Turkish Airlines has unveiled a unique addition to its business class in-flight dining experience, which links passengers with flavours of the past.
"The Oldest Bread", which debuted on a flight from Istanbul to New York on September 22, 2024, is made from a recipe deeply rooted in the history of Anatolian agriculture (which began approximately 12,000 years ago in the Taş Tepeler region).
It is made of einkorn and emmer wheats, which are considered the oldest in Anatolia, a region home to some of the most ancient civilisations on record. 
While ancient in its history, "The Oldest Bread" is freshly prepared by Turkish DO&CO, the airline's Istanbul-based catering company.
It will be served warm to Intercontinental Business Class passengers, accompanied by butter and olive oil, as a prelude to the main meal service.
Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Turkish Airlines chairman of the board and the executive committee, says: "As the flag carrier that offers the world's finest flavours to its guests and receiving numerous accolades for it from world renowned organisations, we are pleased to introduce our business class travellers to the world's oldest bread grown from the reproduction of ancient wheat discovered in excavations in the Anatolia region. With this bread, traditional to Turkish cuisine and significant to global culinary history, we aim to blend past and present together on our inflight guest experiences."
The development of "The Oldest Bread" involved collaboration with award-winning Turkish culinary historians Ömür Akkor and academic Çetin Şenkul.
Turkish Airlines continues to maintain its reputation for excellent in-flight dining, sourcing 80% of its menu products from local producers.
The airline's commitment to fresh, boutique-style production by expert chefs has consistently earned it recognition for having some of the world's best in-flight dining concepts.
By introducing 'The Oldest Bread', Turkish Airlines not only enhances its culinary offerings but also provides passengers with a taste of history, literally connecting them to the roots of agriculture and civilisation.
This innovative approach to in-flight dining demonstrates how airlines can use cuisine as a medium to share cultural heritage and create unique travel experiences
Turkish Airlines has announced plans to revolutionise its in-flight connectivity services with complimentary, unlimited and high-speed internet access available to all passengers across its entire fleet.
The national flag carrier of Turkey aims to launch these services within the next two years, starting from late 2025.
This initiative involves a comprehensive overhaul of the airline's existing fleet, which will be retrofitted with cutting-edge in-flight connectivity (IFC) technologies.
Additionally, all new aircraft joining the fleet will be equipped with the most advanced IFC systems available.
These upgrades will expand the current wifi service, already available on most Turkish Airlines flights, to cover the entire fleet, ensuring a seamless digital experience for all travellers at no extra cost.
The move comes as a response to evolving passenger expectations regarding digital consumption habits during air travel.
The number of airlines now offering complimentary wifi services is expanding, with some going over and above to deliver an exciting onboard digital experience.
JetBlue, for example, has collaborated with Amazon Prime for its “Fly-Fi” network system, which enables passengers to stream Amazon Video during their journey.
For a complete list of airlines offering enhanced onboard wifi, check out this list from Cabin Zero.
Turkish Airlines has revealed its new Crystal Business Class suite, which introduces innovative features including an adjustable suite door and privacy panel – a first for for the airline.
The suite also has a generous 23-inch seat width with increased footwell space and direct aisle access for all guests.
Window suites are designed to provide full visibility, further enhancing the passenger experience.
Developed by TCI Aircraft Interiors, a subsidiary of Turkish Airlines, the new suite will feature on the carrier's transcontinental flights, gradually being installed on the airline's Airbus A350s on order and planned for retrofitting on its fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft.
In line with the airline's "Flow" brand identity, the new suites feature lighter and warmer colours, marble-style tables and rose gold finishes.
The design incorporates leathers and textiles sourced from Turkey to showcase and celebrate the flag carrier's roots.
Amenities in the suite include adjustable ambient and reading lights, universal and Type C power outlets, a wireless charger, noise-cancelling audio jack, adjustable mirror, closed stowage ergonomic seat cushion and a 22-inch IFE screen.
Turkish Airlines chairman of the board and executive committee, Prof. Ahmet Bolat, says: "Our new Crystal Business Class suite will add a new chapter for our long-haul luxury travel and will carry the airline into the future with a new level of comfort and privacy across our extensive global network. The specially created design will complement our award-winning in-flight dining options for us to keep providing an unparalleled experience above the clouds for our guests."
The new suite is the latest innovation from Turkish Airlines as it enhances its reputation as a carrier to be reckoned with.
As reported by Forbes, this year, Turkish Airlines made it into the top ten of the World’s Best Business Class Airlines from Skytrax, at number 10. The airline won recognition for Best Business Class Onboard Catering.
[dropcap size=big]W[/dropcap]ith support from Turkish Airlines, the editors and correspondents of Monocle magazine have launched a new travel podcast looking at emerging cities.
The Voyager podcast will feature 20 episodes, each one looking at a different up-and-coming destination that Turkish Airlines flies to.
According to a press release: “Monocle editors and correspondents will record a series of broadcasts on-site from destinations such as Guangzhou, Antalya, Casablanca and Sarajevo, outlining the best hospitality hotspots, cultural practices, retail spaces, food scenes and design denizens for time-poor travellers visiting for business or pleasure.”
So far, four episodes have aired, focusing on Bamako, Belgrade, Istanbul and Sao Paulo.
The free 15-minute broadcasts can be listened to on monocle.com/radio, or via iTunes, Soundcloud or Mixcloud.
There will also be a complementary series of articles in the print edition of Monocle, as well as in Turkish Airlines’ in-flight magazine.
Monocle 24 produces a range of other podcasts including The Urbanist, The Briefing, The Globalist, The Curator and The Entrepreneurs.
