From Russia...with Turkish! SVO-IST-HKG and back again in C

I’ve been an avid fan of trip reports for a long time. Many an hour of trip planning have been a direct result of reading a report on FT (or, forgive me, sometimes airliners.net). I’ve never written one, however, because one of the things I love the most, the photos, is also the part that freaks me out the most about making my own. I couldn’t imagine sitting in my plane seat, whipping out my camera and snapping my meal, all as my seat mate looked on in shock and horror (at least in my imagination).Well, I got over myself and here it is, my first trip report. Please be kind, but I also welcome all constructive (or destructive) criticism.I live in Moscow, a city I love. I really love living in Russia as well. But as much as I love the place, it’s not my homeland and little cultural differences build up and begin to gnaw at the back of my eyeballs so that every few months I have to take a trip abroad. It doesn’t have to be back to my motherland (to use the Russian term) but just somewhere else, somewhere different, just for a change of pace and place.Back in June, I started looking for a place to go to over the Labor Day weekend. I thought by the end of August, start of September the weather would have been cool and rainy in Moscow for about a month, and someplace a little warmer would be nice. Little did I know that Moscow was going to go through its hottest summer in history and rather than rainy and cool for the prior month, the weather would only change a little over a week before, but such are the perils of planning ahead.I originally planned on going to Spain, but then a friend convinced me to travel with her to Spain in November. So I started looking elsewhere. I wanted to use Hilton points for the stay and I wanted to go somewhere I’d never been, and after some trial and error, I settled on Hong Kong. Although I’ve traveled around Europe and Eastern Europe a lot, Asia is still a lot of unknown territory for me. I found a really good fare and was about to book it when, just for kicks, I searched for business class to Hong Kong. Much to my surprise, coming back at just a little over twice the coach fare I was finding, there was a business class ticket on Turkish to Hong Kong via Istanbul. Even better, there was a strong chance that I’d get to fly on one of the 777s TK is renting from Jet. I jumped on the fare and booked the Conrad with points. I wasn’t just getting out of Moscow for a break, I was going in some sort of style.Part of the adventure of living in Moscow is the traffic. It’s pretty much a given that the city is going to come to a halt in the mornings around 9, but in the evenings and during the day, the snarls can be unpredictable and go on for hours. This makes getting to one of Moscow’s three international airports a little bit of a hassle, a situation which got worse in July when, unannounced, the city started construction on the main road leading North to St. Petersburg and Aeroflot’s home hub, Sheryemetovo.Luckily, Russian Railways runs nice express trains to all three airports. Rather than risk traffic, especially on a Friday afternoon, I took a taxi to Belorussky train station and caught the express to the airport. For some reason this afternoon they were running old style cars – not the modern cars they usually run on the route. They’re still pretty nice, and they still get you to the airport quickly, but it wasn’t the ultra-modern trains they normally run on this route.The train terminates in a nice new station built two years ago specifically for the Aeroexpress. As of a few weeks ago, walkways are open to SVO Terminal D,E,F (D is the new Aeroflot showcase, KLM/AirFrance have moved to E, and F is still some Aeroflot international flight and everyone else). You still have to take a bus over to SVO B and C (if you’re flying some of the Former Soviet Union’s more colorful airlines).I headed off to Terminal F. I seemed damned, no matter how hard I try, to always end up in Terminal F. Aeroflot has moved almost all its ops over to Terminal D, and even if I book an Aeroflot flight it inevitably leaves from Terminal F. I don’t really hate SVO, I hate Terminal F, the erstwhile SVO-2, built for the Moscow Olympics in 1980 and suffering from benign neglect ever since. The whole set up is still Soviet. You have to got through CUSTOMS before you can check in. I can’t think of another place in the world…well, actually Chisinau, Moldova was still like that when I last flew from there, but I can’t think of another major airport in the world where that is the case. I wish TK and SAS would joing their *A brothers and sisters at DME and leave Terminal F, but I fear this will not be happening soon.I checked the big board, found the check in desks and headed over. Check in was quick, polite, and efficient (not the usual scrum that lines in Russia can turn into – one of the things that gnaws at