Arriving at Ataturk is quite straight forward, get your visa before you go through passport control, the booths are on the left just before passport control - and watch all those people who dont know about it queue up and then get sent back (sorry shouldn't laugh!)

Arriving at Ataturk is a different matter when leaving as there is baggage control as soon as you enter the airport and then another couple of time before you get on the plane. But i think this is quite normal for Turkish Airports.

thanks for the info - i have also sent you a private message on the subject.