Corporate-gal flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a A321-100/200 (10/04/2013 12:59)

Check-in: I checked in online (on my iPhone, using the Turkish Airlines app) 24 hours before my flight(s) which were operating from Ankara via Istanbul, back to London. Online check-in was simple and easy to follow and I was easily able to change my seat, although because I used the app, I couldn’t print out my boarding pass, although I did have the option of receiving a mobile version. I opted to collect my passes from check-in at Ankara and managed to change my seat on the Ankara-Istanbul flight to an exit row, but this was not possible for the Istanbul-London leg. Check-in at the airport was swift and efficient and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful.

Boarding: Ankara airport is a quiet provincial airport which is quite surprising considering Ankara is the capital of the country. The airport is modern and spacious and boarding was fast and efficient. Istanbul was a different matter however and as our flight from Ankara arrived late, I had to race across the airport from the Domestic Terminal through Passport control and security, to the International Terminal and just managed to reach the London flight as they started boarding. This was a little less organised and apart from announcing business class first, the rest was a bit of a free-for-all.

Seat(s): Both aircraft were arranged 3-3 in economy and on the Ankara-Istanbul leg I had managed to get an exit row seat. This was very comfortable and gave me enough space to stretch my legs out, albeit was a short 1hr flight. It was a different matter on the Istanbul-London leg however as the A321 aircraft that Turkish tend to use on this leg are the most cramped, unspacious and uncomfortable aircraft I have ever had the misfortune of flying in. I have taken a number of flights with Turkish in the last few weeks both from the UK and internally within Turkey itself and I have found that the seat pitch and comfort on the internal flights were much better than that on the UK-Turkey route, with the exception of the A330 they use on the mid-morning flight out of Heathrow.

Flight(s): Both the Ankara-Istanbul and Istanbul-London flights were late, each by 30 minutes. This meant a very tight connection at Istanbul and our flight not arriving back into London until 22:45hrs. Information provided by the flight crew was limited and difficult to understand.

Food & Drink: The Ankara-Istanbul route is so short that you only get a drink and a sandwich, which is sufficient. On the Istanbul-London leg menus were provided shortly after take-off with a choice of two mains. Service is quick and efficient and they offer global and Turkish wines; the food is good and there is plenty of it too.

Entertainment: The only entertainment is either a globally available moving map or on the Istanbul-London flights they often show a film, however on this late night flight no entertainment was provided, probably because most people wanted to sleep a little.

Arrival: A gusty cross-wind at London made for a heavy landing and sharp braking to make the next exit was a little disconcerting. Thankfully Terminal 3 was quiet at that time of night and I was in the car within 30minutes of landing.

Overall: Having flown a number of flights with Turkish Airlines in the last month I have come to conclusion that if you can get on their A330 you will get a comfortable flight, however, every other aircraft they use on the UK routes are cramped and uncomfortable.

I have experienced varying levels of service from the crew, varying timeliness of flights and I’m currently struggling to understand how they managed the accolade of Europe’s Best Airline from Skytrax when compared to other operators such as KLM, Lufthansa and British Airways. I only fly Turkish because I currently have to, to get to Ankara, however if there is any way that I can find to avoid them, I will!

SBingham flew Turkish Airlines Business (long-haul), on a A340-300 (22/02/2013 00:09)

CMN to IST, not the new business class seats but still fine for this short flight, Cabin looking tired but clean. Service and food was good, champagne available but not flowing very small glasses and only half full. Turkish airlines crew do there job well but i never see them interacting with passengers which i think lets their overall service down. My only gripe about this flight was the baggage retrieval at Attaturk it was terrible I waited 40 mins for my bag business class tags made no difference and mine was one of the last out.

andrew007 flew Turkish Airlines Business, on a B737-800 (Config. 1) (16/02/2013 23:50)

Sarajevo - Istanbul in C class where I connected to Erbil on an Airbus 321.

Check in was a little confused due to poor queue management and the priority line not being enforced as it should be but there were not huge numbers so it could have been a lot worse. I was given a pass to the tiny lounge and preceded there via passport control (quite a slow moving queue here) and security which was efficient enough. The lounge which is a shared facility is very small and had a limited range of drinks and even more limited range of snacks but was not unduly buys.

We went to board as soon as the flight was called as Turkish tend to board early and so it was with a semblance of priority booking enforced. I had only hand luggage and had adequate space to store this before accepting a welcome drink - the recent policy of the airline (at least for short - medium haul) seems to be that this is one of a range of 4 non-alcoholic cocktails offered in lieu of champagne. I find a couple of these quite tasty. Hot towels are also offered.

Seating only differs from the economy cabin by virtue of the middle seat being blocked off but at least Turkish have sought to make use of this space by fitting a tray to hold drinks for both passengers.

Departure was on time and the meal service commenced quite quickly. Disappointingly I noted that there was only one food offering on the printed menu and the main was not something I could eat – I had wrongly expected a choice so did not request a special meal. I therefore took the tray without the main, mostly for the cheese and bread. There were drop down screens that either did not work or were not turned on so after availing myself of a drink (champagne served in tiny portions from a mini bottle most airlines would hand out) and in the absence of any entertainment I slept most of the journey.

Arriving early in Istanbul I headed for the lounge, an epic hike from the gate we arrived at. When I arrived it was packed solid and I struggled to find a locker to store my baggage in. All hot food had been consumed (though this was later replenished and I had a nice plate of pasta) and it was quite a struggle to find somewhere that I could sit with the two colleagues I had linked up with there.

