Turkish Airlines
Flight 18
Toronto to Istanbul
Depart 10:55 PM, Arrive 3:30 PM
Seat 4F, Business Class
Turkish Airlines business class consists of 28 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration which doesn’t make it the most private seating arrangement out there. Add in the fact that there is no shield between seats makes it even more uncomfortable if sitting next to a stranger.
The good thing about the seats is that there is a ton of legroom. When stretching my legs out I couldn’t even touch the ottoman. The ottoman is very wide with ample storage space underneath.
Waiting at my seat was a light blanket, as well as a “sleeping set” but this was stowed away by the flight crew for later use.
There was a pair of headphones in the storage area next to the TV monitor.
The seat controls were easy to use and self-explanatory. Maybe best of all is that the seat has a massage function.
To the right of the seat, and underneath the armrest was the remote control for the entertainment system. Not the most convenient location but it did prevent you from accidentally pressing buttons by mistake.
The seat also had an earphone jack, along with two USB plugs.
A warm towel was offered prior to departure.
A pre-departure beverage was offered, and I chose a glass of water.
A small dish of nuts was also offered.
A piece of Turkish delight was also offered.
A distinctive feature offered by Turkish Airlines is that it has onboard “chefs” when it comes to serving meals.
Menus were distributed which were very ornate, and reminded me of a backboard you would make for science projects back in school.
Once service began, a cart was rolled throughout the cabin with place settings, including a tablecloth, and a plate including salt, pepper, olive oil, spices, butter and a rather large loaf of bread. A “candle” is also placed at your table for a more intimate feel.
Appetizers were rolled out which included hummus, eggplant, chicken breast, red peppers and tabbouleh. The hummus, eggplant and chicken were very good. I don’t eat the other two so am not sure of their taste. Catering for Turkish Airlines is done by CO & DO, so most likely they were very good as well.
For the main course, I chose the grilled salmon, swordfish, and prawn served with spinach and potatoes. The salmon and swordfish were still juicy, and the prawn was not rubbery.
My wife chose the lamb chops, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
For dessert, I chose the fruit, chocolate ice cream and panna cotta. The panna cotta was not firm, and the fruit was nice and sweet.
Breakfast was served all at once. I started off with a strawberry banana smoothie and glass of wellness tea. The meal started off with a fruit plate, small salad and cold cuts. The fruit was very tasty, but I did not eat the other two dishes.
I chose the zucchini and red pepper omelette for the main course which was well executed. For some reason, I apparently deleted this picture.
The meal ended off with a piece of Godiva chocolate.
The pictures upon landing in Istanbul were spectacular.
Service on the flight was spotty. The crew was not overly friendly, but they weren’t mean either. They did not seem to go out of their way to try and make your flight memorable.
Despite the openness of the cabin and lack of privacy, I would have no hesitations in flying Turkish Airlines business class again in the future.
