Took forever to board. They made announcements without the loudspeaker and since the waiting room was full of screaming kids, no one could hear what they were saying. The business class sleeper seats were designed for tall skinny people. When partially reclined there was nowhere to rest my feet because they did not reach the footrest. and when fully reclined there wasn't room at my sides for my arms. Definitely one of the worst sleeper seats I have ever had.
Except for spending an extra day in Istanbul due to late departure from Athens on Saturday and missing the connection flight TK0044 to Cape Town and again arriving 45 min late on Monday in Cape Town, it was all good.
Very bad overall. The comfort level was undeniably uncomfortable. The in-flight entertainment was no good because my screen froze and “wasn’t able to reset”. The staff were rude and non-helpful. Instead of offering me an upgrade for all inconveniences for the ticket, and seat I paid extra for, I was offered a downgraded seat all the way at the back of the aircraft. The flight was delayed for so long, making the experience at the layover airport that much more unpleasant.
This flight was in the air when the national power outage happened on 28 April 2025 in Spain and Portugal. As a result Lisbon airport was closed and the flight was diverted to Porto. There were no phones, internet or ATMs working and the Turkish Airlines ground crew in Porto were trying to find alternative transport to Lisbon (by bus). This did not materialise until late in the evening. The Turkish Airlines ground crew suggested that passengers may find their own way of getting to Lisbon. That in itself is a failure of Turkish Airlines, but understandable as there were no means of communication. The Turkish Airlines ground crew also said that any expenses insured for travel to Lisbon will be refunded by the Airline through their website. Unfortunately, I could find no way to travel back to Lisbon other than to hitch hike with an Uber driver. Because no systems were available and no credit card payment possible I paid the driver 140 Euros in cash with no receipt as systems were down. I arrived at my Lisbon hotel at 23:30 (flight was scheduled to land at 12:30). Upon contacting Turkish Airlines for compensation they are not willing to do anything as I do not have an invoice for my expenses. They do not even consider the 10 hours of delay and inactivity on their part as a reason to provide any sort of curtesy towards me. I find their behaviour appalling.
Both my luggages were never sent from Istanbul. After 10 hour flight from DC to Turkey and another 12 hour layover in Istanbul Airport, I would’ve at least expected to find my luggages when I arrived in Addis Ababa, but that wasn’t the case. After 2 hours of waiting at the luggage carousel, we were told that our luggages would be arriving the next day after midnight. I was already so exhausted, that I hated having to come back to the airport the next day. Thankfully, I received both my luggages the following day. It’s just, the whole experience was exhausting.
The flight was great. From the first to the last step, the staff was very helpful and understanding. I also always enjoy Turkish Airlines food because it’s flavorful, fresh (like salads and very delicious bread ) and has special things like olives, dates… I loved that bean salad and apricot pie. I also enjoyed the movies. Thank you!
Ordered Vegan meal - it was ok, but not exceptional. Seat ok row 39 middle section aisle. Nearly full flight - crew was busy but they did the best they could. There was a USB A port at the seat. I listened to my own music and only looked at flight information. One nice thing was the connection information was made available in the screen.
I recently flew with Turkish Airlines, and I can confidently say it was one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment I boarded, the crew was incredibly attentive, warm, and professional. They went above and beyond to ensure everyone was comfortable and well taken care of throughout the flight. The highlight, however, was the food! I’ve flown with many airlines, but Turkish Airlines sets the bar incredibly high when it comes to in-flight dining. Every meal was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The variety of dishes, even on a long-haul flight, was impressive. It felt like dining at a high-end restaurant at 35,000 feet! The seats were comfortable, the entertainment options were great, and the overall atmosphere made the journey enjoyable. Turkish Airlines truly excels in combining luxury and hospitality. I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with them again—highly recommend!
The fully flat bed in business class on the 777 is a little narrow, and the 2-3-2 configuration is now dated, but otherwise a comfortable and pleasant flight. It’s hard to beat the value too.
Make sure to request a vegetarian meal in advance. They printed out menus for all passengers with the options but by the time they were halfway through (for breakfast and dinner), the vegetarian options were already all taken.
