Turkish Airlines

I read some variable reviews before booking my flights from NJ to Istanbul so decided against direct flight and booked United to Munich then TA to Istanbul then TA back to Frankfurt and Lufthansa back to NJ. TA was by far the best parts of the trip with over-the-top service plenty of stretch room in business class (I'm 6'1") and solid quality food. I liked the repeated options to grab another croissant / roll or requests whether I wanted a refill of wine or coffee. The Airbus A330s I flew were new and immaculate. My only complaint was the boarding process which wasn't well organized in Munich at all with a long narrow gate where everyone across all classes congregated and blocked any chance for an organized boarding. Had I not been near the front I would have been one of the last to board despite my business class seat and never heard a call for that class to board. The return trip was a bit better with the gate agent asking out loud - not over the PA - whether anyone was in business class and directed us to a separate line that was initially hidden from view. I would definitely recommend TA to other passengers traveling in business class and would take fly with them again if given the option.

Flew Montreal-Istanbul-Bangkok business class. On both legs the flight was fantastic the food was in abundance almost feeling like there was too much. Inflight entertainment was great. The first flight had the side by side seats that go into full sleep position and were great. The 2nd leg had the pods which I actually found slightly less comfortable. The service was great except for one thing on my Montreal flight when I had to ask 3 times for some water. I still find their inflight service excellent and very attentive.

My husband and I took four economy flights in the last couple of weeks between London and Antalya via Istanbul. We chose Turkish Airlines over the lower cost carriers as it has won several awards and had better arrival times than Easyjet etc. Check in at LHR was chaotic and staff were disinterested and inefficient. The flight was delayed. In fact all four flights were delayed. We were unable to book legroom seats on the first flight (my husband is 6'6") but were able to move once the flight was underway. As we were going through the gate for the second flight the staff grabbed my boarding pass took a pen and scrubbed out my seat number and changed it. When I asked why (no explanation was volunteered) I was told the plane had changed. On boarding I was in an entirely different part of the plane to my husband in between members of a young family despite there being spaces next to my husband. Needless to say I moved once the flight was underway. No apologies from staff. On arrival international passengers were separated from domestic and taken to the international terminal to receive our suitcases. After waiting for a long time (late in the evening) someone eventually came and told us we had been sent to the wrong terminal. No apologies. No directions as to how to get into the arrivals hall of the domestic terminal. Eventually found it - everyone else from the flight were long gone. On arrival at Antalya airport 2 weeks later to take our two flights home check in again was chaotic. Asked for legroom seats - we're given them for the first flight but not the second. No explanation or apology. Legroom was non existent - even I struggled to fit. My husband found it impossible. We asked if it was possible to move and we're told no - no explanations or apologies. Again others were seated separately and there were a couple of heated conversations which the staff dealt with very poorly. Once the flight was underway and the seatbelt signs were off my husband stood up finding a spot out of everyone's way. The person in front reclined their seat making it impossible to sit back down when told to do so. My husband explained this politely to a very abrupt attendant and was told in no uncertain terms to sit. No care understanding or apologies. I pleaded with the guy in front to put his seat upright and my husband retook his seat. His knees were up against the seat in front and the magazine rack cut into his shins. Food dreadful. Seatbelt signs kept on for most of flight and flight attendants almost invisible for the rest of the journey.

Flew biz class for the first time and it is not what it is hyped up to be. 1) Wifi network did not work. 2) Service and food quality was poor. Breakfast was staggered as there was a flying chef who prepares personalized meals according to a menu that you order off in advance - this works in theory not in practice. On my long haul outbound they forgot some ordered items on my way back they lost my menu card all together. Therefore it was only after the passenger next to me finished his breakfast that they even bothered to ask if I wanted to eat anything. They only refill drinks ie coffee upon request. My breakfast of scrambled eggs was extremely watery and undercooked. 3) Seat configuration: A strange 2x3x2 configuration. On my flight out I was in a window seat and did not notice but on the flight back in seat 2E (center seat) realized that one could feel every footstep of people striding by. 4) Toiletries: On my flight back they forgot to give me my toiletry bag I had to ask for it. 5) Fast track service: Depends on airport I guess but at Istanbul the fast track immigration line was not much shorter vs the normal lines. I only flew this airline due to the convenience of transit to my final destination (Tbilisi).

Milan-Istanbul-Sao Paulo. Milan-Istanbul: quite old Airbus A320 with limited entertainment onboard. As usual excellent hot meal distributed. Very nice and efficient cabin crew. Long transfer at IST Ataturk Airport. For such a reason Turkish paid a very nice hotel for me (5 stars) located in the city center. Free transfers also provided both ways. Istanbul-Sao Paulo: 13 hours daily flight aboard a new 773-full flight. I got the emergency exit which means a lot of space for a better rest. The 3-3-3 seat configuration in Economy is extremely appreciated and TK is one of the few airlines world-wide which still keeps it nowadays. Very young and pleasant cabin crew. Meals: overall two hot meals - tasty and well-presented. IFE completed with a wide range of movies and TV programs. Live TV and free-wifi onboard definitely a plus. First long-haul flight with Turkish. Can definitely keep recommending.

