My Not-So-Great Experience on Turkish Airlines' TK 3997 from St. Petersburg to Antalya and Back

I was really looking forward to flying with Turkish Airlines again after my amazing trip from St. Petersburg to Bodrum last year. You can check out that review here.

But this time around, I was pretty disappointed. I had chosen the flight specifically to fly with Turkish Airlines, and after days of agonizing over the booking, I finally got my hands on those coveted boarding passes.

Our flight was scheduled for a Saturday at 12:40, and we landed at Pulkovo two hours later. Check-in was already open, with multiple counters processing boarding passes for different flights at the same time. We only had to wait 15 minutes in line, and then we handed over our luggage, which is now accepted without the need for self-packaging at Pulkovo airport as of April 2024. If you do need to wrap your luggage in protective plastic, you'll have to pay 500-1000 rubles to the airport staff, who'll wrap it for you in a matter of seconds using an automated machine. I did see a few passengers whose hand-wrapped luggage was still accepted, but I have no idea what criteria the staff use to decide – maybe it just depends on their mood. We spent a bit over an hour in the waiting area, but at least the flight was on schedule and without any delays. Unfortunately, that's the only positive aspect of this flight – and here's why.

We were quickly taken to the plane on a tiny, battered bus that was only big enough for the economy class seats, which were arranged in rows of six. It was clear that this charter was cutting costs on everything. But what really surprised me – and then disappointed me – was what I found when I boarded the plane.

The Boeing 737-800 was cramped, awkward, with worn-out seats and a bunch of grumpy, tired Turkish flight attendants who looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. They greeted us with a scowl, not a smile, and looked like they'd been dragged out of bed to serve us. They maintained that expression for the entire flight, never once cracking a smile.The seats on the Boeing 737-800 were tiny and narrow, with my knees just a few centimeters from the seat in front of me. It felt like I was sitting on a stool the whole time, or like I was on our domestic carrier Pobeda – the plane was shaking and swaying constantly.

I was stuck in the back of the plane, row 32, and let me tell you, it was a wild ride. The seats in the back of the Boeing 737-800 don't recline like they do on other planes, but it was still pretty comfortable. I was sandwiched between two other passengers, and the constant movement of the plane made it impossible to sleep. I had to deal with the constant rumble of the plane and the occasional jolt that made my seatbelt dig into my lap. But hey, at least the flight was short, right? So, what did Turkish Airlines have in store for us on this long-awaited meal? A sad, empty sandwich (yes, that's what the flight attendants called it) that was basically just a dry bun with no filling. Some lukewarm lemonade, water, and tea/coffee with powdered creamer, but no milk on board for four hours? No thanks, I guess. Nordwind Airlines wouldn't even feed you if the flight was under five hours. On the way back from Antalya to St. Petersburg, we were on the same plane, and I have to say, the meal was a bit of an improvement. They added some cheese and a tomato slice to the sandwich, and it looked way more appetizing. I'm a bit of a foodie, and I judge the comfort of a flight by the quality of the in-flight meal. I mean, what's the deal with the contrast in service from the food to the staff from St. Petersburg to Bodrum (check out my review of their hospitality here)? Even though the Turkish Airlines logo was plastered on the plane, tickets, and electronic board, I got the strong feeling I was flying on some local Turkish equivalent of our low-cost carrier, not a major international airline. A fellow passenger filled me in, and I later looked it up online - we were flying on AnadoluJet, a subsidiary of Turkish Airlines that's not exactly living up to its parent's standards.But what really got my goat was that there was no mention of this at all when I booked my ticket. Even if it was a codeshare, like the ones our Aeroflot and Rossiya Airlines often do (I've got a detailed review of one of those flights here), you'd think they'd at least try to match the branding. Right?

+

The flight from St. Petersburg to Antalya and back was spot on schedule

+

The seats on the last row recline to a pretty comfortable position

Conspicuous Cons

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No hot meals on board

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The flight attendants were completely unfriendly and even a bit rude

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The plane was old and worn out

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The seats were pretty beat up

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And don't even get me started on the lack of pillows and blankets