A dozen years after removing a Premium Economy product called "Comfort Class" from its offering, Turkish Airlines following the general trend and should launch this intermediate class in early 2028. Unveiled by the online site Skift, the news is now confirmed by the new CEO of Turkish Airlines, Ahmet Olmuştur. In an exclusive interview with the American magazine Forbes, Ahmet Olmuştur affirmed a strategy resolutely focused on growth.
The objective remains unchanged: to grow the fleet to over 800 aircraft by 2033, serve 345 destinations, and exceed $50 billion in annual revenue. However, the company wishes to boost its passenger revenue. This will be achieved through a more high-end business class product and the introduction of an Economy Premium class.
The CEO of Turkish Airlines is speaking thus, with the arrival of its first Airbus A350-1000s scheduled for the third quarter of 2027, about introducing new "Crystal" Business Class suites, fully enclosed by sliding doors. Fifteen Airbus A350-1000s are expected to have joined the Turkish fleet by 2030.
The airline has also confirmed that it will introduce a Premium Economy cabin on its wide-body aircraft from 2028. Internal research shows that nearly two-thirds of long-haul passengers are willing to pay more for greater comfort. The cabin reconfiguration is expected to increase the number of seats per aircraft by more than 12 %, whilst boosting Business Class capacity by 10%. According to the CEO of Turkish Airlines, 8 to 9% of the total number of seats in Economy Class would then be allocated to Premium Economy.
This upgrade should also make very long-haul flights more attractive. Ahmet Olmuştur intends to launch non-stop flights between Istanbul and Australia from 2028. The company has also expressed its interest in serving Lima in Peru and strengthening its presence in the Americas with more frequencies to Santiago, Chile, and Panama, as well as new route openings to Minneapolis-St Paul, Orlando, and Philadelphia.