Travelled VIE-IST-JFK-IST-Vie at the end of July. We booked Premium Economy with TK to N.Y. for a family trip as TK offers best value in this class (only slightly more expensive than the cramped Y-class on any direct flight from Vienna to N.Y. in peak season unfortunately there is no Premium-Y ex Vienna). 3 days befor departure we received note from TK that due to an aircraft switch "Comfort Class" (only on TK's 777) would not be available on the 10-hour flight from IST to JFK thus we were offered a later flight. I requested an update to C-class instead which was duly granted - a great move from TK and just what I expected from "Europe's best airline"! Our 2-hour morning flight to IST in Y-class was comfortable sufficient legroom menu cards were distributed and a hot and tasty breakfast was served (fantastic service having in mind what other airlines consider as catering). Our connecting flight was in C-class so we enjoyed the marvellous TK lounge at IST airport that streches over 5000 square metres on two levels - try the freshly brewed Turkish Coffee! The flight to JFK on an Airbus A-330 in business class was as comfortable as it can get (welcome drink fluffy duvets flat beds Do&Co flying cooks meal courses were served one after the other as it should be dedicated and smiling FAs a wide range of movies). Bottomline: we arrived relaxed and happy. Only a minor point: cabin design could be slightly more colourful. Unfortunately our flight back to Vienna via IST was not upgraded so we travelled in "Comfort Class" as planned. Seats are in CC are wide and legroom is plenty. There were no welcome drinks and meal service started way behind C-Class (keep in mind that the flight departed at midnight!) but the meals dinner and a full hot breakfast before landing all served on china were tasty and satisfying. The amenity bag distributed in "Comfort Class" wasn't Porsche-design like in business but nevertheless came in very handy. At IST we spent some time at the "Prime Class Lounge" (we pre-booked this service before we departed) where you can take a relaxing shower after a long-distance flight. The final leg of our journey took us back to Vienna in Y-class in the late afternoon. Again menu cards with an extra drink/wine-list were distributed prior to dinner service once again an amazing service by TK considering the occasional sachet of pretzels - it at all! - other airlines serve on 2 hour flights. Final verdict: I wholeheartedly recommend Turkish!

Flew business class with my wife from BHX to IST. Comfortable enough on both legs but late departures on each flight. Cabin crew were good to excellent though service rather grudging and not as attentive as my experiences with Emirates. Aircraft cabin littered on both legs. Food identical on both legs for vegetarians - disappointing. Biggest problems on return leg was hopelessly disorganised ground staff: chaotic hectic and not at all relaxed or smooth as one would expect in business class.

Booked Business Class BHX to DEL via IST. Business Class Service on the BHX to IST very hit and miss. Steward seemed nervous took my order for drink and forgot to bring me the drink. Later on during the flight the FA took my order for a drink and this one came. Flight attendant serving drinks without bringing them on a serving tray certainly shows me that the Turkish Airways staff need training and overall the service in business class was poor. The lounge at Istanbul is very good. Istanbul to Delhi boarding a shambles. No segregation between Business Class and Economy on boarding especially if you have to travel to the plane by bus. IST TO DEL - one of the most uncomfortable business class seats in the air. I travelled on 22/8/2014. I am going to travel in Business Class on the same route BHX to DEL VIA IST on October and I am hoping for better service. If there are no improvements I will go back to Qatar Airways or Oman Air from Heathrow.

Traveling from St Petersburg to Istanbul in business class - very disappointed the business class on this ageing 757-800 was no better than economy class. The seats were economy did not recline more than 15 degrees. The centre seat of an economy row was made inactive by folding it down. Hence calling the two seat arrangement business class. Extra leg room was there but was of no use as the footrest was fixed. How can they be called the best airline in Europe when they do not provide the basic requirement for a business class seat. Reminded me of an airplane well past it's prime.

My wife and I were booked on TK961 Kyrenia (Ercan)/Istanbul connection to TK1969 Istanbul/Birmingham UK 1st September. Checked in at Ercan baggage through to UK but no boarding/seating passes for Istanbul to Birmingham provided which we thought rather odd so had to go via Transit in Istanbul Airport. First flight delayed a little but as already booked in we assumed that Transit would have seats ready for us. Oh no given standby seat/pass ran to departure gate sent to aircraft only one seat (we heard staff had been given the seats available). Sent back to another Transit desk from there to the original one where we were re-booked for the next day fortunately checked in and boarding passes printed for us. 4 hours in airport at Istanbul (not a nice experience) before eventually got to hotel. Next day transfer from hotel was late arriving at hotel and little real expectancy of being on flight let alone where the luggage might be also found other UK passengers in same position. Through all check in etc to boarding gate chaos. Why say area A B C etc if not using it. Mad queue load of young kids and parents. On board kids seemed to go to wherever they wanted as did many adults. We got our seats Ok and stayed put. Nightmare for crew many passengers simply refusing to move to allocated seat even though plane was full. I cannot imagine a less organised operation and it seemed this was a regular occurrence and indeed whilst waiting in boarding queue met other UK passengers who had been given STBY cards even though they were at airport very early and had booked several months earlier - it seems the practice to overbook then bump off UK passengers. We will never again use them.