Boarding for the Airbus 321 was a little chaotic as seems often to be the case in Istanbul but once on the business cabin is blessed with larger seats in a 2-2 configuration. There are blessed with a fold up individual video player for which a decent set of headphones are provided and a fairly decent range of on demand viewing and listening is available. Same scenario with the welcome drinks as for the first leg then we were on our way. Unlike some other airlines that depart in the early hours Turkey serves a full meal the quality of which is usually at least adequate and sometimes very good indeed. This comprises a starter, a choice of 2 mains (on some occasions there are three selections), a desert and cheese plate was more than satisfying for my needs having had a bite in the lounge. Champagne was again served in careful measure and given the tendency of the Turkish crew to vanish once the meal has been served I opted to switch to red wine (a reasonable Turkish) which was given out by the bottle.

I was able to watch an entire film during the duration and we landed with quite a bump in Erbil in quite thick fog. Bags for my colleagues came out within about 20 minutes of arrival and we were soon out of the impressive Erbil airport and on our way.

junaidkhan flew Turkish Airlines Economy (long-haul), on a B777-300ER (27/12/2012 21:01)

Had a flight from toronto-istanbul-karachi which was supposed to start on December 23,2012. Flight from Toronto was delayed for 16 hours because of mechanical problem with the aircraft. They kept us in the lounge by delaying the flight every 30 minutes. After 2 hours they brought around 100+ small bag of potato chips for 300+ travellers which sure was not enough. After 7 hours delay someone called police and only then they have arranged hotel for passengers. They gave us a room with only one bed to accommodate for 3 person and a breakfast voucher that is good enough for one glass of juice.

Of course we missed our next flight, but Turkish staff at Toronto did not tell us about the connecting arrangements and keep saying the head office in Istanbul is working round the clock to make every arrangement. At Istanbul they told us that our next flight is after 36+ hours and we have to pay visa fee which us USD 60/person with Canadian passport. It took them several hours to arrange a really bad hotel.

We requested Muslim meal during flight but served with Canadian made yogurt with gelatin in its ingredients which of course was not a Muslim meal.

And on top of all, when we arrive at Karachi our stuff did not arrive. So here we are wearing stinky clothes after having 3+ days of horrible experience with Turkish waiting for our stuff to arrive but I am not very optimistic about that.

Will I buy a ticket with Turkish again, never in my life :) unless their is no other option in the world.

ArifGadzhiev flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a B737-400 (22/11/2012 20:54)

My experience with Turkish Airlines was on short-haul domestic flights. Beside of the new 738 and 320s, Turkish Airlines use three 20 y.o. 737-400. Nevertheless, the condition of these aicrafts is very good.

Boarding is quick, but usually the big amount of people stand at the gate and it is a problem to use your boarding priority right. Seats in 737-400 similar to 737-800, and quite narrow so you feel a little bit tight. As usual service and meal during short fligths is very good. Especially I like the way they pack the meal in individual carton box with white ropes.

All flights are usually landed on time, but in Istanbul airport you may wait qute long time before take-off because of traffic.

Generally, Turkish Airlines are very attractive not only on international routes, but also when you fly to domestic destinations.

MargaretHunt flew Turkish Airlines (15/08/2012 23:53)

On Monday, July 16 my granddaughter and I boarded our Turkish Air flight from LAX to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (FRU) with a connecting flight in Istanbul (IST).

Our flight left LAX an hour late, and that would leave us with only a half hour to catch our connecting Turkish Air flight to Bishkek--the only flight connection for the day.

Although I was assured that the flight in Istanbul would wait for all connecting passengers, by the time my granddaughter and I went through passport control, our connecting flight was not listed on any of the flight boards. After asking assistance from airport staff, we were directed to the Help Counter for Turkish Air, where there was a very long line.

After waiting in line for quite some time, the clerk at the desk did not have a very good command of either English or Russian, and could only tell us that we needed to go to the Turkish Air office. We had quite a difficult time locating the office, and had to purchase visas before we could even get to the floor where the office was located, something we had no plans to do.

Although the gentleman who helped us at the office was pleasant, and did make arrangements for us to shuttle to a hotel for the night, at Turkish Air's expense, he was unable to help us with contacting family members who would be waiting for us, or unable to tell us the status of our luggage.

Since there was no wireless access at that level of the airport, we were directed to an emergency call center to place a call. We went back to wait for the shuttle bus, and there were enough stranded Turkish Air passengers to fill two buses.

Our hotel accommodations were comfortable, we were provided meal vouchers, and a shuttle to the Old City in Istanbul, as well as to the airport in time to catch our connecting flight to Bishkek.

Upon arrival at Bishkek, however, our luggage was no where to be found, nor had it arrived the day before when we were scheduled to arrive. This inconvenience required a trip to the Turkish Air office at FRU at 4:00 am to complete paper work for the lost luggage. The purpose of this trip was to attend my son's wedding, and now we had no clothes for the rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception, let alone anything else needed for the trip.

The following day, two of the three pieces of luggage were delivered to us, but neither contained the needed clothing. Sadly, one of the pieces contained a gift purchase for my future daughter-in-law's mother, and although it had been expertly packed to avoid damage, was found smashed into pieces.

As we were very busy with the wedding and other social obligations, it wasn't until a few days before leaving that my son, daughter-in-law and I had time to go to the Turkish Air office in Bishkek to fill out the paperwork for the still lost piece of luggage, which contained all of the clothes I had packed for the trip as well as personal care items.

