Turkish Airlines is one of my favorite airline brands, and also offers one of the best business class experiences in the world. That’s despite the fact that Turkish doesn’t have a particularly good business class hard product, at least not with any consistency. Fortunately that’s expected to change next year, and we now have some more details about what we can expect.
In this post:
Turkish Airlines plans new 777 & A350 business class
Executive Traveller has some clues on a new business class product that Turkish intends to introduce, based on an interview with the company’s chairman. The new product will be branded as “Crystal,” and is expected to be unveiled on May 28, 2024, at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, and will then be introduced as of 2025:
- The new business class product will initially be retrofitted on all existing Boeing 777-300ERs; the airline has 33 of these aircraft in its fleet, and they’re an average of around nine years old, so they still have quite a bit of life left in them
- Then the plan is also to install the new business class product on Airbus A350-1000s that are delivered as of 2026, as part of Turkish’s recent Airbus aircraft order
- However, there are no firm plans to retrofit this product on existing Boeing 787-9s or Airbus A350-900s, as those planes already feature direct aisle access from all business class seats
The new seats are expected to be in a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat featuring a sliding door, as well as modern tech. On the 777-300ERs, it’s expected that business class will have a total of 44 seats. Turkish won’t be using one of the popular “generic” seats from a major existing manufacturer, but rather the seat is being created in-house, by the Turkish Cabin Interior team, so it will be a product you won’t find on any other airline.
For context, Turkish’s existing Boeing 777 business class consists of a total of 49 fully flat seats, spread across seven rows, in a 2-3-2 configuration.
I can’t help but be curious how different this new product will be from Turkish’s A350 business class available on jets that were intended for Aeroflot. These feature business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration with doors and good tech. It obviously won’t be exactly the same product, since that’s the Collins Aerospace Horizon seat.
Turkish Airlines already had a change of heart
What’s interesting here is that last July, Executive Traveller also had the scoop about Turkish Airlines’ new business class product, also based on an interview with the company’s chairman. But at the time he was promising something completely different:
- He explained the new business class product would maintain a 2-3-2 configuration, while still offering direct aisle access and full privacy
- He explained that the reason for this was because he didn’t want to give up cabin density, and claimed that the airline could maintain 49 seats in the cabin while offering those extra amenities with a custom product
- He claimed the airline was in the process of getting that new seat certified, suggesting the airline had already designed the seat
I expressed skepticism about that at the time. There’s simply no way you can have a 2-3-2 configuration with direct aisle access while maintaining the density of Turkish’s current business class. The closest thing to that layout would be an Apex Suites business class product, and that’s one of the least dense business class products out there.
So at the time I questioned how that was possible, and I guess my skepticism was for good reason. Now the airline is going for a 1-2-1 configuration with reduced density, because of course that’s just what’s needed to make a competitive product work nowadays. I’m just confused by the confusion of Turkish Airlines’ chairman.
Bottom line
Turkish Airlines plans to introduce a new Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 business class product. This will carry “Crystal” branding, and will be retrofitted on 777s as of 2025, and will be installed on newly delivered A350s as of 2026.
The new product should be in a 1-2-1 configuration, with direct aisle access and privacy at each seat. This should really take the Turkish business class experience to the next level, and I can’t wait to learn more details.
What do you make of Turkish Airlines’ new business class plans?
Just came back from my first TK trip - 2 flights on 787, one on A350. Their current "new-ish" are OK, but very poorly designed with that pointless privacy partition blocking the windows and significantly restricting elbow space when seated.
It is exact same configuration on 787 and on the wider 350. So on the 350, my elbow is bumping into the partition, while there is about 6" of empty space between the partition...
Just came back from my first TK trip - 2 flights on 787, one on A350. Their current "new-ish" are OK, but very poorly designed with that pointless privacy partition blocking the windows and significantly restricting elbow space when seated.
It is exact same configuration on 787 and on the wider 350. So on the 350, my elbow is bumping into the partition, while there is about 6" of empty space between the partition and the actual interior wall. What a waste of space!
Food and service were great, with appetizer and dessert trolley, and Turkish coffee.
In September I will fly on their A330 - will see how that feels.
I fly Turkish business quite often, the food is absolutely delicious, the option to choose the time of the meal individually is also fantastic. The seats are not the best indeed, but I agree with a comment below that they are more comfortable than those from Swiss. Simply more space, which matters when one wants to sleep.
In any case, I am looking forward to the new "Crystal" outfit -- it is time for 1-2-1 configuration after all.
Some of their Planes Flying Out of Sfo absolutely suck
Just flew business class yvr to ist to ktm. No one seated next to me. Service and food was excellent!
How about their a330? No plan to change the business seat on that aircraft?
Indeed. Some of their business class configurations are so old that the seat recline, etc. are mechanical! There are 49 in the fleet, making the A330 TK's largest type of widebody.
The plan is to phase out the 330s completely - one by one as new 787s and 350s are being delivered
About time, so many cope comments pretending they like the old configuration more.
If you all had a choice between the current 2-3-2 vs the 1-2-1 configs on TK, you would all choose the 1-2-1s. It's a dated product, plain and simple.
I honestly enjoy the 2-3-2 on Turkish. Why?
1) I'm a side sleeper and the lack of a cramped footwell is HUGE.
