On the 11th , a unique runway show was held at ‘ Esma Sultan ‘ in the center of Istanbul, Turkey . It was the flight attendants and chefs who proudly walked out, posed in front of the camera, and then turned around and exited .
Wearing uniforms with the Turkish Airlines logo, they held in-flight meals in their hands . I am very curious about the taste and shape of in-flight meals when I get on a plane, but I am unfamiliar with events like this.
The party held on this day was to introduce Turkish Airlines’ newly launched in-flight meal menu. It was a performance introducing the new in-flight meal menus of Turkish Airlines, from starters to desserts, one by one. They unveiled menus that boasted visuals that made it hard to believe that they were in-flight meals, and none of them were ordinary.
Turkish Airlines invited reporters and partners from around the world to experience the new economy class and business class inflight meal menus with more than 300 flavors .
The event opened with a greeting from Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat. He presented Turkish Airlines’ achievements over the past 10 years and its goals for the next 10 years. Turkish Airlines, which ranked 39th in the world in 2003 in km of seats supplied ( ASK · seats supplied per aircraft × flight distance), showed great growth, rising to third this year.
“Our goal is to double the number of aircraft over the next 10 years,” said Bolrat.
He added, “We also plan to increase the number of 토토사이트destinations served by Turkish Airlines to more than 400 destinations. When the airline launches flights between Istanbul and Australia in December this year, we expect to cover all continents.”
Turkish Airlines won the ‘Europe’s Best Inflight Meal’ category by the 2023 Global Airline Evaluation Agency ( APEX ) . It provides high-quality in-flight meals through a partnership with Do&Co, a catering and in-flight meal service company . More than 80% of the entire menu consists of dishes using local ingredients from Turkey.
It is also worth noting that on all long-haul flights of 7 hours or longer, a dedicated in-flight chef is assigned for business class passengers . Most of the food is prepared on the ground, but the chef adjusts the taste to suit the taste of passengers on site or provides additional light snacks upon request.
At this event, Turkish Airlines domestic and international flight economy and business new menus were displayed on a long table. I was able to learn new facts about the in-flight meal that I used unintentionally on board the plane.
Even in the same class menu, there are various types such as long-term and short-term menus. It serves various styles of cuisine from India, East Asia, and Europe. According to a Turkish Airlines official, the menu with traditional Turkish desserts and spices, such as walnut baklava and honey, is the most popular.
The new Economy Class breakfast time in-flight meal menu includes egg dishes, homemade muesli, and various types of cheese. During mealtimes, traditional Turkish appetizers, fresh pasta and grill options are provided.
In the case of business class, homemade pasta, dumplings, and spaghetti options have been added. Homemade adana kebabs cooked over charcoal, grilled fish, and a variety of traditional appetizers and desserts are on offer.
After the runway show, we had time to sample in-flight meals. I was able to walk around the booth and taste unlimited menus and drinks of my choice, such as salmon salad and shrimp curry.
The menu that created the most queues was the kebab with plenty of lamb, which is presented as a long-term business menu. The fragrance was weak so that even those who did not like to eat lamb could enjoy it without burden.
Takayuki Murata, a photojournalist from Japan, said, “Usually, events to unveil a new in-flight meal menu are held in a way where the chef explains the menu in the cooking space, but it was impressive that it was introduced in a festive atmosphere.” Turkish Airlines’ will to be reborn stood out.”
It was nice to see the same menu as the tortillas I tasted on the spot on the plane returning to Incheon. It is said that the same dish usually loses its taste on the plane, but it was almost the same as the one I tasted at the event. Even on the plane, the cheese did not harden and was warm, making it similar to eating it on the ground.
It was possible to get a glimpse of the efforts of Turkish Airlines, which is serious about in-flight meals to the extent that it has dedicated chefs.
Currently, Turkish Airlines operates the Incheon-Istanbul route 11 times a week. Currently, 1GB of free in-flight Wi-Fi is provided to business class customers, and plans to expand it to all customers are under consideration .
The 11-hour trip to Istanbul seems to feel much shorter if you install the Internet to soothe the boring flight time along with the changed Turkish Airlines in-flight meal.