Although I was told to go to the office anytime between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, when we arrived, the office was closed for lunch and would not re-open for another half hour. With a busy afternoon schedule, waiting for the office to re-open was a preventable inconvenience. Additionally, by the time the office did re-open, I was told that it would be an additional 20 minutes before the person who could assist me would return.

After completing the claim form, and directing that if the luggage was found, that it be shipped to my home address, my son spoke to the agent about upgrading mine and my granddaughter's seats, considering the inconvenience that Turkish Airlines had put us through. We were told that there would be no upgrade seating available from Bishkek to Istanbul, but he entered into the computer that we were to be assigned business class from Istanbul to LAX.

On the morning our flight was to leave Bishkek, we arrived at the airport a full 2 1/2 hours before our flight was scheduled to leave, and already that flight was running 20 minutes behind schedule.

After lugging our suitcases through passport check, through not one, but two security checks and finally arriving at the ticket gate to check in (and check in our luggage, which should have been checked in prior to all the security points), my granddaughter and I were told we had been bumped from our flight.

By then, it became very apparent to me that Turkish Air has absolutely no clue concerning good business practice. Not only had our luggage just been sent to the airplane, but now it had to be retrieved, our family had to be called to come back to pick us up (an hour an a half round trip), I would be missing an important meeting at work, my granddaughter would be missing flute camp, and it would now be necessary to find an alternate form of transportation from Los Angeles to our home in San Diego, at an additional cost of $200.

At this point, Turkish Air had cost us nearly $2500 to replace lost luggage, unexpected expenses, and lost work. This did not even take into consideration the inconvenience placed on family members. Needless to say, I was furious, as was my son. Once again, we were promised seat upgrades, and returned home to wait until the next day for the next flight out of Bishkek.

On the second attempt at returning, we were told that it would not be possible to upgrade our seats from Bishkek to Istanbul, but there were two seats available in business class from Istanbul to LAX.

However, upon checking into that flight, we were told that because we had been issued boarding passes in Bishkek, it would not be possible to change our seating, and my granddaughter and I were stuck in the very back corner of the plane.

Upon arriving at LAX, I received a text message from my son instructing me to go to the Turkish Air office at LAX to receive compensation. Unbeknownst to him, there is no Turkish Air office at LAX, but I did go to the ticket counter, where a woman in front of me was being denied her flight because Turkish Air was not honoring the passenger's pre-board ticket that she had done at home. Glad I didn't have any luck with that process, although I had tried. The woman at the ticket counter had no idea what I was referring to with regards to compensastion, even though my son had been told it would be entered into their computer system.

A week after returnin home, my son called to tell me that my luggage had arrived at my daughter-in-law's home in Bishkek, in spite of the fact that I told them I would not be there and to deliver it to my home in San Diego. Worse yet, the jewelry I had hidden in the suitcase had been stolen.

For a company that would like to claim international status, my son and I have learned that it is nearly impossible to contact Turkish Air, that the ONLY phone number listed is in Istanbul, and they do not provide 24 hour world wide service. Futher more, unless one speaks Turkish, it is pointless to try and conduct business with any of their staff, regardless of what part of the world you are in. The airline staff seem to have a particular disdain for those who speak English, a fact that was shared with me by two other stranded passengers--one from Australia and another from Holland.

This flight experience was absolutely the worst I have ever experienced, and I have made sure to tell everyone I know to avoid Turkish Air at all cost. I know that I will be doing just that.

Age_of_Reason flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a A319 (03/08/2012 12:29)

A much prized medium haul feeder from Edinburgh EDI, launched last month (July 2012) this is a mixed-market route dependent on tourism at present, so a full load was reassuring for the future of the sector, but the A319 was taxed to capacity.

The crew coped admirably with the various demands of the mixed load, with seemingly equal proportions of turkish and scottish travellers. So a cosmopolitan crowd, lots of babies and probably a high proportion paying their own way, so maximising the service demands and enjoying the superior offering to the lowcost competitors.

Checkin was excellent, with the under-utilised 'business' desk calling the economy queue forward without prompt or hint. Possible the 'route-launch crew' is still in place, al the same full marks. Nice banter with the THY boys about getting Lufty Miles&More rather than the TY in-house Smiles, hopefully he message will get upstairs that if THY grow the route they'll see more usage of the IST hub, which is the eastern most now served from EDI.

Early inbound arrival and pretty smooth loading (esp considering the high proportion of holidaymakers) and apparent tolerance of enormous hand luggage.

Minor ATC delay driven by lateruning competitor flights and bad weather up north giving FlyBe cancellations and out-of sequence, and the inevitable delayed BA from LHR compressing the turnarounds.

TK1344 had no trouble making up the deficit and getting down early at IST for a reasonable visa/passport process (maybe 25 minutes) and nice hotel checkin with time for unrushed dinner.

Onboard the limitations of the A319 show - 5h is quite a haul for a wee plane and the seats really aren't comfy enough for much more. Legroom is minimised, but these are the prices we suffer for a point-to-point flight. It'll be interesting to see how the route sustains its loadings, whether increased capacity on the launch 1246 schedule, which would surely be justified if full loads routinely checkin, are met by aircraft size increase or frequency increase

The IFE really isn't that great, clearly showing the normal allocation on internal turkish flights, but these days with music on everyone's personal device, this cannot be a 'killer'. But I would guess that a better international selection could be provided which may be appreciated by the turkish market too.

Food/wine nothing short of excellent. Tea with fresh lemon as would be expected from such a tea-drinker's heaven.

So lets hope the bodies continue to hit the seats for THY at Edinburgh.

