Common theme: please and thank you go a long way in any culture.

We have found that a few smiles and thanks will allow a small indescretion to be overlooked. Having said that, we do try and come in under the limit, especially as Thomson are now only 15kg unless you travel Platinum.

We always ditch magazines and books we don't want to bring back to save weight, (as well as toiletries we won't need), but are generally heavier on the return leg. I think that dirt weighs more abroad and that towels etc absorb some suncream and dampness which all adds up.

What is the logic with this overpricing? On our 2nd time in Dalaman we bought nothing except a bottle of water having been 'stung' the previous year. Obviously everyone is catching on to the exorbitant prices & buying less.

Would it not be more sensible to charge less & get more customers? I'm amazed they can get away with it & it leaves a you with a bad feeling at the end of your holiday.

Unfortunately we'll be using Dalaman again this year, so will have to plan ahead.

(BTW it is a lovely modern airport: much nicer than Bodrum)

We came through Dalaman airport on bank holiday Monday a couple of weeks ago. It was just awful and they clearly were not ready for the tourist season. There was a 45 minute queue just to get in through the doors, the queue was OK for easy jet but then another long queue to get through passport control. The toilets were not clean and the whole place was packed, it reminded me of the old terminal on a busy August. We left 2.5 hours for check in and just made it to the departure gate in time. The plane had to wait a few minutes for passengers held up in the queues. We took our own picnic as we knew about the silly prices there and ate it while waiting in queues. Even if we had wanted to shop or dine in the cafes there wouldn't have been time lol.

we came through alaman last week you cannot take any drinks into this airport, we paid 4.50 lira for a small bottle of water . the heating was on no air conditioning and it was boiling in there. i think its a disgrace .

The cost of water there is very high and we refuse to pay any of their prices. We always take a picnic and make sure there are some juicy fruits in it. Then we drink as much as we possibly can before we go through security. That way unless there is a long delay we manage without buying anything. If everyone knew about the prices and refused to buy there surely things might change.

nuttynet wrote:

we came through alaman last week you cannot take any drinks into this airport, we paid 4.50 lira for a small bottle of water . the heating was on no air conditioning and it was boiling in there. i think its a disgrace .

That's scandalous

we came through alaman last week you cannot take any drinks into this airport, we paid 4.50 lira for a small bottle of water . the heating was on no air conditioning and it was boiling in there. i think its a disgrace .

Disgraceful........Was that a deliberate ploy on behalf of airport to boost sales?

Come on, everyone......... what can we do about this?

toastedmallow wrote:

Come on, everyone......... what can we do about this?

This isn't anything new, it's always been expensive at DLM, especially now with the new terminal that was funded with private investment. Personally, I just choose not to purchase anything at the airport as I refuse to pay the silly prices. If everyone did that, it may make them think about their pricing but in reality, many pay the prices and just moan about it so nothing changes.

Darren

I think if forums such as this continue to spread the word and people stop buying they may get the message but sadly there are many thousands of people passing through each week and most just don't know. Even if you are staying in a hotel where you don't really have facilities for making sandwiches you can get local shops or even your hotel to make up something which will be much cheaper. I was once approached by a girl from a coffee shop in the airport and asked why I wasnt buying her cookies so I let her have it and in my best Turkish too. I told her it was all much too expensive and shameful. Well she didn't know what to say and of course it wasn't her fault and of course she knew the prices were rediculous. I hear the rents there are very high. This particular cafe has now closed down. Last time I looked the cafe in the car park was a bit cheaper.

We flew from there this morning.I will agree with it being hot in the terminal,a lot of people were complaining.once through security,if you went upstairs,it was 9 lira for a tea,downsTairs by the gate (29) it was 7 lira for a tea & a pastry.
Hubby got a tea on the plane,paid 7 lira & literally got 1/2 a cup of water & then she wasn't impressed,when he asked for milk,that was on agean.
Will say though,the airport was very quiet,both on landing & this morning,which was a surprise.we took sandwiches with us,but didn,t eat them,as it was too early,but I definitely wouldn,t pay their prices.
Tracy

This isn't anything new, it's always been expensive at DLM, especially now with the new terminal that was funded with private investment. Personally, I just choose not to purchase anything at the airport as I refuse to pay the silly prices. If everyone did that, it may make them think about their pricing but in reality, many pay the prices and just moan about it so nothing changes.

