"Turkish Airlines"

Turkish Airlines has unveiled its new Crystal Business Class suite at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow.

This innovative suite marks a step forward in luxury air travel for the carrier. It sets new standards for comfort and privacy in the skies.

Redefining In-Flight Luxury

The Crystal Business Class suite is Turkish Airlines’ first to feature an adjustable suite door and privacy panel. This will offering passengers a far greater level of seclusion during their journey.

The suite boasts a generous 23-inch seat width, providing ample space for travelers to relax and work.

With increased footwell space and direct aisle access for all guests, the design prioritizes passenger comfort and convenience.

Every window suite in the new configuration offers full visibility, allowing passengers to enjoy unobstructed views throughout their flight.

In line with Turkish Airlines’ “Flow” brand identity, the suites showcase a refreshed aesthetic with lighter and warmer colors. This has been complemented by elegant marble-style tables and sophisticated rose gold finishes.

Range of Amenities

The Crystal Business Class suite continues Turkish Airlines’ tradition of providing top-tier amenities to elevate the guest experience. Passengers can enjoy:

• Adjustable ambient and reading lights for personalized comfort
• Universal and Type C power outlets to keep devices charged
• Wireless charging capabilities for compatible devices
• Noise-cancelling audio jack for immersive entertainment
• Adjustable mirror for personal grooming
• Closed stowage compartments for secure storage
• Ergonomic seat cushion for enhanced comfort during long flights
• A expansive 22-inch IFE screen for in-flight entertainment

Turkish Craftsmanship

Developed by Turkish Airlines’ subsidiary, TCI Aircraft Interiors, the new seats represent a bespoke product unique to the airline.

The design incorporates plush leathers and fabrics sourced entirely from Türkiye. This furthers the flag carrier’s commitment to showcasing its national heritage and supporting local industries.

Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Turkish Airlines Chairman of The Board and Executive Committee, shared his enthusiasm for the new offering.

“Our new Crystal Business Class suite will add a new chapter for our long-haul luxury travel. It will carry the airline into the future with a new level of comfort and privacy across our extensive global network.”

“The specially created design will complement our award-winning in-flight dining options for us to keep providing an unparalleled experience above the clouds for our guests.”

Cabin Implementation

The Crystal Business Class suites are set to debut on Turkish Airlines’ transcontinental flights. They will be gradually installed on the carrier’s new Airbus A350 aircraft.  

A retrofit will also take place across its existing fleet of Boeing 777s. This will ensure a consistent luxury experience across the airline’s long-haul routes.

As Turkish Airlines continues to innovate and expand its offerings, the Crystal Business Class suite furthers the airline’s commitment to providing world-class service and luxury air travel.

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National carrier Turkish Airlines has taken a further step towards its ongoing fleet modernization with a further Airbus A321neo acquisition.

The airline recently announced a leasing agreement with AerCap Holdings N.V. for ten new Airbus A321neo aircraft.

This move is set to boost the airline’s operational efficiency and support its ambitious growth plans.

10 A321neo Aircraft Lease

AerCap, a world leader in aircraft leasing, will provide these state-of-the-art narrow-body aircraft to the Turkish carrier.

The single-aisle A321neo is known for its fuel efficiency and reduced environmental impact. This has made it an attractive choice for airlines looking to optimize their operations.

Aengus Kelly, CEO of AerCap, expressed enthusiasm about the deal, stating, “We’re thrilled to support Turkish Airlines’ growth and fleet modernization efforts.”

“These new A321neos will help them expand their route network while improving operational efficiency.”

The partnership between AerCap and the carrier is not new. This latest agreement builds on their long-standing relationship, highlighting the trust and satisfaction between the two companies.

Turkish Airlines Expansion Strategy

Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee at Turkish Airlines, shared his thoughts on the agreement. He emphasized how these new aircraft align with the Turkish national airline‘s strategy to offer passengers a modern and efficient travel experience.

Bolat also pointed out that the additional A321neos will support Turkish Airlines’ expansion plans. The airline aims to:

• Launch new routes
• Increase frequency on existing routes
• Enhance overall passenger experience

A Brief Look at Turkish Airlines

Founded in 1933, Turkish Airlines has come a long way from its humble beginnings with just five aircraft.

