Turkish Daylights: Last call

© aNadventures

Izmir. Adnan Menderes Airport. 7:15. Last call for flight AG 142 to Istanbul which is due to take off at 7:30. The boarding queue is empty.

7:20. A group of people slowly make their way to the gate. They show their tickets to the uniformed man and the high healed lip sticky lady by the counter. Before boarding the bus that will take them to the plane, a woman decides to buy one of the overpriced simits at the nearby snack bar.

“Istanbul, last call, Istanbul”

7:25. An elderly man approaches the queue in big steps, rushing his family. Hadi, hadi. His wife limps about five metres behind, holding a child in one hand and a basket of food supplies in the other. Three more children are following them.

7:27. The departure time on the information board is flashing in red. “Istanbul, anyone, Istanbul?”, the uniformed man shouts out.

“Istanbul? Over here!”, a guy hurrying towards the gate replies. He’s running and at the same time folding up a baby carriage. Out of breath he and his family make it through the ticket control and into the bus.

7:28. Another group rushes to the gate. “Istanbul, Istanbul!”

The uniformed man and the lip sticky lady seem calm as a nutshell.

7:29. “Istanbul!”, a couple holds up their boarding tickets and rush by the counter and straight into the bus.

7:32. The bus driver finishes his tea and starts the engine.

7:35. “Istanbul, last call, Istanbul!”

7:40. The last passenger reaches the bus.

7:41. The uniformed man and the lip sticky lady close the counter and the bus departs.

The departure time of flight AG 142 to Istanbul is still flashing in red on the information board.

I look at the board announcing my own flight – still more than half an hour to go until boarding. Why did I come so early?