Terry&Sue

We have just returned from Fethiye after a 2 week break and one of the best things about the holiday was getting there and back!!!
Before Xmas when we mentioned the area we got the comment
" its a lovely place to visit but OH DALAMAN AIRPORT AND THE TRANSFER ROAD FROM HELL!!"
QUEUES OUT THE DOOR AND NO DECENT SHOPS OR PLACES TO GO!

The new airport terminal is an absolute dream compared to the old and all of us UK visitors were saying what a difference it makes to a visit!
It was efficient,smart,huge with loads of space so you could have got half of the fethiye population inside.
It has lovely duty free shopping areas and eating sections and the security even at 3am was excellent.
There were numerous indicator boards giving flight information and it looked like 60 check in gates.

Similarly the transfer was so quick now the Gocek Tunnel is open and considering I am not a good traveller the road is now a doddle compared to the old route. Our taxi did it in 45 minutes and whilst fast,it felt a very safe road.
We were very impressed and hope it will encourage others to visit as the comments from our fellow travellers both arriving and departing were very encouraging!

Freda

I agree about the journey. But why oh why are airports in Turkey more expensive than Heathrow!!!

matty

Hi Terry & Susan.
Glad you enjoyed your holiday, i can agree with you that the new tunnel is great. but as for the new terminal well!!! Oversized baggage took over an hour to come through, which they bring by hand, including puschairs. Looks like a concrete jungle, a lot of wasted space, not enough seating area's before the departure lounge, and what seating they have chose is like chinese torture, just hope we never get delayed!! expensive duty free shops. I think that the lack of seating is due to they want you to look around the expensive shops which they have now got!
Anyone taking anything other than a suitcase be prepared for a long wait for luggage to arrive.

Good luck Ann

madturkishcow

Sorry Matty

Cannot agree with your comments about the new terminal at Dalaman. As someone who used the old one for 18 years the new sparkling all-mod airport is fantastic.Compared to Gatwick the wait for luggage was about the same. Yes there are vast empty spaces but Antalya and Istanbul airport are the same. The duty free shops are cheaper than UK, plenty of choice and friendly,helpful staff.I personally prefer Dalaman (the new one) to Gatwick and I know other people who share my opinion. I am sure the lack of seating is some weird security job or the floor space is designed for those who are expected to kip down for the night when there are delays!

Tel n Sooo....45 minutes oooh thats bad! I will give you the number for my friendly Taksi driver. We did Esenköy to Dalaman in 33 minutes via the tunnel! Oh we have had an advantage, it was 1am in the morning........

mkc

doreen moss

I have to agree with those of you who are pleased with the new Dalaman airport. It is such an great improvement from the old one and the duty free shops are really good with such a vast choice. I wear Mitsouko by Guerlain perfume and find it so hard to get in N. Ireland and was able to get it at the airport. Again I would agree that the seating in the airport leaves a lot to be desired, such uncomfortable seats, I would dread having to spend any more time there if a flight was delayed. As for the catering prices, my husband priced a pint of Eefes beer and got a shock, it worked out in Stg. to £8 so we ended up sharing a cup of tea between us. The MacDonalds prices were the most reasonable and best value of any. If they charged normal prices they would get more customers, as it is they waste such a lot of food that could have been sold.

Carolyn

I hope it's not the one I'm thinking of Jen. Despite promises and reminders a certain friendly Taksi driver left Mike and I stranded and desperate at midnight. We eventually had to admit defeat, unable to raise anyone else and had to drag our poor friend out of his nice warm bed to take us on a mercy dash to Dalaman. We just made it by the skin of our teeth. Apparently the taksi driver had been too busy frying other fish!

Jenny

Love the new airport! I was delayed (damn excel) for 6 hours and had a very comfortable wait - food prices lower than the last terminal - particularly the turkish place that you come to first at the top of the escalators, and there were plenty of comfy seats in the bar area to sit and enjoy your 3 lira bottle of water for a few hours! To me, the best thing was the lighting - it was very dim and really relaxing creating a nice ambiance unlike any other airport ive been in.

Thumbs up for the new Dalaman!

Jenny.x.

madturkishcow

Ahhh Yes Sis
It was that same friendly fish frying Taksi driver.......... the one who left you stranded at midnight.
Jenny I used the Turkish place at the top of the stairs but only had time for a quick cuppa before my flight was called. The lighting was very ambient and left me expecting to bump into a mermaid or Neptune himself around those dark corners! Im sure some interior designer could hang huge bunches of sea weed and fishing nets from that vast cathederal like ceiling...... Oh just noticed the whole post has gone a bit 'Fishy'........

mkc

Terry&Sue

Hi Matty
We are amazed at your comments about the airport.
The improvement on the old one is brilliant and quite frankly for a regional airport on a par with say Cardiff in the UK its streets ahead and my wife preferred it to Gatwick.
Its now on a par with some of the main airports yet dont forget it was really only a regional one before.
I suppose you can never please everybody but on our flights the reaction was terrific!!
People who had been experiencing the old one for several years thought they had gone to heaven!!