Thank you for tuning into this flight 'documentary!' Because within the past year I've flown more than ever before, I watched many flight reviews to know what to expect from a particular airline, particular aircraft, etc., so I finally decided to make one of my own. I recorded one of four legs (CLT IAD IST TBS MSQ).

This time we was traveling from Charlotte, NC to Minsk, Belarus with a threeday stop in Tbilisi, Georgia. Usually, when my family and I travel to Belarus, we book one reservation directly from the U.S. to Belarus, but due to the restrictions placed on ticket sales to Belarus by the U.S. Government in summer of 2021, we had to book several reservations; one to get us out of the U.S. and the second to get us to Belarus. My first traveling experience with such restrictions in place was in December 2021. My itinerary consisted of Charleston, SC to Moscow, Russia, then Moscow, Russia to Minsk, Belarus. When planning our summer trip to Belarus, Moscow was not an option for obvious reasons. Our stopover options were Tbilisi, Batumu, Baku, or Istanbul. Evidently, we chose Tbilisi, even though the three other options were still directly connected to Minsk with direct Belavia flights.

FLIGHT DETAILS:
Airline: Turkish Airlines (member of the Star Alliance)
Aircraft: Boeing 7879 (TCLLN)
Seat: 34K (Economy Class)
Flight Number: TK188
Origin: Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Destination: Istanbul Airport (IST)
Flight Time: 9 hours, 10 minutes
Date of Travel: May 26, 2022
Scheduled Departure Time: 17:15 (EST)
Actual Departure Time: 17:46 (EST)
Scheduled Arrival Time: 10:00 (TRT)
Actual Arrive Time: 9:56 (TRT)

After dozens of transatlantic flights on various airlines (Lufthansa, Aeroflot, FlyUIA, LOT, Turkish), Turkish takes 1st place. TK offers very convenient layovers at the amazing IST Airport and generous baggage allowance. Catering is a strong side of Turkish, according to other sources, but I do not have much to say since I'm not that much of a plane foody. However, the onground customer service Turkish offers has very much growth to do. Being thrown on hold for long periods of time and the need for feedback forms is not great.

Pricing
Total Price: USD 1034.07
Total Routing: IADISTTBSISTATL
Booked through: Turkish Airlines Website
Baggage Allowance: 1 CarryOn (8kg), 2 Checked Bags (23kg)
Booking made: April 2022

Filmed entirely on: iPhone 13 Pro Max

Instagram: @antonvasilevic (https://www.instagram.com/antonvasilevic/)