This flight is operated by an almost brand-new Airbus A330-300. Besides 28 seats in Business Class it offers 261 seats in Economy, arranged in 2-4-2 layout. I specifically opted for an aisle seat for this long flight and I am lucky enough to have one empty seat beside me. Right from the beginning, I notice the rather pristine wide screens, and the hilarious video shown with safety instructions ” a creative interpretation to the usual dull videos. There is a “Do not disturb” button that can be activated, making me wonder if it truly means you would never be disturbed on the flight. Soon enough, flight attendants bring amenity kits for everyone, even that being exceptional in Economy. I am impressed by the carefully curated selection ” everything from slippers, comfort socks, dental kit, earplugs, eyeshade and a lush Chopard Lip Balm. Am I really in Economy? Extra points to Turkish for such a treat for us mortals in the back. By pure mistake, I left my phone on Wi-Fi and notice the Turk Telekom Wi-Fi Fly network. It doesn’t connect, but I’m impressed nevertheless.

Flight attendants are professional and helpful if needed, but don’t except too many smiles. If anything, I’d say a bit over zealous with triple checking seats are up right during takeoff and landing.

For an Economy menu, the Turkish Airlines offer is excellent. I start with the homemade lemonade with fresh mint, a nice touch I find but awfully sweet. I change to Turkish wine instead, which is a welcome surprise to the usual French, also on offer. Then, the menu includes hummus and shepherd’s salad, both tasty. I opt for the herbed grilled chicken fillets, which for the first time on any flight actually tastes like chicken, and wonderfully so. Paired with ratatouille, I’m surprised myself how much I like it. Desert comes in the form of a light chocolate mousse, which I eradicate quickly. After dinner, the trolley comes by again to serve digestifs, while also giving away bottles of water, and Turkish roasted hazelnut. Breakfast before landing is equally good, thanks to some savory scrambled eggs.

Inflight entertainment is equally satisfying, with hundreds of movies and TV shows on offer, a wide variety for each kind, as well as live TV: BBC, Al-Jazeera, Euronews, CNN, you name it, it’s all there. The wide screens make it a pleasure to watch, compared to Economy on other airlines, and I’m thrilled to watch live TV coverage of a press conference while soaring 12,000 meters high in the air.