Turkish Airlines is known as Turkey’s national flagship carrier. Therefore, it was reason enough to test the Business Class on an A330-200 flight from Zurich (ZRH) to Istanbul (IST).
Turkish Airlines
Currently, the airline has 11 A330-200 aircraft in its fleet (as of 2024). Turkish Airlines kindly sent the special livery “Invest in Türkiye” (Invest in Turkey), registered as TC-JIZ.
- From
- Zurich (ZRH)
- To
- Istanbul (IST)
- Distance
- 1,741 km
Great-circle distance between the airports.
The A330-200 has a maximum range of 13.400 kilometers, a wingspan of 60.2 meters, and a length of 58.2 meters. Therefore, the aircraft is wider than it is long.
Turkish Airlines flies the A330-200 in various configurations. This includes between 22 and 40 Business Class seats and between 183 and 259 Economy Class seats. The aircraft used, the A330-200 TC-JIZ, has 40 Business Class seats and 183 Economy Class seats.
Check-In
Check-in at Zurich Airport went smoothly. Two Business Class counters were open. The staff worked professionally and efficiently, keeping the wait time under 2 minutes. Even though I hadn’t used online check-in and we were traveling as a pair, our seat preferences were accommodated. This was a friendly gesture from the ground staff, as I couldn’t make a seat reservation during booking. The background was likely that the flight was fully booked and possibly overbooked. However, everything worked out fine.
Security control was also handled seamlessly – as is customary at Zurich Airport – with no wait times, thanks to the Fast Lane for Business and First Class guests.
Primeclass Lounge Zurich-Airport
Turkish Airlines guests have access to the Primeclass Lounge in Dock 3 at Zurich Airport. This is a contract lounge where Turkish Airlines rents space. These lounges are typically less high-quality than airline-owned lounges. This was also the case with this lounge.
Since the departure was in the morning, the Primeclass Lounge offered a corresponding breakfast buffet. I selected croissants – quite delicious – as well as fresh meat, cheese, and bread. Muesli and fruit were also available.
Without a doubt, the Primeclass Lounge at Zurich Airport is one of the better contract lounges and certainly made the waiting time pleasant. However, the differencet to an airline operated lounge is noticeable: a smaller selection and less staff.
Boarding and Crew
Boarding began precisely on time, and although the flight from Zurich (ZRH) to Istanbul (IST) was fully booked, the crowd was handled professionally and efficiently. Business Class guests could board first, thanks to priority boarding.
The crew greeted each passenger individually and was always friendly and correct. Some crew members even spoke German, which was advantageous in a German-speaking country. The guests were pleasantly surprised, and it was well-received.
Seat Product and WIFI
The Business Class seat product on this Turkish Airlines A330-200 is certainly not one of the latest models. The previous model is still installed, and you can see this in the equipment. The seat was comfortable, and there was enough space. In my bulkhead row, there was more than enough legroom.
The screens can be taken out of the armrests. Unsurprisingly, the TV screen is quite outdated, with neither HD resolution nor a modern size. The small screen with low resolution is reminiscent of the 90s or 2000s. For the short flight of just under three hours, this is not a problem. However, long-haul flights on such a product are no fun and are no longer state-of-the-art. Hopefully, Turkish Airlines will quickly upgrade all A330s with the new Business Class to compete internationally.
As a result, I had no desire to watch any movie on the inflight entertainment system. I only used the monitor for the moving map to see where our plane was.
There was also no WIFI on this aircraft. Again, for a short flight of three hours, this is not a problem. On long-haul flights, it is now expected that an international flagship carrier offers WIFI.
Catering
However, Turkish Airlines can score points with its catering by Do & Co even on this Business Class flight. The caterer – which also supplies Austrian Airlines – is, for me, by far the best airline caterer in the world. Do & Co not only operates aircraft catering but also has its own restaurants. This includes ones in Vienna (Austria), at Stephansplatz, and the Vienna Opera. Both are highly recommended. Please reserve in advance!
Upon boarding, the customary Turkish Airlines lemonade was served. There were several flavors to choose from. I opted for raspberry lemonade, which tasted excellent.
The menu was presented along with the welcome drink. The three-hour flight was sufficient to offer full catering. The selection was impressive.
The catering, as usual from Turkish Airlines in cooperation with Do & Co, was delicious and presented attractively.
The starter included a salad with cheese and Best of Turkish Meze. The dessert, a selection of cheese and white chocolate mousse, was also served.
The main course featured grilled lamb chops with polenta, zucchini wrap with ratatouille, and roasted red pepper. The appetizer, main course, and dessert harmonized perfectly and tasted delicious.
The second main course option was equally impressive. My partner chose, for editorial reasons, the grilled fillet of salmon with sauteed julienne vegetables and chateau potatoes. She also found it to be excellent.
Throughout the flight, attentive beverage services were provided. Even the coffee on board was excellent.
Landing
The landing at Istanbul Airport (IST) was punctual to the minute. However, due to the airport’s size, significant taxi times on the ground are possible. After landing, we taxied for over 25 minutes before reaching our final gate position. We weren’t just standing still; we were continuously moving for 25 minutes, resulting in a delay by the time we arrived at the gate.
Recommended
This Turkish Airlines Business Class flight from Zurich (ZRH) to Istanbul (IST) was decent, but not outstanding and certainly not at the level that Turkish Airlines typically offers. Turkish Airlines is capable of much more than what was delivered on this flight. The cabin product, particularly the seats and screens, needs significant improvement. This flight still had the previous model of the seat installed. Turkish Airlines is gradually upgrading their A330-200s. The highlight was the Business Class catering provided by the renowned caterer Do & Co, which once again demonstrated its dominance. Despite everything, I still recommend Turkish Airlines. Perhaps the saying "the worst of the best" is quite fitting here. Nevertheless, it is enough for the airline to compete in the top league with other international airlines.
Roger Hohl
Roger Hohl has been at the helm of Luxvisor since 2006. From his base in Switzerland he travels to test what the luxury travel industry promises, from the seat at 40,000 feet to the last course of a tasting menu, and writes about it with an independent eye.
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