Up, Up and Away

I think my first commercial flight was in 1952 across the North Atlantic. Not that I remember much, but I think flying has gone downhill ever since, at least from the customer’s viewpoint.

Our flight yesterday was on Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to Johannesburg – a 10 hour marathon. Check-in was smooth, but then we were at the airport at 1900hrs for a 0100hrs flight! Yes, early, but we thought we could just snack on something at the airport and find a comfortable place to sit and read.

The airport is new – brand spanking new. It looks more like a mall for very weatlthy shoppers. Plenty of high-end merchandise from Gucci to Fendi and on to Tom Ford; just the place for high end second hand shoppers like us to end up in.

Ah yes, it’s all duty-free, they say, but then it’s marked up to prices beyond what one would pay in a shop downtown. The place bristles with ads for flying, showing happy customers in lie down flat seats being served sumptious meals by smiling cabin staff.

The reality is one is squeezed into a seat like a sardine in a can, served some unidentifiable mixture of chicken and veggies that is balanced on a tray that is mere inches from your stomach with a 1/3 cup full of coffee because they can’t be bothered to brew more.

That’s a pretty good description of flying Turkish Airlines. Adding insult to injury, they continue to show on the screens in front of you advertisements with happy flying customers in business class seats – it’s an insult to those of us in the cattle car seats.

Okay, enough whinging! We made it after a 2 hour delay in Istanbul – dammit if it had been a 3 hour delay some little clause in our health insurance allows us to call and they will provide access to one of those special lounges that people who fly business/first class get to use.

We arrived in Johannesburg 10 hours later and are now relaxing on the back garden deck of our guest house – Yes, it’s great. Clear, warm, welcoming. and very friendly faces – the Africa I remember.