Turkish Airlines & FPG Insurance

June 15, 2018

This was my second time to fly Turkish Airlines and first time for Edmund and Oyen.
We didn’t choose this flight, it was Asia Travel who recommended it by saying that Paul Chuatico and wife Karla, Ramon Dimacali and wife Susan and the rest of the Federal Phoenix or FPG Insurance Co. tour group were taking the same flight. Since Edmund and I were taking a side trip after the official FPG tour, we wanted Oyen to have kasabay coming back to Manila so we said yes to taking Turkish instead of Edmund’s preferred airline, Emirates.

I personally was scared to take Turkish again because last year the flights from Manila to Istanbul to Barcelona and back from Barcelona to Istanbul to Manila were all turbulent. It really scared me and my group mates and I vowed not to take that route again. It had nothing to do with the airline because their service was pretty good. But all those bumps and shakes were no joke. I thought it was the end of my life. So the mere thought that I would fly that route again was enough to scare me.

FPG Insurance Co., a member of Zuellig Group of Companies, gives incentive tours to their clients every year and our first time to join their tour was in Honolulu. They only gave us one seat and I still remember I didn’t want to go. Even when I was already waiting for the flight at the PAL lounge I was still questioning myself what I was doing there? I had things to do and I dropped all of that just to join the few days tour.

But every year thereafter, we’ve been joining Ramon Dimacali, his wife Susan, and their top team, Francis, Beth, etc. together with some of their top clients for a few days R&R. Our family joins not for the trip but more for the friendship. We give value to Ramon Dimacali’s efforts to keep our business and friendship and that’s important to us although many insurance companies court us and their incentives are also tempting.

So far we’ve joined in FPG travels in Honolulu (1 px), Las Vegas (Edmund and I), New York (3 px), Sydney (4 px), Turkey (4 px), Singapore (2 px), Budapest (4 px), Paris-Milan (3 px), Barcelona (3 px), and this time, to Lisbon (4 px).

This trip actually coincided with Philippines, Inc.’s business trip to New York and Washington DC. Since the time of President Ramos my guideline had always been— Team Philippines / Philippines, Inc. first. I dropped everything that ran in conflict with our business travels. But this year, knowing fully well that Ramon Dimacali moved their schedule to accommodate my own schedule, I didn’t have the heart to back out of the FPG group travel and to go to Washington DC instead.

So on June 15 Edmund, Oyen and I flew to Lisbon, Portugal via Istanbul to be there a day ahead of the official start of FPG tour so we could have a night’s rest.

It was raining all week. Since it was a Friday, we left the house earlier expecting heavy traffic.

Travel light, we had one luggage each, and they were all half-full. The beauty of traveling during summer time is we don’t need heavy and bulky jackets and boots.

Whoa look at all those people.

Weekend travellers

My husband likes to go to the OFW immigration line.

We actually have a nice airport too. I’ve seen dozens of international airports and some were worst. We just have to appreciate NAIA for what it is. Efforts to keep it clean and orderly are noticeable.

PAL spoils their passengers with delicious food at the business lounge that’s why we expect for something similar when we go to other lounges.

Edmund combined the Chapche and pasta, both needed improvement.

Time for boarding— lots of people go to Istanbul or via Istanbul.

Every seat was booked according to the airline staff.

I was nervous, mukhang nagtatapang-tapangan lang.

Their lemonade was good, pampaalis ng nerbyos.

This particular plane has a spacious toilet.

In-flight newspaper

I brought home this issue of Homes and Gardens. I didn’t open this Christian Lacroix toiletries.

The guy seated beside the mom and baby asked to be moved to another seat. The boy kept screaming, not crying. Yung iyak na nagwawala. Dyos ko kalapit pa naman namin. We didn’t complain but we just secretly hoped he would fall asleep. If you’re traveling with a crying baby or toddler, you cannot just hush hush and expect your child would stop crying. he/she probably feels claustrophobic, restless or whatever, the best way is to stand up and walk around a little, go to the other section, deviate his/her attention, libangin mo.

The boy was cute. He was crying because he was looking for his dad who was seated in another section.

Two chefs in our section distributed the menu.

Breakfast menu

I kept the tealight for my altar.

When the purser found out that I was keeping the tealights, he gave me four pieces more.

Salmon

The chefs were handsome but they needed to smile more.

It was a surprise to find ube ice cream in their dessert choices. Unmistakably Filipino. Delicious.

Oyen asked for a second serving and the chef gave her two scoops.

They have a small snack bar for in between meals. I got some potato chips and water.

Cheese omelet

Coffee service

Most planes don’t have hot chocolate.
Turkish Airlines do and they serve it hot not warm.

It was a long flight from Manila to Istanbul— 12 hours +. The flight was a little bumpy because of the weather but it was not as turbulent as when I flew to and from Barcelona last year.

No tube, we got off the plane and went down to the tarmac. Buti na lang I have a personal porter. Mahirap if you have a heavy carry-on or hand-carried luggage.