I agree with everything you say Darren, except that people need water & there's no way round that as they take it off you at security.

Well we got round the drinks by downing as much water as we could just before entering the building and then taking several oranges to eat in there. We were inside the building for just under 2 hours and managed OK. Then we bought drinks on the plane which of course were not cheap but still cheaper than the airport. It gave me satisfaction to know I hadn't paid their scandalous prices.

Hello Everyone

Not liking these comments about the rip off prices at dalaman airport, but least we know now and can try keep our spends to an absolute minimum! But I am concerned about the extra charging for 'supposedly over limit baggage', I have got a hand held suitcase weighing scale and in previous uses it does seem to be fairly accurate so I will be taking this with me. If there is a dispute about the weight and them wanting to charge us extra - is there really anything we can do about it???

Mazza

Mazza,

If you keep within your baggage limits, you won't have any problems going through DLM. There'll be nothing to dispute. Scales at the airport are calibrated and accurate. Either take a set of luggage scales with you (I never travel without any) so you can check the weight of your case before you leave your hotel, or use one of the free desks when you get in to the airport. That way, you know what your luggage weights before you get to check-in and can do something about it. Having gone through DLM many times, I can't say I've ever had a problem. As long as you stay within your assigned limits, you won't have a problem.

Darren

thanks Darren, i'll definately be taking mine with me!

Mazza

about 3 seperate couples,in front of us,were overweight,with their bags on sunday & they never charged them extra.whether it was because,we were at the front of the queue or not,i don't know.however as already said,stay within your limits & you will be fine.some people really try to push their luck though & then kick up a fuss,when it doesn't go their way
tracy

No worries, i've already packed and weighed my case im in at a healthy 16.5kg, got 20kg so should be fine.

Mazza

we will be using Dalaman for the 3rd year running this year.
Last september 2010 Dalaman airport prices were:-
2 Beers ..................... £17.50p
1 Coke ..................... £03.12p
1 Burger .................... £10.50p
1 Sandwich ................ £05.34p
Bottle Water ................£01.34p
.....................................................................................
We were stopping in Calis beach,& ordered sandwiches from
"Pastries and Pies" day before our flight home,then picked up
sandwiches on the day of flight.
Sandwiches :-.................................................................
1 Turkish Bread Cheese Pickle ......................... 06.00T/lira
1 Large Roll Cheese Pickle .............................. 06.00T/lira
Enormous sandwiches twice size of sandwiches on sale in airport.
Lovely meals has well, fresh pastries.

On the topic of luggage scales.
We got stopped last september 2010 at Doncaster Robin Hood Airport
by customs & excise when we landed from Dalaman Airport.
Has a ritual my wife stands away from the carousel with our hand luggege,
then I get the cases off carousel.
We had 2 cases,the first one came off in the first 6 cases to come on to
carousel.I took this to my wife,then waited for the second case to come.
I stood waiting, everybody had got their cases & gone.
I went to my wife, she said that a customs official had walked by her, & she
heard him say that, "The female is stood with a case & the male is at the
carousel" on his radio.
All of a sudden my case was on the carousel, I went & took the case off
& went towards my wife,all of a sudden we were surrounded by customs
officials. .
One customs official told us to follow him,we went into a room with x-ray
equipment. 3 customs men surrounded me,a customs man & woman
surrounded my wife.
They said that they believed I had a firearm in one of the cases.
I said we had no firearms,& that we had packed our cases ourselves.
They put the cases through the x-ray machine,customs people still
surrounded us, after putting both cases through a number of times
they said one was ok,but the other had something in it.
So they put through again & said there was something in, what they
believed was a firearm.
Eventually they took me to the monitor & put the case through again,
I was still surrounded by customs men.The monitor showed a item with
a spring in it,they asked if I knew what it was,I replied no
So they put it through again,but stopped the conveyor belt,I said let me
open the case,they said no I could not.
Eventually the operator of the x-ray machine said he would try to get a
better image of the item in question,after some meddling with the controls,
I saw what the item was.
The item was our luggage scales,with having a spring in it the thought it
was a firearm,after being alerted by Dalaman airport luggage screening.
They agreed what it was,but would not let me open the case.
1 customs man had a right sweat on,he wiped his brow & said that was a
close one. we were held for nearly 2 hours after landing.
I know that some people carry their luggage scales in their hand luggage.
We have just been to Tunisia,did not pack the scales for this trip.