While I try to fly business class when it makes sense, on this short flight I couldn’t justify the considerably higher cost of flying business class. Thankfully Turkish Airlines has one of the best economy products out there and I was perfectly happy in an economy seat for this short flight.
Ground Experience
Athens airport is a Star Alliance hub, so being a Star Alliance Gold member I and my companion were able to use all the priority lanes even though we were flying economy.
This saved so much time going through security and passport control, and we were at the lounge within 5 minutes. We arrived at the gate after boarding had already begun and once again could use the business class boarding lane, skipping the line of dozens of people waiting to board!
Cabin and Seat
The Turkish 777 economy cabin is split into 3 sections in a 3 – 3 – 3 layout, for a total of 300 seats. The cabin finishes are elegant and give the airplane a lively feel. Of course, the cabin is crammed compared to flying business class but nevertheless one of the nicest economy cabins in the sky.
Being a Star Alliance Gold member, I was given exit row seats at no charge, seats 24H and 24J at the front of the second economy section. These seats have more legroom than anyone could possibly utilize, however the IFE screen and tray table fold out from the armrests which I find annoying. Otherwise the seat itself was comfortable at 18 inches of width, one of the widest economy seats you’ll find.
The IFE screen was brand new and one of the most responsive I’ve seen on a plane. The content was among the best of any airline as well, and I found several choices I would have been happy to watch.
Food
On this one hour flight, a small meal was served. We were given a choice of drinks as well as a box containing some bread, chicken slices, cheese, and vegetables to make a sandwich. The ingredients were all tasty, though I didn’t bother making a sandwich as the bread was not good at all.
Given what most airlines would serve on such a short flight, I was very impressed by the quality of the food.
Service
I had no expectations for service on this short flight, however I was extremely impressed by the high level of service we got in economy class. While we were still on the ground, one crew member brought out chocolates to the entire cabin which you don’t often find in economy class.
Once airborne, we were quickly served a drink and small meal. The crew were extremely friendly, helpful and got everyone their meals in a timely manor before we were starting our descent.
Bottom Line
Turkish Airlines easily one of the world’s best airlines for economy class travel, even better if you have Star Alliance Gold status. The seats are reasonably comfortable, they provide meals on all flights, service is top notch for economy class, and they fly wide body aircraft on many short flights meaning you’ll have a personal IFE screen. I would happily fly Turkish Airlines economy class again on a short flight.