JohnMitchell8 flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a B737-900ER (25/06/2012 21:36)

I have been on almost ten Turkish Airlines flights in the past two years and I am starting to see a pattern and that coroberated by the comments here and on other travel review sites, that is most TK flights are good, even excellent, but some go wrong, real wrong, and the flight attendants don't know how to handle the resulting situation.

I have come to prefer TK out of the many European carriers because they genuinely attempt to provide a clean plane with a human environment for travel--all while still trying to have good food. That is more than I get from most other airlines and WAY more than I get from any U.S.-based carrier.

So I sound like an advocate, right? Well, in a way I am until the flight noted here. The following is the feedback I sent to TK about the flight:

I was on flight 607 from IST to NBO on June 13-14 in seat 12D. The flight was extremely hot. Some of the passengers in rows and seats around me sought relief by moving to the few open seats in the back of the plane where it was less hot.

I asked the flight attendants four times to reduce the temperature and they assured me they were doing what they could. I have an application on my phone that tells me the ambient temperature. It was above 103 degrees fahrenheit for over half of the flight. This is completely unacceptable!

This made the red-eye flight into a night with no rest and requiring me to fan myself with the 737 safety guide. You really need to make this right for me and my fellow passengers in rows 10-14 where it was exceptionally hot.

Despite the flight attendants saying they were doing something to fix the situation, there was no noticable improvement. Worse yet, they appeared to have little concern for the needs of the passengers who where dripping with sweat. Never once did they following up on the complaints or offer alternative solutions.

I attempted to contact a gate agent in NBO but since we arrived at 2:25am there were none available. I am writing to you about this matter in hopes that you will redress this issue.

I expect to hear from you about this before I fly again on June 21.

As of the writing this (Jun 25th) I have yet to hear from Turkish Airlines. I have pictures documenting the experience if they choose to question my account of the events. I hope that they care enough to follow up on my customer service request. This experience has me questioning future flights on TK airlines.

FormerlyDoS flew Turkish Airlines Business, on a B737-900ER (18/06/2012 10:41)

Turkish Airlines is introducing a new fleet of Boeing 737-900ER aircraft for longish 'thin' routes, such as West Africa.

Having worked for a week in Accra, Ghana, I needed to go to Istanbul for the next week and chose TK630, as the 2035 departure slot allowed me to work a full day. take a shower and then make the flight.

Check-in on Friday night was busy in the small Kotoka airport, but not chaotic due to good queue marshalling by ground staff. Although the TK queue was quite long (only 2 desks servicing the 739), I was guided to the front of the document security check and check in only took a few minutes, with a pleasant agent.

After that, I cleared immigration and security painlessly and went to the Akwaaba lounge, which is decorated anachronistically, but is comfortable enough, with a good range of drinks - there was something to eat, but I did not partake, since TK has a reputation for good in flight ctering.

Boarding started a little late and involved walking across the ramp, during which a BA 777 arrived and parked about 40 metres away from me - quite impressively large at close range.

On the 739, I settled into a dark great leather armchair with a seat pitch I would estimate as being 45-50".

I took a glass of champagne before departure (brand unknown, but it tasted okay) and we left about 30 minutes late, heading out to sea, before flying along the coast with a good view of Accra, then turning on track to the NNE.

Dinner had Turkish mezze to start, followed by a choice of chicken satay, beef kofte or veggie ravioli. Once again, I had a glass of champagne and then reclined the seat fully (about 110 degrees, for a guess) and decided to rest, as we were approaching the lower end of the Sahara........ 4 hours later, I awoke as we passed south abeam of Malta (my home) with about 80 minutes left of the journey. So I would rate the seat as comfortable for sleeping.

The cabin crew were efficient and professional, but not particularly pro-active, e.g. they did not provide water without being asked in the morning, which I thought was poor on a longish hop.

Surprisingly, there was no breakfast and we arrived at Attaturk International around 0645, being bussed to the terminal, with no dedicated coach for business and the apparent intent of the ground staff to cram everyone from the 739 onto one bus - this was unpleasant and not appreciated after a 6h45 sector.

Then there was the usual messing about of having to apply for a visa on entry, before queueing for entry - no immigration fast track for business class passengers was provided, although the terminal was quiet and the wait was very short.

One of the best aspects of the ground experience was that the priority tagged bags did hit the carousel first (after quite a wait) and mine were in the first ten.

From this point on the rest of the arrival was fast and painless, out through the customs area and straight into the Merc waiting for me, with a short transfer to the Radisson Blu hotel, which has a beautiful view of the Bosporous and is in a busy area, with lots of local restaurants.

All in all, not a bad flight, but the arrival was poorly handled.

FormerlyDoS flew Turkish Airlines Business, on a B737-800 (Config. 1) (17/06/2012 06:44)

Turkish Airlines is introducing a new fleet of Boeing 737-900ER aircraft for longish 'thin' routes, such as West Africa.

Having worked for a week in Accra, Ghana, I needed to go to Istanbul for the next week and chose TK630, as the 2035 departure slot allowed me to work a full day. take a shower and then make the flight.

Check-in on Friday night was busy in the small Kotoka airport, but not chaotic due to good queue marshalling by ground staff. Although the TK queue was quite long (only 2 desks servicing the 739), I was guided to the front of the document security check and check in only took a few minutes, with a pleasant agent.

After that, I cleared immigration and security painlessly and went to the Akwaaba lounge, which is decorated anachronistically, but is comfortable enough, with a good range of drinks - there was something to eat, but I did not partake, since TK has a reputation for good in flight ctering.

