While everyone would prefer to fly in first or business class, or barring that, premium economy, employers often don’t spring for that, so sometimes a work trip has to be flown in economy class. Even so, there are some airlines where I don’t mind a trip in the back of the bus so much. Asian and Gulf airliners typically offer a great experience in economy but a handful of European carriers give them a run for their money. One such carrier is Turkish Airlines, which I will always have a soft spot for in economy. On a recent work trip from Brussels to Istanbul I enjoyed the three-hour ride with one of my favorite European carriers on their still fairly new Airbus 321neo.
The economy seat on the Turkish Airlines A321neo
The economy seat is pretty standard on these planes and is nothing to write home about. The Turkish Airlines Airbus 321neo economy seat features a standard 18 inches of width and 30 inches of pitch. The in-flight entertainment system is quite large and of good definition. If Turkish television and films isn’t your cup of tea, there is also a wide range of international shows and movies on offer as well. In addition to the headphone jack under the screen, there is also a USB charging point at every seat. As well as the the touch screen for the IFE system, there is also a remote, which I like because it cuts down on the chances someone is tapping the back of your seat like crazy. If you choose a window seat, you are likely going to have the entertainment box under the seat in front of you, slightly reducing the width of your legroom. While the seats are stylish and modern looking, they aren’t as thinly padded as some of the new slim-style seats and were comfortable for the entirety of the ride.
The food and beverage in economy on Turkish Airlines
The food and beverage when flying Turkish Airlines is one of the reasons I love it so much. Many savvy travelers are impressed by the “chef” in business class on Turkish or the food in the business lounges, but often the food in economy is just as good. While the Turkish kefta (lamb and beef meatballs) seems to be ubiquitous on almost every economy flight, I chose the vegetarian option which was a potato gratin in tomato sauce with roast vegetables. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was so good, I dropped my fork. Not only would I be happy to receive it in a restaurant, I would actually go back to said restaurant to have it again. The hummus and bread was fine, giving strong economy airplane food vibes, but the chocolate mousse was quite good.
To go along with it, the sour cherry juice on offer is one of my favorite beverages on any plane. I have found out the hard way that Turkish only loads ayran, the addictive local salted yogurt drink, on flights originating in Istanbul, but ever since discovering the Dimas brand sour cherry juice, I have gotten over the lack of ayran on flights to Turkey.
The service in Turkish Airlines economy class
The other reason I enjoy flying Turkish Airlines no matter what class I’m in is the cabin crew. While some might have misconceptions about a Turkish Airlines crew being a bit surly, the opposite is true, I find. It appears to be one of those rare airlines where the flight crew will still help you put your bag in the overhead bin without making a stink and rolling their eyes – as I watched them cheerfully do so for a hanful of pregnant and elderly passengers. And you always know that you are on Turkish Airlines when the captain begins every announcement with “Ladies and gentlemen and dear children.” This charming address always puts a smile on my face.
The bottom line
It’s a fairly quick hop from Brussels to Istanbul at just over three hours. For such a short flight, even a low-cost carrier wouldn’t be the end of the world, but it was nice to hit the ground running in Istanbul and head to our hotel after a nice, relaxing flight. Long-haul economy is never pleasant but I recall that Turkish also excels in this field, especially if you’re flying one of their older Airbus 330-300 models, which have decent legroom and seat width. So, ladies and gentlemen and dear children, I am looking forward to flying Turkish Airlines whenever the chance next arises.