Today, it boasts an impressive fleet of 457 passenger and cargo planes. As a member of the Star Alliance, the carrier connects passengers to 346 destinations worldwide, covering:

• 293 international destinations
• 53 domestic destinations
• A total of 130 countries

This extensive network makes the national airline one of the most connected carriers globally, offering passengers a wide range of travel options.

The addition of ten new Airbus A321neo aircraft to Turkish Airlines’ fleet marks another milestone in the airline’s growth journey.

It demonstrates the carrier’s ongoing focus on providing high level service while expanding its reach across the globe.

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Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier of Turkey, has placed an order for four Boeing 777 Freighters. This will bring its total fleet of these widebody cargo aircraft to twelve.

The acquisition aims to bolster the airline’s position in the increasingly competitive global air cargo market.

Ali Türk, Turkish Airlines Chief Cargo Officer, emphasized the significance of this investment. “This expansion of our cargo fleet underscores our commitment to meeting the rising global demand for air freight services.”

“The addition of these Boeing 777 Freighters will not only enhance our operational capabilitie. It will also serve as another step in our strategic vision to reach the top of the air cargo sector worldwide.”

“We remain dedicated to maintaining our leading position by offering unparalleled service and efficiency to our customers across the globe.”

Keeping Pace with Air Cargo Growth

The decision to acquire additional freighters comes at a time when the air cargo industry is experiencing rapid growth. This is driven primarily by the boom in e-commerce and the increasing need for efficient and reliable transportation solutions worldwide.

These new aircraft will enable Turkish Airlines to optimize its cargo operations. It will yield reduced costs, and ensure timely deliveries to destinations around the world.

Paul Righi, Vice President of Boeing Commercial Sales for Eurasia, expressed pride in the continued partnership with Turkish Airlines.

“We’re honored to extend our long-standing relationship with Turkish Airlines and support its expansion of cargo operations.”

“The 777 Freighter’s impressive payload capacity, range, and flexibility will empower Turkish Airlines to deliver exceptional customer service while maximizing operational efficiency.”

Boeing 777 Freighter

The Boeing 777 Freighter stands out as the world’s most capable twin-engine freighter. It boasts a maximum payload capacity of 102 metric tons and an impressive range of 9,200 kilometers.

This combination of capacity and range allows Turkish Airlines to serve a wide array of global routes efficiently.

With more than 265 deliveries to date, the 777 Freighter has earned the title of Boeing’s best-selling freighter airplane of all time.

Turkish Airlines and its Cargo Division

Turkish Airlines, founded in 1933, has grown to become one of the world’s leading airlines. It currently serves over 300 destinations across more than 120 countries.

The airline’s cargo division, Turkish Cargo, has played a crucial role in this expansion, evolving into a major player in the global air freight industry.

Turkish Cargo operates a comprehensive network that connects continents, facilitating trade and supporting global supply chains.

The division has invested heavily in modernizing its fleet and infrastructure to meet the growing demands of the air cargo sector.

With state-of-the-art facilities at Istanbul Airport, Turkish Cargo has positioned itself as a key hub for cargo traffic between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Conclusion

The addition of these new Boeing 777 Freighters aligns with Turkish Airlines’ broader strategy to enhance its cargo capabilities and expand its market share.

This investment not only strengthens the airline’s fleet but also demonstrates its commitment to providing cutting-edge logistics solutions to its global customer base.

As Boeing continues to dominate the cargo airplane market, providing more than 90% of the worldwide dedicated freighter capacity through both new production and converted airplanes,

Turkish Airlines’ choice of the 777 Freighter reinforces the aircraft’s reputation as a versatile and efficient cargo workhorse.

In addition to its growing freighter fleet, Turkish Airlines operates a diverse range of Boeing passenger aircraft, including the 777-300ER (Extended Range), Next-Generation 737, 737 MAX, and 787 Dreamliner.

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On June 5, 2024, AviationSource experienced Turkish Airlines’ Airbus A321neo in Business Class. Here is the review.

