Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport

Not Verified | This was, by far, the worst possible experience that anyone could ever endure. This place should be considered a national embarrassment to Turkey. The personnel at this airport are completely uncaring and incompetent. No one could provide proper guidance for merely transiting through this place, which caused me to miss my connecting flight. It was so bad that other travelers were literally screaming at the personnel because no one could get proper information. One woman even broke down screaming and crying it was so bad. It was like a little shop of horrors. The personnel were completely indifferent and had zero empathy or compassion for travelers there. Do not travel to this airport if you can help it. What a terrible experience.

✅ Trip Verified | Istanbul's second airport and not the best one. It looks like it's stuck in 2004, seating isn't very comfortable, escalators don't always work and staff isn't the friendliest. The food court was actually good, reasonable food for a good price. Duty-free shopping is in abundance. Good enough for transit but really notching memorable.

✅ Trip Verified | This is a ok airport to transit in. I was there for 5 hours. It's a clean airport and it looked modern. My only problem is that there were no water dispensers anywhere in the terminal. So I had to buy from the shops. Of course everyone knows airport shops are very high prices. But I had no choice. When I asked the lady selling drinks if she could fill up my bottle for me she curtly said no. It's a little issue for an airport but a big one for someone like me that had to transit for 5 hours. Consideration should be given to making life as easy as possible for those of us who have a long transit.

✅ Trip Verified | I forgot my Samsung tablet in one of the securitiy containers during my departure from Istanbul to Egypt. Sent a mail to Lost and Found departement as soon as i found out. No reply for days. Sent another mail and told them to reply this time. Got a short reply they did not find any tablet?! This morning during my arrival and departure i tried to locate the lost and found area and departement as there must be one at the airport. As soon as i approached an employee they opened up our conversation by shouting following: WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?! Very rude! And, then absolutely NO more more english. I found one staff who at least tried (between his WhatsUp chatting and flirt with a lady) to help a bit in the information desk by make a few calls to Pegasus staff who did not bother to show up nor help as promised. Even, ME was asked to grab a wall hanged phone and call them!!! I could not find anyone to ask nor the Lost and Found department and spent nearly 2h before i gave up.. I have never liked the ground staff at this airport during earlier flights as they are very rude but this.. This was one of the worst experiences ever at an international airport! The staff has a lack of training and spends more time by flirting with each other and chatting on mobile instead of doing a professional job, they are rude, and have no patience, and zero service minds!

✅ Trip Verified | I got to spend a lot of time at Sabiha Gökçen with a cancelled Emirates flight. The ground staff were utterly incompetent and seemed never to have handled a cancelled flight before. Utter chaos when they took passenger's passports and then tried to return them with no system, just people shouting and crowding, and then wandering off confused into the terminal. We were directed to the wrong baggage carousel and the staff supposed to guide us to the hotel taxis disappeared leaving us to stand for an hour outside the terminal without assistance. The next day more chaos, ridiculous lines, bussed to a plane so far away from the terminal it could have been at a separate airport. Emirates was supplying us information by email/app, but no Wifi in the terminal, apparently (easier to get internet in the air). If Sabiha Gökçen were Istanbul's only airport, I wouldn't fly there again.

✅ Trip Verified | This Airport is overcrowded. There are not enough toilets. I could only find one in 250 meter. Like there is one per floor. When I went to the toilet there was a huge queu for the ladies and Gentleman toilets . At least 10 men were standing to use the sitting toilet. It was horrible. I went into the gates areas and there is none neither. I asked the cleaning people if there are toilets and they said no and agreed with me. The guy even told me that a lady couldnt hold couple minutes before and pissed in her pants. This is unbelievable and very disappointing. To have such a bad sanitation it is unbelievable. Everyone is warned, dont consume drinks in the airport it will only speed up your toilet needs.

✅ Trip Verified | Sabiha airport, situated in the Asian part of Istanbul is a very good alternative. It is much less crowded than the airport on the European side, and if your work is on the Asian side of the city, it is really an advantage. Ways are short, immigration and luggage delivery fast. I was flying Emirates and there was no Emirates lounge, not surprising as they have only one flight a day there, but I was given a voucher for a complete meal with wine at a local outlet, which turned out to be delicious, so no real problem, except the absence of free WiFi.

Not Verified | What a shambles, I was rushing to catch my connection, but the fast track signs took me several hundred metres away from the the actual fast track security adding a significant amount of time to an already ridiculously long walk! Luckily I made it to my flight just in time, with a couple a minutes to spare, so I decided to brush my teeth in the toilet, but I was prevented from doing so by an airport employee! They don’t let you brush your teeth in the toilet! I think I’ll use another airport for transit in future!

✅ Trip Verified | Transit for 5 hours, never ever at SAW airport. Rude ground staff do not speak English, basic words only. Not helpful at all, shouting at people if they do not understand, no patience or willingness to help with even basic needs or requests of travellers. Arrogant staff at security check mostly busy by talking with other colleagues. Wifi costs 3.9€ and works properly for one hour, not two as mentioned when you pay. Whenever you are going to your terminal downstairs you lose wifi signal, so basically wifi works on the main floor of the airport only. Restaurant and cafe shop staff speak very basic English, literally see them get upset when they have to serve you. There are not enough seats and they are not comfortable at the airport. I arrived during the morning rush hour and the airport was incredibly busy. Toilets were clean, maintained by the cleaning lady regularly. Maybe I got lucky this time. I understand the cultural differences but would be nice if the airport staff treat you with manners.

✅ Trip Verified | No free wifi. This is incredible, no free wifi in 21st century. Security at boarding gate shouted at a customer who did not understand what they were saying and insulted her. No free wifi, you cannot connect to tell your family you are safe. If you do not have phone services active in Turkey you would see that is quite handy. Horrible greedy management.