Boarding started a little late and involved walking across the ramp, during which a BA 777 arrived and parked about 40 metres away from me - quite impressively large at close range.

On the 739, I settled into a dark great leather armchair with a seat pitch I would estimate as being 45-50".

I took a glass of champagne before departure (brand unknown, but it tasted okay) and we left about 30 minutes late, heading out to sea, before flying along the coast with a good view of Accra, then turning on track to the NNE.

Dinner had Turkish mezze to start, followed by a choice of chicken satay, beef kofte or veggie ravioli. Once again, I had a glass of champagne and then reclined the seat fully (about 110 degrees, for a guess) and decided to rest, as we were approaching the lower end of the Sahara........ 4 hours later, I awoke as we passed south abeam of Malta (my home) with about 80 minutes left of the journey. So I would rate the seat as comfortable for sleeping.

The cabin crew were efficient and professional, but not particularly pro-active, e.g. they did not provide water wothout being asked in the morning, which I thought was poor on a longish hop.

Surprisingly, there was no breakfast and we arrived at Attaturk International around 0645, being bussed to the terminal, with no dedicated coach for business and the apparent intent of the ground staff to cram everyone from the 739 onto one bus - this was unpleasant and not appreciated after a 6h45 sector.

Then there was the usual b*ggering about of having to apply for a visa on entry, before queueing for entry - no immigration fast track for business class passengers was provided, although the terminal was quiet and the wait was very short.

One of the best aspects of the ground experience was that the priority tagged bags did hit the carousel first (after quite a wait) and mine were in the first ten.

From this point on the rest of the arrival was fast and painless, out through the customs area and straight into the Merc waiting for me, with a short transfer to the Radisson Blu hotel, which has a beautiful view of the Bosporous and is in a busy area, with lots of local restaurants.

All in all, not a bad flight, but the arrival was poorly handled.

muyansuites flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a A319 (01/05/2012 13:09)

We have used Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to London and it was amazing. I would like to thank to all team and I can not tell how I was honoured with its service as a Turk.

norbert2008 flew Turkish Airlines Business (long-haul), on a A330-300 (03/04/2012 09:03)

Due to the late departure of incoming flight from London I was only given 45 mins to transfer to my flight to BKK, although no real help was provided by Turkish I still had time to have a quick drink in the splendid lounge before getting to my gate in time for boarding.

Business class were boarded speratly, the seat sadly was old style angle not flat bed as we had, had on LHR IST, seems odd. However welcome drinks were offered and jackets taken.

Take off was on time, drinks service was slow on this full night flight but menus with my name on it and amenties kits handed out. The flying chef (if not dressed like the one from the Muppets) is a very nice touch and took orders for main course.

Tables were laid and a tasty Turkish meze off a trolley was offered, my main course off beef was cooked well and presented very nicely, I passed on pudding but cheese was lovely, breakfast orders were taken before lights out.

I passed an uncomfortable night in the seat but the plane was not over hot and I was woken with a well presented breakfast, including carrot jucie drink.

Turkish cannot be faulted on their food but please flat beds soon on these long flights. My nine stars for baggage was as I walked to the reclaim in BKK my bag was coming off in the first 3. Well done TK.

akingunday flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a A320-200 (03/02/2012 11:20)

SBingham flew Turkish Airlines Comfort Class, on a B777-300ER (27/11/2011 13:59)

Tried Turkish airlines new comfort class from IST to HKG.

The airport experience was ok but I think that was due to flight not being busy. The new cabin is quite large and the seats have plenty of room, 46inches.

I was in row 11 so had extra space. We received business class amenity bags which had all the usual items, we took off about 15 mins late but once in the air the stewardess came round and took drink orders shortly after it arrived with canapés.

The menu consisted of Turkish meze which on this flight was chicken salad and another plate with prawns and chicken both quite large in themselves, the main course was also chicken roasted with mash potato all were great and very filling, this was followed by dessert and cheese and biscuits if I had not been hungry I could not have managed it all.

We had a nice friendly crew on this flight with bottles of water handed out and responded to call bells. This was a night flight so service was swift and lights lowered as soon as service was over. All seats have there own tv screens and excellent choice of films and tv programmes.

The seat was comfortable but still nothing beats a flat bed. 2 hours before arriving into HKG we were served a hot breakfast which was also delicious.

Landed on time and bags arrived quickly, all in all a very pleasant flight.

Stephen787 flew Turkish Airlines Business (long-haul), on a A330-300 (02/11/2011 09:33)

After a wonderful visit to the newly opened Turkish Airlines business lounge at IST with numerous food choices I was already well fed and watered before waiting in the crowded gate for the 11:30pm departure on the new Turkish A330.

Having seen advertising for the new Turkish business class seating when I booked this trip I was hoping for one of the new aircraft. So when I got to the gate and saw the new livery it was a good sign that I was in luck.

This aircraft was fitted with the latest flat-bed seating which was perfect for the 11hr overnight flight to Singapore. Champagne, water or juice was offered before take off along with a selection of newspapers (which seemed a little odd so late at night).

Soon after takeoff the 5 crew started busily serving the 28 business passengers the 5 course dinner which lasted on past 1:30am. Despite having sampled several wonderful Turkish dishes in the lounge I could not resist more of the Do&Co catering on-board.

The appetiser was a choice of a mixed Turkish mezze plate or Caesar Salad with prawns. I tried the mezze which was huge and served with a bread roll was almost a full meal in itself.

Next was either a Turkish Bean Salad or Traditional Turkish Wedding Soup. I'd heard about this soup so was keen to try it. I asked the flight attendant to describe it and all she could tell me was that it was delicious - and it was. A creamy white, lemon/yoghurt soup with small chunks of roasted lamb sprinkled on top.

