Airways Magazine September 2024 | Page 26

AIRWAYS TRAVELER
Alike Saudia ( 9V ), Turkish Airlines offers complimentary internet service to Business Class passengers and Miles & Smiles program members . Economy Class passengers need to login using their devices , and fill out a form to access free messaging . Other paid options are available , which range from US $ 8 to US $ 35 , depending on the data plan you choose .
One hour after our departure from Manchester , the cabin crew sprang into action and began inflight service . Turkish Airlines is one of the few carriers in the world to offer complimentary meals on short flights . On other European or American airlines , almost nothing is free of charge .
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On this early afternoon flight , the lunch options were chicken or pasta . As I had had a hefty breakfast at home , I was not hungry and skipped the lunch . The passenger next to me , however , allowed me to take a picture of her meal . The portions seemed more than generous , but the offering might have been improved by replacing the Italian penne with Turkish manti — a type of dumpling found mainly in Turkish cuisine , which would have better complemented the culinary experience .
Regardless of my rant , I saw nothing but empty plates . Everybody liked the meals . A round of coffee and tea came soon after the lunch had been served , and this marked the end of the meal service .
About the TSI Epianka seat : the padding was slightly better than that found on other low-cost airlines such as Jet2 . com ( LS ), Ryanair ( FR ), or even Pegasus Airlines ( PC ). The seats were comfortable , maybe because of the 18-inch width and 30-inch
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12 One of my favorite features of the airshow IFE . The cities marked with the Turkish Airlines logo are destinations served by the airline .
13 A photo of the pasta meal served as lunch . The size of the portion seems to be more than adequate .
pitch ( the airline says that the seat pitch may vary from 29 to 32 inches in Economy ).
ISTANBUL :
WHERE
EAST
MEETS WEST
After an uneventful flight , we landed in Istanbul on time ,
and — after perhaps the longest taxi run I have ever experienced in my life — I found myself in IST , one of the largest and most modern in the world , the home to Turkish Airlines and a key junction of the modern Silk Road of the skies .
26 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2024 www . airwaysmag . com