This article will cover the details surrounding the review of Turkish Airlines’ Airbus A321neo Business Class product.

Turkish A321neo: Istanbul to Manchester

Today’s review takes us on board Turkish Airlines flight TK1915. Departing from Istanbul (IST) to Manchester (MAN).

This flight is on board one of Turkish’s Airbus A321neos, at the time, their newest in the fleet, TC-LPD. After only being delivered on April 18, 2024 according to Planespotters.

Currently, Turkish operates 44 Airbus A321neos with a further 185 on order.

We departed Istanbul at approx. 8.05 p.m. and arrived into Manchester at approx. 9.55 p.m. after a near four hour flight. Cruising at initially 34,000 feet before step climbing to 36,000 feet over Germany.

Departure from Istanbul was on runway 36 and arrival into Manchester was on runway 23R.

Turkish Airlines On Board Service

Upon boarding, I was offered a drink of choice between the following –

• Water.
• Fresh orange juice.
• Lemon and lime juice.

For this flight I opted for the fresh orange juice. This was certainly a refreshing start to the flight.

Following departure, we were then given a menu to choose our evening meal and drink for the flight. They also handed out the same set of headphones that I got on the other Turkish Airlines flight we did to Istanbul the day before.

Turkish Airlines’ evening food menu consisted of the following –

• Grilled Beef Cutlet, with aubergine and tomato ragout, and buttered rice and green pepper.
• Grilled Chicken Breast, with corn mousseline, ratatouille and thyme jus.
• Baked Romaine Gnocchi, with beluga lentil ragout.
• Selection of cheese.
• “Trilece”, Tres De Leches cake and caramel glaze.
• Selection of oven fresh breads.

Turkish Airlines’ evening drink menu consisted of the following –

• Various fresh juices, including orange and homemade lemonade.
• Various soft drinks, including cola, mineral water and homemade ayran.
• Various hot drinks, including black tea from Rize, green tea, Turkish coffee and hot chocolate.
• Wellness teas, Relaxing (rooibos, melissa, sage), Energizer (green tea, mate, ginger) and Digestive (fennel, ginger, anise).
• Champagne.
• Spirits, including Blended Whisky, Bourbon Whisky, Gin, Vodka and Raki.
• White Wines (Kavaklidere Egeo Sauvignon Blanc or Torres Vina Sol Parellada).
• Red Wines (Kavaklidere Egeo Blend or Calvet Varietals Syrah).
• Beer (Efes or Heineken).

For this return flight I opted for the Grilled Beef Cutlet which come with a prawn cocktail salad starter. I also opted for their other white wine, Torres Vina Sol Parellada.

Overall the food tasted great, and it was quite well presented too. A strong competitive product to other European carriers.

The Seat

You could certainly tell that the aircraft was new. Although the pictures don’t do it justice, there is plenty of leg room and the seat has a good amount of recline. You can also pull out the footrest to get comfortable.

It is worth noting that the seat is not electrically operated like the one in the Airbus A330-200. You use the push buttons at the side and you have to move the seat yourself.

The table pulls out from the right hand side armrest and can be used as a half table or a full table that covers the width of the seat.

The IFE (In-Flight Entertainment) was the same as the Airbus A330-200, however, what I did really like was the remote. The remote has a full touch screen to operate the IFE system, as well as doubling as a second screen.

You do also get a universal plug socket, USB-A slot and headphone jack to use your personal devices during the flight.

I found the seat comfortable with a good amount of cushioning, certainly good enough for the medium haul services that Turkish Airlines use their Airbus A321neos on.

Overall

All in all, I found Turkish’s Airbus A321neo Business Class product a strong contender, that certainly gives other European carriers a run. The fact that the cabin is also not the standard “Euro Business” that you’d get where just the middle seat is blocked off is also a huge positive.

The flight was comfortable, friendly cabin crew and very enjoyable. I’d be keen to try out Turkish Airlines’ Business Class on its long haul routes to see how it compares to flights that are longer than four hours.

