Turkish Airlines Business Class A350-900 Review

Recently, one of our Airfare Specialists, Joe, flew between Melbourne and Istanbul via Singapore. He was onboard Turkish Airlines Business Class on their A350-900 product. For reference, the flight from Melbourne just refuels in Singapore. Then you continue on the same aircraft, you don’t change planes like 99% of transits. They just clean and refuel the one you were on and then you reboard.

As a Star Alliance member, Turkish Airlines Business Class is a great option for travellers looking for a Round the World flight. They fly to over 300 destinations, offering an unparalleled European network.  The modern A350 is available on select routes, which we suggest getting in touch with an airfare specialist who can tailor your itinerary accordingly. Turkish uses a variety of airlines from Australia to Asia, including Qantas, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Korean Airlines, All Nippon Airlines and Garuda Indonesia. The airline offers amazing connections in Asia, Europe, North America and even Africa! See our great value Turkish Airlines Business Class RTW fare, or the Turkish Airlines Economy RTW fare. 

Find out more about Joe’s experience by reading the review.

Turkish Airlines Business Class Boarding and Welcome

After a quick stop at the Air New Zealand Lounge in Melbourne (the best Star Alliance lounge in Melbourne in my opinion), I was ready for my trip to Istanbul with a stopover in Singapore. 

Boarding was fast, only about 15-20 minutes. Business Class passengers boarded first and there was a separate entry for Economy so you weren’t disturbed by lots of other travellers trying to get to their seats. I was greeted to my seat with a Welcome Drink of my choice out of fresh orange juice, lemonade, mixed berry juice or water. Keep in mind no alcoholic beverages are served until take off. I was also pleased to have a hot towel provided to refresh myself before the flight. 

The Turkish Airlines Business Class chef passed out menus and took my order before take-off. This allowed for a more efficient and speedy service. 

Cabin, Seat Features, Storage and Flat Bed

This aircraft features 8 rows of seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. It highlights staggered seating with even numbered seats being closer to the window and more private, while odd numbered rows were closer to the aisles. Companion seats on the even rows were along the centre of the cabin. Keep in mind that other Round the World routes may be on services like the 777 and the A330, which feature a 2-3-2 layout and 2-2-2 layout. 

One of my favourite features of this cabin was the fully flat bed, a necessity when travelling Round the World! The seat could be controlled fully by the passenger to go between upright and fully flat. Plus, you could stop at any point when you were happy with the level of recline. I find this detail to be super important when looking for the right Business Class seat. Within the seat, there were a couple of different angled reading lights so you could read while reclined or flat. Crew assistance was only needed to add a light mattress topper, although some passengers chose not to have this and it wasn’t enforced by the crew.

In terms of storage, there was only one main area apart from the overhead locker space. There’s a cubby hole at eye level in the console to the side, which could be locked so if you wanted somewhere for valuables this was a great spot. Shoes could slot under the seat and they fit in well, even when turning the seat into a flat bed. The seat had a universal plug socket, as well as a USB port for charging all devices. 

Amenities and Entertainment

It was lovely to have a Lanvin Parfum Amenity Kit provided on this flight. It featured the classic items like an eye mask, ear plus, socks and a dental kit, however I was happy to see extras like a lip balm and hand cream.

This Turkish Airlines Business Class product features a 21-inch HD IFE touchscreen display. There’s plenty of English options and the latest movies, TV shows, plus live news and sport available to watch. It was nice to see noise-cancelling headphones provided, although the aircraft was already pretty quiet! A bonus for me was the free onboard Wi-Fi available for Business Class passengers. This is a great bonus for staying connected on a Round the World trip. The speed was reasonable for a flight and the allowance was 1GB, so it was decent for messaging and general browsing.

Turkish Airlines Business Class Dining and Beverages

In the Turkish Airlines Business Class cabin, there was a dedicated onboard chef. It’s their sole job to just be the chef, rather than being a part of the regular cabin crew. This made for a much more elevated Round the World experience. I like how the chef came personally to ask for my preferences and let me request a different meal time. Unlike some other airlines the service moved at a good pace allowing more time for resting rather than a prolonged meal service that didn’t give enough time for sleeping.

The entree and dessert trolley came through with plenty of options, so you could really try a variety of Turkish cuisine while not being short on westernised options if that’s your preference. The ‘World’s Oldest Bread’ was a nice touch and there was a good wine list from Turkey and other European varieties along with beer, spirits and soft drinks.

My advice would be to pick 4-5 entrees and a similar amount of deserts as they’re bite size portions. While the main courses were tasty, they weren’t large, so if you’re hungry best to ask for a few items from the trolley- the crew was happy to give me more items! Dining on demand was possible- I asked the chef if I could sleep through the breakfast service and he kept my meal back to serve later.

Overall Impression of Turkish Airlines Business Class

Turkish Airlines Business Class is definitely one of the best I’ve flown. It’s a nice blend of European and Middle Eastern service, which is also how I found Istanbul to be. The airline is perfectly positioned to continue being a major player in the Round the World scene as they have the most connections across Europe of any airline, which really opens up regional cities that other airlines overlook.

Food and beverage onboard is excellent and I felt the staff took genuine care in the service. It didn’t feel like trouble to ask for anything, so I felt well looked after throughout the journey.

Istanbul in itself is a real jewel and the chance to stop there is definitely something most travellers should consider. It’s great to note that the exchange rate makes it a more affordable destination for Australian/New Zealand travellers, than other parts of the world. 

If you’re seeking a Round the World trip, I would recommend travelling with Turkish Airlines Business Class. Please get in touch with one of our airfare specialists for more information. Check out our Turkish Airlines Business Class RTW fare to read more about the offers and routes available.