Main course was a choice of Swordfish, Beef Tournedos or Artichoke Ravioli. I chose the Beef but could not finish it.

The dessert trolley appeared soon after along with cheese, before digestives and coffee were offered. Just a pity the crew did not smile much, but then the Turkish ground staff did not smile either. So maybe its a cultural thing.

Passengers were settling down for sleep by the end of the meal service. The Turkish Kavaklidere Narince wine was not to my taste so I sent it back to be replaced with a 2007 Michel Laroche French Chardonnay. Which was less agressive to my palate.

After dinner I settled into the flat bed to watch a couple of movies (with noise cancelling headphones) before dozing off under the large quilt.

The Planet IFE system content was fairly average and no comparison to QF, SQ or EK's IFE system.

The new flat beds are a little on the firm side but the pillows provided were the best airline pillows I've ever experience - full plump and a decent size for sleeping.

The amenity kit contained Hermes cosmetics, a hair brush, toothbrush and paste, and earplugs. Turkish embroided slippers, socks and eye mask were also provided.

The next morning another huge meal was offered - a 3 course Turkish style breakfast. This is pre-ordered with the crew when you order your dinner.

A choice of juices, hot beverages along with olives, Turkish cheese, yoghurt, fruit, pastries and two egg dishes is on offer. Food seems to be the Turkish strong point. I've never been offered so much, not even in First. After breakfast the crew tidied up before landing in Singapore mid afternoon.

Overall a great product for a reasonable price. I'd definitely fly with them again.

hmasurg flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a B737-800 (Config. 1) (01/11/2011 18:17)

Riyadh to Istanbul Economy 737-800

Reservation and Ticketing: Was made online about 4 months in advance. Prices would change sometimes on daily basis. Final price (flexible ticket) was slightly cheaper than the completion for this route (LH or AF).

Website was acceptable but not close to being special. E-ticket issued and emailed separately which at first was a bit confusing. Online check was not available for flights from Riyadh, but it was for my second leg to Toronto.

Check-in: as usual in RUH not organized took about 15 minutes all in all with only two customers ahead of me in line. Online check in was only available for the second leg of my trip (IST-YYZ). As usual 2 bags allowed each no more than 23Kg.

Boarding: About 15 minutes behind schedule. Not organized nor prioritized.

Greetings: Standard smiles.

Cabin, seating and Entertainment: standard 737-800 cabin, dark leather seats (show their age) with standard width and seat pitch. No PTV. Shared TV’s would slide down (not very clear).

No programming for the flight except for a loop of Turkish advertisements. Inflight magazine and saftycards in place. I noticed that the cabin temperature was not as cool as I would like it.

Meal: Menus were passed a selection of two main courses available. The meal on this flight was breakfast which for economy class standards is the best I have tasted since my childhood with a harty portion. Standard and alcoholic beverages available.

Timing: Departed about 20minutes late and arrived about 5 minutes behind schedual.

Arrival: Smooth disembarkation. Early morning forced smiles. Our aircraft had parked at a non gated position there was confusion and lack of busses once we were on the tarmac. Ultimately all the passengers were bused in two cramped busses.

Two short videos of this flight is available on my personal YT channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULSXsHX8-6M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vNxHsno-pc

VERDICT: Would recommend TK (as part of a second leg journey) provided one can cope with the suboptimal layover in IST (although not terrible) and the warm cabin in flight. Keep scouting their site for prices (they change frequently).

hmasurg flew Turkish Airlines Economy (long-haul), on a B777-300ER (01/11/2011 18:08)

Istanbul to Toronto 777-300ER Economy Class

Reservation and Ticketing: Was made online about 4 months in advance. Prices would change sometimes on daily basis. Final price (flexible ticket) was slightly cheaper than the competition for this route (LH or AF).

Website was acceptable but not close to being special (just recently the site was modified and looks and feels better). E-ticket issued and emailed separately which at first was a bit confusing. Online check in was available.

Boarding: Once called there was a long and slow line at the gate lounge with extra security checks.

The boarding was chaotic despite the TK staff requesting passengers to board by row and class. The masses did'tt seem to care or understand and unfortunately TK staff didn’t do much to rectify the chaos.

Greeting: by well groomed and smiling FA as well as the onboard chef which was a nice touch and a first for
me.

Cabin and Seating: TK seems to be proud of their new flagship the 777-300ER and they should be. The aircraft is a spacious triple 7 with some nice TK touches like nice designs on the walls of the bulkheads between each cabin as well as a very decadent LED illuminated TK logo.

The gally/bulkhead area of boarding (second door on the fuselage) has it’s floors in wood rather than carpet which is another first for me and a very nice touch.

The Economy class seat configuration is 3-3-3 and 2-3-2 in the last two rows. The seats are furbished in an unusal color design which at first I didn’t like but once seen in person found to be cool and relaxing.

All the seats are in light blue while the head rests for seats ABC are green with A being lime and C being dark green, DEF seats are in red while JKL seats are in blue in the same concept.

There is mood lighting in the ceiling (but was only used at the end of the flight before breakfast was served with an orange color).

The cooling on the flight was sub-optimal and many were sweating by the last 3 hours of the flight, FA’s didn’t seem to be able to deal with my concern when asked them.

Entertainment, amenities and Kits: Each seat has a touch screen PTV with USB, Ethernet, Comp to TV jacks as well as Empower plugs located under the seat. A hook to hang your jacket.

