uptownnow

Hi everyone -

I am a longtime DL plat and I recently did a status match on TK.

First TK trip last week (MRS-IST-ADD) and I was pleased overall with the experience. Obviously, the lounge in IST is the tops.

But there is a potential deal-breaker for me: the planes it seems TK is putting on the African routes are horrendous, old, single-aisle Boeings. Very uncomfortable and bad. I had "business class" on the IST-ADD route and, service-aside, it's not business class: just an old economy seat with the middle seat left open. Friends in economy complained that the lav ran out of water. Similar bad, old, single-aisle planes on the IST-DAR route.

Does anyone know what the deal with this is? Does TK have any intention of phasing out these old planes? Is this just something they do on the African routes? Where are the good planes?

Thanks!

Ferhat777

I am surprised to hear that. They actually use their best equipment 737-900er for african flights.

Which date did you fly? There might have been an equipment swap on that particular day, but except for that the 739 is really comfortable since it has a dedicated business class configuration.

B747-437B

Considering that the Africa routes get some of their newest aircraft (which have an average of 2 years), I highly doubt that.

You probably got unlucky and had an aircraft swap on your particular flight. However in general, I find the 737-900ERs that TK operates to be a good reason to choose them ABOVE most of the other operators.

JVPhoto

Make sure to not book "business" class on any intra-European flights from Lufthansa, Air France, SAS, British Airways, etc.

YEGneph

I'm booking GVA-CPT and had a similar question to the OP about the likely equipment on this route -- because prices look too good to be true.

I understand that the equipment could change...but flightaware.com shows consistent use of A333 for the last few weeks on this route.

If I got an A333, would that usually be flat seats/newer aircraft/2x2x2?

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

YEGneph

Update: I found this potentially helpful thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turki...t-codes-2.html

This thread says that the A333 are usually new equipment.

I'd like to be a bit more confident. Does anyone know of a page that lists refurb status/configuration by fin number, or which describes aircraft generally in use on this route specifically?

Again, any advice would be appreciated.

Ferhat777

All A333 have the new interior. They all came directly through Airbus, so they are configured according to TK's wishes. As you can see, JNB ist consistently served by A333s.
http://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/tk40/