Exactly a year ago, on the eve of the Super Bowl, the heart-thumping finale of Americas National Football League and the most-watched show on American television, Turkish Airlines aired a commercial. In it, Morgan Freeman, who also happens to be a licensed pilot, urged viewers in his trademark baritone to find delight in our differences and widen our world...by flying Turkish Airlines. Turkish flies to more countries than any other airline in the world, so Freemans endorsement was convincing. When I finally flew Turkish to Madrid later that year, the only emotion I experienced was delight. You dont win Skytraxs coveted Best Airline in Europe award six years in a row for nothing.
Turkish Airlines superlative lounge at Istanbul airport had set the bar high, but the onboard experience more than lived up to expectations. There was attention to the littlest details for instance, the cosy Turkish slippers I was greeted with as soon as I boarded. The note accompanying them read In Anatolian houses, slippers are presented to guests for their comfort. Inspired by this tradition, we wanted you to feel at home during your journey. I slipped them on and settled right into my business-class seat, which came with an in-built massager and the option to screen myself off for privacy.
An excellent pair of Denon noise-cancelling headphones were at hand, but I would have liked a better variety of options in the entertainment system to choose from. I gather that since I last flew Turkish, this minor lacuna has been addressed.
The high point of my inflight experience was the food. This was expected given that Turkish Airlines has bagged the Skytrax awards for Europes Best Airline Catering Service and Worlds Best Business Class Airline Catering. The secret was out as soon as the man in the chefs hat pushed a trolley into the cabin. Catering on Turkish Airlines flights is done by Turkish Do&Co, and he was one of their legendary Flying Chefs. I soon had a stylishly plated meal in front of me, consisting of some excellent meze and cacik (Turkish yoghurt) and perfectly grilled lamb chops. I finished off with white chocolate mousse that was to die for and, of course, a shot of raki. After that sumptuous meal, there was only one thing to do. I converted my seat into a fully flat 188cm bed, tuned into some relaxing music and drifted off. When I woke up and shuffled off my slippers, Madrids delights were waiting for me.