The controller is mounted on the seat infront of you below the screen which eliminates the annoying fetching of the controller in the arm rest. Pilows and blankets.

Kit with the usual stuff in an otherwise dull bage bag but it did include a small container with lip balm. Inflight magazine, safety card, sanitary bag and entertainment guide all neatly placed in a plastic folder in the seat pocket.

Meals: A menu was distributed just after takeoff. Dinner (a choice of two) and breakfast (single choice) were to be served in this flight. Pre dinner drinks were served.

I was not disappointed with the TK meal, great quality and very tasty one of the absolute best economy class meals I have ever had. Breakfast was served about 2 hours prior to landing and was just as good.

Timing: Departed and arrived on time.

Arrival: smooth disembarkation. Nice greeting at the door (with the chef).

VERDICT: Would recommend TK provided one can cope with the suboptimal layover in IST (although not terrible) and the warm cabin in flight.

Keep scouting their site for prices (they change frequently). If at all possible, try to fly with their newer 777-300ER or A330-300.

Stephen787 flew Turkish Airlines Business (long-haul), on a A340-300 (13/10/2011 10:01)

After a wonderful visit to the newly opened Turkish Airlines business lounge at IST I was already well fed and watered before waiting in the crowded gate at 11:30pm and then boarding the new Turkish A330.

This aircraft was fitted with the latest flat-bed seating which was a highlight for an 11hr overnight flight to Singapore. Champagne, water or Juice was offered before take off along with a selection of newspapers (which seemed a little odd so late at night).

Soon after takeoff the 5 crew started busily serving the 28 business passengers the 5 course dinner which lasted on past 1:30am. Just a pity they did not smile much, but then the Turkish ground staff did not smile either.

Passengers were settling down for sleep by the end of the meal service. The Turkish white wine was not to my taste so I sent it back to be replaced with a French Chardonnay.

After dinner I settled into the flat bed to watch a couple of movies (with noise cancelling headphones) before dozing off. The Planet IFE system content was fairly average and no comparison to QF, SQ or EK's IFE system.

The new flat beds are a little on the firm side but the pillows provided were the best airline pillows I've ever experience - full plump and a decent size for sleeping. The amenity kit contained Hermes cosmetics, hair brush and toothbrush and paste, and earplugs. Turkish embroided slippers were also provided.

The next morning another huge meal was offered - a 3 course Turkish style breakfast. Food seems to be the Turkish strong point. I've never been offered so much, not even in First. After breakfast the crew tidied up before landing in Singapore mid afternoon.

Overall a great product for a reasonable price. I'd definitely fly with them again.

Trust747 flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a A321-100/200 (13/10/2011 09:51)

I have been impressed by the strategic changes made at Turkish in recent years but I've not had the chance to travel with them until yesterday...and what a great experience it turned out to be.

A clean, new A321 with all leather seats. One of the slickest economoy cabins I have seen. Seats recline and slide and they have a wrap-worund headrest that has a great travel range. As with most airlines the seat is good for sitting but not necessairly for sleeeping. The icing on the cake was the IFE with video on demand (VOD) with an extensive choice of movies.

Cabin crew were efficient although not engaging and the food was excellent. A comprehensive tray set up included a nice smoked salmon starter and a pannacotta dessert with cheese and crackers to follow. The entree was simple but very tasty and the choice of complimentary drinks was good.

On a 4 hour flight, this was one of the best services I have ever had.

Efficiently boarded in good time for an on-time departure.

Trust747 flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a A321-100/200 (13/10/2011 09:44)

Survivor flew Turkish Airlines , on a B777-300ER (16/08/2011 14:22)

Once checked in at the first class counter, a customer service escorted us through immigration and then on to the lounge to an assigned dining table. A leather bound menu from starter to dessert offering mainly Turkish cuisine. The menu is rather extensive for an airline lounge but the lounge itself needs lots of updating.

The aircraft on this flight is leased from Jet Airways which is clearly stated in the interactive seat/light panel. The seat in first class is a suite with sliding doors for privacy which I have to admit, so far this has to be my best undisturbed sleep on an overnight long haul flight. As requested, the crew made my bed for sleep and one nice touch which I appreciated was the lavender pouch placed next to my pillow ... that made the differenc! Bulgaria toiletries are provided in the overnight kit and if this is not your preference, Loccitane (verbena scent) is available in the toilets.

The food selection on board is very extensive but I only chose to have a light breakfast just before landing.

Good flight overrall and it is not as bad as I have been told about Turkish Airlines.

Stephen787 flew Turkish Airlines Economy, on a A321-100/200 (06/08/2011 01:31)

TXL to IST
Berlin's Tegel airport is from around the 1960's and it is showing it's age, but the efficient Berliners have kept it clean and in working order. Due to the lack of space in this compact terminal once you enter through passport control you are forced to wait in a small waiting area at the gate with only a drink vending machine and a tiny last minute duty free shop to break the boredom. Luckily there are floor to ceiling windows giving waiting passengers a view of the tarmac and runway.

Once on board the A321 this aircraft starts to show it's age with seating of aqua and tan leather that has seen better days. Probably the worst combination of colours you could put together. However the seats in economy were remarkably comfortable for the 2hr 45min flight. Given that the flight only about 20% full most passengers had a row to themselves. Business seats were of similar pitch but with the middle seat folding down to make a table space, arm rest between the window and aisle as well as a fold down foot rest on the seat in front.