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Turkish Airlines announced positive traffic figures for May 2024, transporting 7.2 million passengers and achieving a total load factor of 79.8%.

The international load factor stood at 79.3%, while domestic services reached 84.2%. Notably, international transfer passengers saw a significant year-on-year increase of 3.6%. This represented a rise from 2.4 million in May 2023 to 2.5 million in 2024.

Reviewing the Year to Date

Looking at the year so far, Turkish Airlines has flown 32.8 million passengers since January 2024, reflecting a 5.7% growth compared to the same period in 2023.

International transfer passengers for the first five months also witnessed an increase of 7%, reaching 12.6 million from 11.8 million last year.

However, total load factor for the period dipped slightly by 0.8% to 80.4%, with international flights at 80% and domestic services at 83%.

This slight decrease is offset by a significant rise in Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) of 10.8%, reaching 100 billion from 90.3 billion in the same period of 2023.

Additionally, the airline’s fleet expanded to 456 aircraft by the end of May 2024.

“Tomorrow On-Board” Initiative

On World Environment Day, June 5th, Turkish Airlines took a major step towards sustainability by launching its new brand initiative, “Tomorrow On-Board.”

The initiative was unveiled at a special event held at Istanbul Airport, the carrier’s hub. The event showcased the airline’s commitment to sustainable in-flight products and services, along with a unique exhibition featuring art created from repurposed aircraft parts.

“Tomorrow On-Board” embodies Turkish Airlines’ comprehensive vision for the future, encompassing its environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals.

This brand serves as a unifying platform to communicate these goals to passengers, investors, and all stakeholders.

It aims to enhance the airline’s brand image, provide a clear and consistent message on sustainability efforts, and actively engage passengers in these initiatives.

“Tomorrow On-Board initiative embodies our commitment to reducing our environmental impact and enhancing sustainability practices across all our operations to leave a better world for future generations,” stated Mr. Levent Konukcu, Chief Investment & Strategy Officer of Turkish Airlines.

“Through this platform, we emphasize our dedication to offering transparent information and data, ensuring that our sustainability efforts are consistently clear and easily accessible to all stakeholders.”

To further celebrate the launch, a special exhibition titled “41.2607° North and 28.7424° East” is open for two weeks at Istanbul Airport.

This exhibit features a curated selection of artworks created by four interdisciplinary artists using materials such as decommissioned aircraft parts, uniforms, and cabin elements. These unique pieces serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of a sustainable future.

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This week, AviationSource was invited to Istanbul to participate in Turkish Airlines announcing their Tomorrow On Board initiative.

This article will cover the details surrounding Turkish Airlines’ new sustainability initiative, being a pioneer for the global aviation sector.

Turkish Airlines: Tomorrow On Board

During this special event, Turkish Airlines presented its comprehensive vision on how the Turkish flag carrier is tackling sustainability.

Alongside showcasing its goals at the Tomorrow On Board event. The airline also showcased artwork to emphasize the goal of a better world.

The art exhibition is named “41.2607 North and 28.7424 East”, and is a display of recycled items, which are –

• Parts from a decommissioned aircraft.
• Flight Crew uniforms and bags.
• Interior cabin carpets.
• Seat fabrics.

This depicts a collaboration from old and new worlds to come together to raise awareness for the challenge of sustainability. With the aviation sector being a huge-hitter for this. And Turkish Airlines is pioneering the way for the sector with this initiative.

Not only this, but Turkish Airlines announced that Istanbul Airport will have its own dedicated solar power plant by the end of 2024. A first of its kind for an airport.

Istanbul Airport has also had 10 of its buildings awarded with green sustainability certificates.

The carrier is also using SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuels) in more than 13 destinations across is vast network.

Senior Comments

At the event, Levent Konukcu, Turkish Airlines’ Chief Investment and Strategy Officer, said, “Tomorrow On-Board initiative embodies our commitment to reducing our environmental impact and enhancing sustainability practices across all our operations to leave a better world for future generations.”

“Through this platform, we emphasize our dedication to offering transparent information and data, ensuring that our sustainability efforts are consistently clear and easily accessible to all stakeholders.”

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