Turkish Airlines touched down in Australia for the first time this month and there’s a multitude of reasons why you should consider them for your next trip.
With their foray into Australia, Turkish Airlines now flies into a staggering 130 countries, which is over 30 more than the next biggest carrier.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Turkish Airlines touches down in Australia.
Newsletters: Our top lifestyle news direct to your inbox. Subscribe now
Not only are flights to Europe considerably cheaper than Qantas and other big carriers, but there’s also a little known offer to entice travellers.
The Stopover in Istanbul program allows passengers to score free accommodation to explore the incredible city. The airline will provide two free nights at a five-star hotel for business class passengers and one night at a four-star hotel for economy class.
If your stopover is between six and 24 hours, there is also the option of a sightseeing or shopping tour, completely free of charge.
I was lucky enough to be invited on the inaugural flight from Istanbul to Melbourne (via Singapore) and it’s easy to see why the airline is rated among the world’s best.
To accommodate the large media throng, plus dignitaries, Turkish Airlines used the older Boeing 777-300ER for that first flight.
However, the good news is the route, which will run three times per week, will feature the plush Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350.
Inaugural flight
While I didn’t get to experience either of those planes, I did get a full dose of the famed Turkish hospitality, which includes on-board chefs in business class.
They come down the aisles with a full trolley of different salads and sides, and you can make your own mezze plate. It’s a unique offering that adds to the enjoyment of the meal.
I made sure to sample every option and I can confirm they were all delicious.
While that was enough for an entire meal … it was, in fact, only a starter and the chefs returned a short time later with the main course, of which there were three options.
It was hard to go past the local mixed kebab and I had no regrets, even though I clearly didn’t need that much food.
And then the trolley makes another return — this time with an array of dessert options, of which I dived straight into before remembering to take a photo.
For drinks, there’s local and French wine, plus all the other standard alcoholic options you’d expect.
But there’s also a rather large selection of nonalcoholic drinks, including a homemade lemonade, detox juices and five different wellness teas.
After stuffing myself silly, I enjoyed a nice long sleep — so long that I missed out on breakfast as we closed in on Singapore. Lucky I wasn’t even the slightest bit hungry.
The layover is very short (just 90 minutes to refuel) before it’s back on the same plane to Melbourne.
Unfortunately, there was no extravagant food trolley this time and the quality wasn’t as good as the first leg, but it was still enjoyable.
I couldn’t fault the entertainment options with a host of new-release movies, as well as some old classics, in an extensive library.
For those stuck in the middle without a window seat, the flight map section also has multiple cameras to see what’s going on outside. Not much to be seen at cruising altitude, but when landing and taking off, it’s worth flicking it on.
The plane landed to much fanfare with people cheering at Tullamarine’s viewing platform and Turkish flags to welcome guests at the airport.
Lounging around at Istanbul Airport
The start-of-the-art Istanbul Airport officially opened in 2018 and quickly became one of the world’s best, as evidence by being rated No.6 in last year’s World Airport Awards.
It has all the shopping you need — from high end to last-minute gift options — as well as plenty of food options.
I was lucky enough to have access to the Star Alliance lounge and I could have happily spent hours there.
It had some of the best food options you can imagine. Everything is made fresh — literally in front of you — and there seemed to be endless options from borek to salads to handmade gozleme to pide (flat bread) to an old-fashioned popcorn machine.
There’s also a virtual driving range to practice your golf swing and a virtual reality machine to take a flying tour of Istanbul.
Oh, and there’s also masseuses walking around, offering 15-minute head and shoulder massages.
The future
Turkish Airlines will eventually add more Australian destinations, with the plan to fly to Sydney by the end of the year.
The Federal Government has approved Turkish Airlines to eventually expand to 35 flights per week.
It is also hoped that within two years, the airline will fly non-stop between Istanbul and Melbourne or Sydney. That will be made possible by the new A350-1000.
A non-stop flight between the two cities will be around 17 hours with the current journey taking just on 19 hours, including a 90-minute stop in Singapore.
The airline recently confirmed they will expand its fleet with an order for 220 Airbus aircraft so we can expect to be seeing a lot more of them in the future.
They are also making their presence felt in Australia with plenty of advertising, as well as a lucrative three-year sponsorship deal with A-League team Melbourne Victory, starting from next season.
And with Istanbul offering an alternative route into Europe, Africa and the Middle East, you’ll be sure to see Turkish Airlines as an attractive option when booking your next holiday.
The writer travelled as a guest of Turkish Airlines.