After takeoff headsets were handed out along with a packet of Turkish hazelnuts and menus for lunch. About 20 mins later a tasty hot lunch was served with for Do&Co catering who handle all of Turkish airlines catering now. No second drink round was offered.
Entertainment included a movie viewed from drop-down screens from under the overhead lockers as well as various Turkish pop music and classical channels on the armrest control.

A pity the crew didn't smile or go out of their way to be friendly. They were robotic in nature and once the lunch service was distributed they sat down the back and chatted for the rest of the flight. Overall a quality product in this age of budget airlines and cutbacks. The only aspect to spoil this great flight was the surly crew. As I later discovered almost all Turkish crew and ground staff seemed to be this way, such a pity for an airline trying to improve.

akingunday flew Turkish Airlines Business, on a B737-800 (Config. 1) (17/11/2010 13:36)

I am living in Basel and I know TK sending always small and old planes to BSL.

This time I Purchased my Business Ticket from Zurich to Istanbul, because of Business amenities has more availability in ZRH. But main purpose was the Plane, ZRH is a business hub and TK sending always new planes! The plane was not what I expected, same as BSL.

The Business Seat were Broken, I called Stewardess and she offered to move another seat.

The Question is here; are they not controlling Business Seats before flight?

The second opinion is; why are they sending all the children just behind the Business? If a Baby who needs special wall mount bedding it is OK, but can you imagine you pay lots of money and just behind you many children crying during all flight.

There is no inflight Duty Free with TK flights. I thought I can buy something during flight.

Lastly; I have priority badge on my Luggage, but arrived the last and latest!

It was the same IST and ZRH Airports.

When they change their Seats I think TK would be the Best!

ISTANBUL Airport Security Issues, Horrible, I never seen any Airport that controls you and your luggage before entry to the Airport. Wait and wait. But this trip I surprised because there was a privat Business Entry!

uskuhlmans flew Turkish Airlines Business (long-haul), on a A340-300 (14/09/2010 20:21)

My experience in the airport was less than stellar. There were lines to get into lines and even the Business Class check-in had a long wait. The lounge is distinctly Ottoman in design and does not look like any other lounge I have ever visited. There were ample supplies of food and drink. The aircraft was in good shape and the service, throughout the flight, was just fine. One of the lunch deserts was a real knock-out and I asked later in the flight if any portions were still available. Within a few minutes, it had arrived at my seat with a smile. The IFE was fine and had a good selection but I tend to read rather than watch so the offer was more than adequate for my needs. There was no language barrier but speaking clearly and slowly is advised as not all the crew are completely fluent in English. The high point was the food which was delicious, well presented and served at an individual pace. I chose only the Turkish specialties at each meal and was not disappointed. The catering was truly outstanding and the menus are presented on large cards with the passenger's name and seat inscribed. The flight was delayed leaving but arrived in Chicago on time. Except for the confusing processes at IST, this was a great flight.

uskuhlmans flew Turkish Airlines Business (long-haul), on a A330-200 (14/09/2010 20:10)

Our flight was diverted to Dublin when a passenger suffered a heart attack enroute. The on-board staff was clearly stretched by the experience but they kept passengers fully informed, both prior to landing and during the ground stop. The food was excellent and the seat, though not lie-flat, was comfortable and I was able to sleep well.

alwaysinclub flew Turkish Airlines Business, on a A321-100/200 (26/08/2010 19:38)

My flight took me from Dubai to Istanbul, there are only three 'non-stop' choices on this route, Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Fly Dubai (as a low cost carrier option). From nearby Sharjah, there is an option to use Air Arabia, which is again low cost. I was flying Business Class and connecting to a flight to Germany. The fare was around 50% of the price that Lufthansa quoted and this is why I decided to use Turkish and overall, I was not impressed.

Check In was a mess. First of all there is the pre-screening of bags (not needed if you fly Lufthansa from Dubai any more by the way) there were 2 people in front of me in the business class check in, and the staff at the check-in desks were having issues getting them processed. When I finally got to the front of the queue, I was dealt with speedily and my backs through checked to Hanover.

The lounge was the Dubai Airport Hotel Lounge, which was very well stocked with hot and cold food. I took some salad and pasties, tea and water. There are no boarding announcements, so I headed to the gate early.

Boarding was by class and as a consequence I was one of the first to board.

The seat was not impressive, like an old cradle style seat, in red fabric, with the reclining function not working fully and it was very tired and dirty. I was offered some juice of water and then a menu to choose a breakfast from. I was also offered a newspaper.

After take-off a hot towel was served and the breakfast service started. The food was not impressive and not plentiful. I left about a third of it which is unlike me. The crew were not attentive and I found I has chasing them for water or tea throughout, nobody came through to offer anything after breakfast and there was no snack or nibbles offered towards the end of the flight. The flight is 4 hours long.

The IFE did not keep me entertained, as it was an old 8 channel style system showing a route map, camera of what we were flying over, 3 foreign movies and 2 English movies.

Landing in Istanbul was fine and disembarking was fine. Overall, distinctly average and this would not be my first choice on the route I was travelling.

cardealer flew Turkish Airlines Business (long-haul), on a B777-300ER (27/03/2010 15:17)

I have a house in dalyan turkey and fly off season with turkish arlines. i flew business class with them last september and return october both on the 777 300er. the seat is the same virgin upper class the food was great and drink service top class good on demand ife. superb crew both ways and have to say for the price paid amazing value. £1075 return for both of us. when you consider easy jet were charging £700 for the nothing flight this was great and would recommend to anyone.

frustratedflyer flew Turkish Airlines Business (long-haul), on a A340-300 (19/11/2009 03:41)

An old seat that is not a flat bed but service is fine.