2) It's brighter and feels far more spacious. I've yet to fly in a biz suite (and I've flown in pretty much every one of those products) that doesn't feel cramped and dormitory-like.
The only downside (IMHO) is possibly having to climb over a neighbour if you need to get...
I honestly enjoy the 2-3-2 on Turkish. Why?
1) I'm a side sleeper and the lack of a cramped footwell is HUGE.
2) It's brighter and feels far more spacious. I've yet to fly in a biz suite (and I've flown in pretty much every one of those products) that doesn't feel cramped and dormitory-like.
The only downside (IMHO) is possibly having to climb over a neighbour if you need to get up midflight. Stepping over someone's legs is quite easy unless you're an octogenarian, injured, disabled, or severely overweight.
I don't mind blocks of 2 in business too much, i.e. climbing over someone's legs when they are sleeping. 2-2-2 is okay in my book.
That middle seat in the 2-3-2 configuration, however, I really wouldn't want to have when paying for business class.
I'm waiting for a woman to jump in and say "I don't mind sleeping next to a stranger, stepping over a stranger's legs or having a stranger step over me in my sleep." I'm betting that doesn't happen. I don't miss that awkward experience a bit. Men have a different concept of personal space with women than women do with me...
oops. That last word should be "men..."
Freudian slip
Basically you’re telling the world that your height is below 175 cm. I have yet to meet any tall person who prefers the tight footwells on most 1-2-1 business class seats over the open space that 2-2-2 or 2-3-2 offers on long haul flights.
Just be glad a shorty like you don’t have to deal with cramped footwell and the feeling that you’re tucked into a coffin.
Many people travel as a couple / family in business class. The middle 3 seats on current TK 777 are excellent for a family of 3, or even for a couple that could not get window seats. The pod seats on 787 are good for anyone that is shorter than 170cm or not claustrophobic. The cabin is also much brighter and lighter on the 777 with the old seat layout.
Privacy, schmivacy. Your weird fetish for "doors" on business class seats is stupid and misleading. This will be an extremely negative change that will result in a far worse passenger experience (unless you insist on trying to hide whatever it is you want to be doing in there behind the closed door). The old interiors on the TK 777s are far more comfortable than the newer interiors on their 787s and A350s. The old seats...
Privacy, schmivacy. Your weird fetish for "doors" on business class seats is stupid and misleading. This will be an extremely negative change that will result in a far worse passenger experience (unless you insist on trying to hide whatever it is you want to be doing in there behind the closed door). The old interiors on the TK 777s are far more comfortable than the newer interiors on their 787s and A350s. The old seats are way more roomy and way more comfortable and so much better for sleeping. As long as you avoid that dreaded middle seat in the center section, I'd take the old 777 seats any day (and any night). I've got nothing going on in my seat that I'm trying to hide - why do you keep insisting on this nonsense about doors, which are utterly useless, and only subtract from valuable passenger space? Stay out of the middle seat on the 777 and the seats are wonderful, so much better than the cramped, pod-style seats on the newer planes!
I flew my parents who never fly in business class on two flights, one with Swiss and one with Turkish. As first time (and second time) business class flyers they liked Turkish MUCH more. They absolutely loved the space they had and felt cramped on Swiss. To say that I was surprised is an understatement but I totally understand it.
Like you said, stay away from the middle seat and you'll have an excellent flight.
If they have something they want to hide with "doors" that you, for some reason, hate a lot, it's very likely that it's something illegal (like some sexual activity). That being said it's very unlikely that they want to hide whatever thing they're doing. Just because they want a private space doesn't mean they want to hide something.
It's all about the personal preference after all, but it seems like you can't take it....
If they have something they want to hide with "doors" that you, for some reason, hate a lot, it's very likely that it's something illegal (like some sexual activity). That being said it's very unlikely that they want to hide whatever thing they're doing. Just because they want a private space doesn't mean they want to hide something.
It's all about the personal preference after all, but it seems like you can't take it. I've been saying this a lot - if you can't accept the difference, go to a place where the state decides everything so you will see only one type of certain thing, including the thoughts. So perhaps prepare moving to the China or Russia, maybe even North Korea?
Bobo - Dude, what? You think doors are a “fetish” for people to hide nefarious activity???Lol. People haven’t got anything to “hide”. They just want to have private space on a packed plane and not feel like people can see them sleeping. I know - wild!
I would just point out that even with doors closed, there is no privacy from anyone walking or standing in the aisle. The doors only shield you from seated passengers because there is no roof over the pod. So, it would be difficult to do anything illicit with the door closed, even if people had that intention.
I welcome the change but curious how wide the foot area will be as the current configuration even though lacks privacy and direct aisle access for those solo travelers, provides large space for the foot area without having a tiny rabbit hole.
How reliable is this in-house concept product going to be? Their 787 seats from an established manufacturer already having reliability issues I recall?
2-3-2 with a direct aisle could be something similar to new Lufthansa product (2-1-2) Center seats with the Apex on a side.
Isn't Lufthansa configuration
1-2-1
1-1-1
JAL B77Ws have 2-3-2 configured Apex Suites (with direct aisle access).
What is going to happen with the existing A330 fleet?
And their multitude of product styles...
It's almost as if "fleet product consistency" is not a priority for TK at all.
Retirement.
Phased out peu à peu as more and more 350s and 7787s are delivered