Review: Turkish Airlines Business Class 787-9 PTY to IST

What’s it really like onboard Turkish Airlines Business Class 787-9?

When Turkish Airlines announced they were flying their brand new 787–9 direct to Vancouver, I booked one of the first flights out of town. I love Turkish Airlines and couldn’t wait to try out their fantastic service from my home base…then the pandemic happened.

Fast forward two years and I’m picking up where I left off, sort of. This is my much anticipated Turkish Airlines 787–9 business class review, this time between Panama City and Istanbul.

Check-In

Check-in at Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport was very breezy. I was the only one at the Turkish Air business class check-in counter and getting through security took minutes. From there I went and checked out the Copa Club, the only business class lounge in the airport. It was pretty underwhelming, especially with the service Turkish Airlines puts forward. It is very crowded and food is limited to a few snacks. I wouldn’t let this get you down if you are flying Turkish Airlines. Their meal service is fantastic so worth it to wait to eat anyway!

What Are Turkish Airlines 787–9 Business Class Seats Like?

Turkish Airlines 787–9 business class is configured in 1-2-1 with alternating window and aisle alignment on either end. If you are looking for more privacy, selecting an even-numbered row will get you a seat against the window. This gives a bit of a buffer against the aisle traffic.

For my Turkish Airlines business class 787–9 flight, I chose seat 4K.

Overall, the look of the business cabin and seats are very stylish with black, dark greys, and gold accents.

I settled into my seat and immediately found out how well thought out they are. First, there are touch controls for the seat adjustments, lights, and call button/do not disturb.

Just above that is a small storage cubby perfect for a book or amenity kit – more on that later. Also inside the cubby, you will find a power outlet along with a USB charging port.

To the right of the storage and power cubby is a hook for hanging your headphones on which I think is very slick.

In front of the seat and to the left is a storage pocket where I placed my laptop and notebook. To the right of that is a footwell with another storage cubby underneath. The footwell itself is deep. I was able to keep my camera bag and shoes tucked in there with no problem.

Overall I found the seats spacious and very comfortable. As per SeatGuru, the pitch is 109 cm/43″ with a bed length of 93 cm/76″ and width of 51 cm/20.1″ With a thin pad added I found this very cosy and had no issues stretching out and sleeping. For reference, I am 6 feet tall.

What is Turkish Airlines 787–9 Inflight Entertainment Like?

The seat isn’t the only well-thought-out part of this Turkish air 787–9 business class product. The in-flight entertainment starts with a big and bright 4K screen. With a few touches, you have access to an impressive catalogue of new release movies, TV shows, and documentaries as well as several games and a library of music. To take it all in, Turkish Air provides noise-cancelling headphones by Denon.

Since I packed light and was travelling carry-on only, I didn’t bring my Bose headphones so this was a happy option to have.

On top of that, the system has the capability to pair and screen share from your personal device. This makes the inflight entertainment system that much more accessible.

Wi-Fi

To my surprise, the Turkish Air 787–9 business class includes one gigabyte of in-flight Wi-Fi. Although it tested fast at 27MB down and 5MB up, the service was spotty. I never really fault this because the novelty of watching cat videos at 35,000 feet will never grow old to me.

That said, in-flight WiFi is typically best used for light emails and messaging services.

What Are Turkish Airlines Business Class Service and Amenities Like?

Service on this Turkish Airlines 787–9 was also tops and began with a hot towel and freshly squeezed juice. I would’ve preferred a cold towel given I spent the day in the Panama heat but was still nice to have.

Staff were attentive throughout the flight but never overbearing which is definitely a skill. Highlights included nailing my drink order of a gin and tonic then a malbec with dinner, something I forgot I asked for on takeoff.

They also made my bed when I went to brush my teeth, something welcomed after being up for 24-hours straight.

Amenities Kit

Speaking of brushing my teeth, the Turkish Airlines business class 787–9 amenities kit is, again, tops. Supplied by Versace, highlights include Versace products such as face mist and cologne as well as a plush sleep mask. Slippers are a welcome addition to the amenities as are the plush comforter and pillows.

What Is Turkish Airlines Business Class Food and Drink Like?

Before tucking into bed, we need to talk about the food!

The main reason I was so keen to fly Turkish Airlines again is that, in my opinion, they serve the best food in the sky. This Turkish Airline 787–9 business class review included a great Turkish mezze, sauteed mushroom soup, and a fillet of beef. The latter was slightly overdone but forgivable.

The wine list is also great and features Turkish and international wines as well as Port.

My meal service concluded with a selection of Turkish desserts along with Turkish coffee. All of this was accompanied by an LED candle which I thought was a unique touch.

Before landing in Istanbul breakfast was served. This was highlighted by fresh fruit and the best “sky cakes” I’ve had to date. Sorry Air Canada, you’ve been dethroned!

Turkish Airlines Business Class 787-9 – Final Thoughts

With a belly full of Turkish treats and a cosy and spacious bed, I arrived in Istanbul rested and ready to take on my next leg. Turkish Airlines offers some of the best services in the sky and will always be tops in my books. This aligns well with the service and hospitality you will find around Turkey and makes visiting that much more special.

I can’t wait to fly with Turkish Airlines again soon from Antalya back to Istanbul in a few weeks. Stay tuned!

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