my eyeballs). I headed to passport control where the boarder guard didn’t seem to believe my passport was real. It got the UV treatment, held up to the light, examination through a loupe. Everything. Luckily, my documents passed the test, I passed through security (including the relatively new “nudie” full body scan) and headed into the terminal.If modern airports are spacious, airy, open, Terminal F is the antithesis of modern airport planning. It’s a warren. It’s confusing. You walk in circles and never can see further than the next gate or two. The only think I like about the airport is the free WiFi (Beeline).I stumbled around until I found the Amber Lounge, the contract lounge that TK uses at SVO. I never take it as a good sign when you have to head downstairs into a lounge, like heading down to a dungeon. I like the UA’s RCC in the D concourse at RCC, but that may be the lone exception. And even there, you have to encounter some dungeon dwelling vermin.Unfortunately, the stairs were a bad harbinger. The lounge was crowded and claustrophobic. Seating came straight out of a 1970s wreck room. The food options were some “buterbroty” – cold cuts on sliced white bread and packages of chips and pretzels. Drinks and wine/beer were in a Pepsi display case like you’d find at a convenience store. And worst of all, you couldn’t pick up the free Beeline wifi signal in the basement. There was Beeline wifi, but you only got 15 minutes free at a time and had to watch 75 seconds of commercials to get that. I spent about 45 minutes hanging out then headed for the gate.TK416SVO – ISTScheduled Departure 18:25Aircraft – A321Seat 2AThe arriving aircraft was late, so boarding didn’t start until about 18:10. One of the passengers asked the gate agent if the flight was full, and she said it was completely booked.Turkish runs two A321 aircraft – one with American Domestic First Class seating for business and one that resembles European Business class, i.e. the same seats as coach, but with the middle seat blocked. You never quite know what you’re going to get, apparently, although some routes seem more prone to certain configurations. Coming around the corner on the jet way and entering the aircraft, I had my “moment of truth” – I got the European style, blocked middle seat. Maybe I will get lucky on my way back, although Moscow – Istanbul is mainly a leisure route for Russians, so I sort of doubt it.The seats were ok, a little warn. The aircraft was packed, but the crew did everything possible to get everyone on board and we pushed back maybe 10 minutes late. I was a bit disappointed that there was no predepartue drink. I am not sure if this is normal, or if it was because of the tight turn around.Moscow from the air on departure.Shortly after take off the FAs came around with hot towels and menus. Photos and text below.Menu SVO – ISTAssorted Turkish MezeMediterranean Salad---Please choose from our selection:SPECIALS FROM TURKISH CUISINE…“Islim Kebab” Lamb Coated with Eggplant/Buttered Rice-or-Chicken Satay/Sautéed tomato and onion/rice-or-Home Made Rigatoni Pasta/Tomato Sauce/Sautéed eggplants air dried tomatoes--Assorted Cheese--Home Made Apple Strudel--Ovenfresh Bread SelectionFreshly Brewed Coffee or TeaBeveragesChampagneSpirits – Blended Whiskey, Bourbon Whiskey, Gin, Vodka, RakiSelected Turkish and International WinesBeers – Carlsberg, Efes PilsenLiqueur and CognacsJuices – Orange, tomato, sourcherrySoft Drinks – Ice Tea Lemon, Mineral WaterFreshly Brewed Coffee and TeaThere was no separate drink service. The drinks came out with the tray containing the appetizer, salad, cheese, and desert. I love Turkish food and had gotten excited at the prospect of Meza (and looking at some of the photos of meza from previous TK trip reports, although admittedly mainly the F class meza).A couple of small touches which I did like – all metal silverware, including knives. A little clothes pin to fix your napkin to your shirt (I inevitably manage to spill something major on myself in the short flight leading up to a 8-12 hour flight, so I have to wear my shame for the rest of my trip). Sadly, I broke my clothes pin before I could get my napkin fastened (I still avoided disaster, luckily). And I like the little salt and pepper shakers. Too many airlines have done away with these in business in favor of packets. It’s just not the same.For my main course, I got the Islim Kebab – I saw eggplant on the menu and needed to read no further. I love eggplant. I like the way this TK crew handled the main courses. Rather than taking orders, they plated a cart full of the meals in the galley and then came and explained and showed each option when delivering the hot meals. The kebab was really tasty – I enjoyed it thoroughly.The rest of the flight passed uneventfully and we were soon landing in Ataturk International. Transit went smoothly, and low and behold, I soon emerged into the anti-Terminal-F.