RTW1

Must have been hell..... All 2hrs and 15minutes.

johan rebel

I'm still trying to figure out how what proportion of TK's shorthaul fleet has the proper 2+2 J Class configuration.

Johan

warakorn

Hei, IST-CAI is a shorthaul flight, operated by TK shorthaul equipment. This is the standard Business Class layout in Europe.

johan rebel

Maybe so, but TK prides itself on offering something better, and often lives up to its reputation.

The issue here is that it sometimes doesn't, because its shorthaul hard product is inconsistent.

Johan

UA1K_no_more

I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that it's not the FA's English that is the problem...

UA1K_no_more

The problem is that they also operate A332s with angle-flat business class seats and A321s with much better business class seats in a 2-2 config on shorthaul flights.
With TK, there is no "standard" European business class layout, and that can be frustrating. I have a CPH-IST C class flight on a A321 in a couple of months. Maybe I'll get the 3-3 seating with blocked middle, maybe I'll get the 2-2 business class seats. Only time will tell...

moeser

From ARN,CPH & HEL I usually get the 2+2 new Skycabin.Don't know about OSL though.

Seems that TK has a different standard for Nordic Countries

vivamuci

My flight from HEL to Istanbul in a week switched from A321 to a B738 with a blocked middle seat.

Since you departed ex HEL, you might be able to answer my question regarding lounge access.
My itinerary is MUC HEL IST - stopover - SFO.
My flight arrives in HEL around noon and I am on the evening flight to Istanbul.
The segment from HEL to IST is paid Business Class and I hold an E+ card. Can I access the Aspire lounge with my BP plus E+ card or do I need a lounge invitation by TK since it's a contract lounge?

I know there is a SK lounge but I am unsure if I can access the Schengen gate area with a Non-Schengen BP?

Or is 6 hours sufficient to go to the city for late lunch?

duvin

The Aspire lounge is in the Schengen-area as well. You will get there with a BP showing your elite status and/or card. 6 hours is more than sufficient for a tour of the city as well.

racefaith

I posted my inquiry in another string and received the unfortunate confirmation from other flyers that if booked, I would be "experiencing" TK's substandard angled flat Biz class seats on my upcoming flight from Boston to IST.

Its very surprising to me that TK seems to be operating other long range capable aircraft on shorter flights with their new Biz class product.

On such a long flight from an important market, why would they operate such a a substandard product?

Not sure of the amount of US based posters here but TK does appear to be aggressively courting US flyers with the advertising of their new product. The east coast hubs of Boston and NY are both high revenue business traveler points for most airlines yet they still have angled flights on the Boston route?

Every global carrier of reputation or those with the intentions of being so, are courting business and luxury flyers. Why TK is flying and serving a 20+ year old product on this route in the US market and on such a long flight, is a mystery to me.

Sad that Im switching my routing via London to get my monies worth.

GRUflyer

The only consistent good issue on TK is their catering.


Everything else can go from 10 to zero: FA, language skills, on time performance, seating configuration, contract lounges, boarding procedures...

tng11

I would have to echo the sentiments that TK seems to be great value for money, but it's far from an outstanding product in my opinion. Their award availability across the board is amazing, so that's a huge plus for me (I also redeem on Aeroplan and they're one of the only options to redeem TATL without punishing fuel surcharges.)

But I'm not a fan of the 77W 2-3-2 layout, especially not when so many airlines have the private 1-2-1 reverse herringbone setups. On my YYZ-IST flight in November, the guy beside me decided to prominently display his bare feet and snored like a pig. Furthermore, the catering was highly overrated in my opinion. Great selection, but everything was dry and overdone. The crew also seemed to disappear after the meal service and only appeared again until breakfast - I've never seen such an indifferent crew outside of Y on AA/UA (CX Y FAs were more attentive! )

geirfugl

Well,the competitors product IS CONSISTENT,in that its always on par with TKs worst offering,so

That TK is not a great product is offcs true,but its competitors are Ryanair and Easyjet in Y,and its wastly superior to them,in C it basically has no competitors pricewise on many routes, and on others their only competitors are airlines from countries where a airworthyess certificate can be bought for a pittance,---so ???

moeser

The SK lounge is at the complete other end of the airport.I would recommend the Aspire lounge.Bigger ( recently expanded ),better offerings,nicer view and about 200m from immigration.


QR is definitely a competitor worth to consider.Same prices as TK and on quite a few routes considerably cheaper than TK.
I'm talking about J Class but I think it'll be the same in Y.

Sometimes the TK prices are even higher than LHs.I think they developed an unjustified hybris concerning their prices.

geirfugl

I would say that TK hybris is abouth slightly more than just their prices,but thats just my personal opinion!!! On short haul flights my feeling is indeed that a lot of the pax would normally fly LCCs,and compared to that TK is great,although I must say that I have flown sewerall times with Turkish LCCs to Europe this winter,abouth 6 flights,out of which all 6 flights was with 3 seats to myself,that has not hapend on TK for ages,probably bcs their bussines is seasonal.