the 11th June 2016 from Sydney.
In Singapore my bags were checked all the way through to Rhodes despite the Aegean and Singapore flights being on seperate tickets.
howecer that was not to be the case, this is just my Facebook post I have today send through a 3 page letter to Singapore Airlines.
1. Rocking up to the airport, missing the passport
2. Leaving Singapore 1 hour late due to a pressurisation problem with the plane
3. Circling above Istanbul for 1.5 hours because the Bloody Turks can't get their Radar working
4. Have to land in Ankara cause plane has no fuel left
5. Sit on a plane for 1.5 hours waiting to refuel and for the Radar to be fixed at Istanbul airport
6. Missed the connection flight to Athens
7.now have missed the following flight to Rhodes
8. Finally land in Istanbul where the helpful Turkish staff have 1 staff member assisting all 87 passengers who had a connecting flight to Athens and Other destinations across Europe.
9. Takes the Turks 1.5 hours to process my boarding pass, in the meantime my bags are no where to be heard of.
9a. No wifi
10. downgraded from business
11. Onboard announcements are made in Turkish only flying Turkish airlines
12. Finally get to Athens all bags accounted for then have to proceed to re check in bags to Rhodes
13. Now I supposedly have a 6 hour wait in Athens after requesting back in Istanbul for the 19:40 flight to Rhodes so I can relax a bit in Athens and go into the city to visit my cousins. Turns out Turkish Airlines never notified Aegean that my flight times had changed and I missed my flight to Rhodes all together. Upon returning to the airport the very helpful Aegean Staff were able to immidialtey place me on the next flight to Rhodes which was the one i had requested in Istanbul and source my bags for me.
So my advice would be avoid TURKEY at all costs.
Yanni
Yanni
Aegean Airlines - Miles & Bonus
Member since 15 Jun 2016
Total posts 49
Hi Kosta, that sounds like you were very unlucky from the very start. If the Singapore Airlines flight landed on time in IST, would you have been ok to transit onto the Aegean flight to Athens? So would your bags have been automatically transferred and you weren't required to go to a transfer desk or collect your bags and re check-in?
kpkazzie
kpkazzie
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 01 Apr 2013
Total posts 63
The staff in Singapre issued me with boarding passes all the way to Rhodes. And the bags were also seamlessly put through all the way to Rhodes. However my grandmother for example did a similar routing to yours though from Sydney, she just had to ask in Singapore for the boarding passes to Athens but the bags went straight through.