Turkish Airlines returns to premium economy after a decade-long absence
Turkish Airlines is preparing to reintroduce premium economy nearly 15 years after abandoning the concept. The decision is a major shift for one of the few major airlines that had resisted the profitable and popular cabin class.
The Star Alliance carrier plans to launch the new product as early as the beginning of 2028, with the first installations on Airbus A350 aircraft before expanding to other long-haul aircraft.
Turkish Airlines reverses its long-standing position on premium economy
For years, Turkish Airlines maintained that it did not need a premium economy cabin, arguing that competitive business-class pricing and its extensive network made the intermediate product unnecessary.
However, speaking during the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Turkish Airlines chairman Murat Şeker confirmed the airline had changed course.
“We are going to have premium economy,” Şeker told Skift, which first broke the news. “Our thinking is as early as 2028 – at the beginning of 2028 – we will be able to introduce a premium economy class in our Airbus A350s.”
Return of a familiar cabin concept
The move represents a return to a market segment Turkish Airlines exited more than a decade ago.
The carrier previously offered a “Comfort Class” cabin on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Introduced in 2010, the cabin featured 46 seats arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration positioned between business class and economy.
Seats offered a 46-inch pitch, 19.5-inch width, and leg rests, providing a significantly more spacious experience than standard economy seats.
However, Turkish Airlines discontinued the product in 2013. According to Şeker, the original concept suffered from poor timing and an unsuitable configuration.
Premium economy has become aviation’s fastest-growing cabin
Turkish Airlines’ decision comes as the airline industry has embraced the happy middle cabin, first introduced by EVA Air in the 1990s and quickly adopted by Virgin Atlantic. Both carriers have succeeded in selling this better-than-economy-but-cheaper-than-business-class product for decades. However, other airlines resisted it in favour of either densifying their economy class or expanding the cabin footprint of premium classes, or a combination of both.
In recent years, premium economy has become one of the most profitable products in the airline industry. It provides optimal revenue per cabin foot and attracts both leisure travellers seeking extra comfort, entrepreneurs who fly for business at their own expense, and corporate travellers whose companies no longer permit business-class travel.
COVID-19 shaped the rise of premium economy
Decades after the introduction of premium economy on EVA Air and Virgin Atlantic, the COVID-19 pandemic increased passenger demand for greater separation and additional comfort features, and that demand continues.
The profitable happy-middle cabin allows airlines to cater to customers who want a better passenger experience without sacrificing a large chunk of limited cabin space.
Turkish Airlines’ main competitors offer a premium economy cabin
Major competitors, including Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, Singapore Airlines and Emirates, now offer premium economy, leaving Turkish Airlines among a shrinking number of global network carriers without the product.
The addition of the new cabin will bring Turkish Airlines in line with its peers and provide a higher-yield option between economy and business class.
Turkish Airlines’ premium investment continues
The premium economy announcement joins other Turkish Airlines investments in its premium offerings.
The airline unveiled its new Crystal Business Class suites in 2024, which feature sliding privacy doors, wireless charging and a 1-2-1 layout. The new suites will enter service on the airline’s Airbus A350 aircraft before being rolled out to its Boeing 777s.
Combined with the upcoming premium economy cabin, Turkish Airlines is strengthening its position in the lucrative premium travel market.
Turkish Airlines has a distinct advantage in advancing its cabin programs through its in-house subsidiary TCI Aircraft Interiors, which can design, certify and manufacture products to its exacting specifications.
While Turkish Airlines has been confident for more than a decade that it could thrive without a premium economy, the decision to bring the cabin back recognises that passenger demand and airline economics have changed since the carrier last offered the mid-tier product in 2013.
If the airline’s timetable holds, passengers will once again be able to book a premium economy seat on Turkish Airlines from early 2028, after a 15-year absence.
Featured Image: Turkish Airlines
