Review: Turkish Airlines Boeing 737 Business Class from Nice to Istanbul Atatürk (2018)
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Following our visit to the Canopy Lounge at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, we’re now boarding for Istanbul on a 3-hour flight in business class.
Check-in
Travelling with a “complicated” ticket involving multiple airlines, a stopover in Hong Kong, and a baby (always tricky in a booking), we could see our reservation on the Turkish Airlines site… but couldn’t check in.
So off to the Turkish Airlines check-in counter at Nice Airport, with a priority line for business class travellers: no wait at all.
Turkish Airlines lets its passengers go through a dedicated security checkpoint… which is therefore faster.
Once through security and customs, here we are in the departure terminal. Ready to head to the Canopy Lounge, which we covered in this article.
Boarding
Travelling in business class, we board among the first.
Today’s aircraft is a Boeing 737-800.
This aircraft has 16 business class seats, arranged in 4 rows of 2 x 2 seats.
Previously in Europe, we’d already flown various business classes: British Airways, Lufthansa, or Swiss. They all looked alike: economy and business cabins are identical. The difference: in business, the middle seat is blocked.
Here, with Turkish Airlines, it feels more like what you’d find on Air Canada… but a lot more comfortable.
The cabin lighting adjusts based on outside brightness and is very pleasant (a far cry from the hospital-style neon lights we noticed on Air Canada Rouge).
The medium-haul business class seat on Turkish Airlines
The seat reclines quite far back, with a very comfortable footrest and a massage function.
A screen and tablet are built into the armrests.
All 16 business cabin seats will be filled today.
The entertainment system
The screen is very good quality/resolution and comes with a remote that also doubles as a screen (we’d already seen this type of system on Air Canada’s new international business class between Paris and Montreal).
Plenty of choices are available to suit a wide range of tastes, in many languages including French.
A good-quality headset is also handed out.
Takeoff
Our flight took off at 4:30 pm, which was going to give us beautiful views of the sunset over Nice.
Alexandra takes one last look at the French Riviera, which we won’t see again for at least 6 months. Onward with the next leg of our family mini round-the-world trip on Aeroplan points!
The meal
Before takeoff, a small aperitif is served (alcoholic or not).
Shortly after takeoff, a full meal was served to us. Here too, we’re closer to what you’d expect on a long-haul flight than a European medium-haul.
The service from Turkish Airlines staff is remarkable. We each chose a different dish:
Arrival in Istanbul
After flying over the city glittering with lights, we land smoothly at Istanbul Airport.
We had to disembark onto the tarmac; the transfer was done by bus.
Business class passengers get their own bus, which gets you to the transit area quickly.
Conclusion
A smooth flight between Nice and Istanbul, with a medium-haul business class worthy of a long-haul flight. Well done, Turkish Airlines, for this flawless performance.
Now off to the Turkish Airlines CIP lounge at Istanbul Airport for our 5-hour layover.
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