🇹🇷 Or 🇨🇦Which airline is best?

From the flights I saw I will be connecting in Montreal (short flight) then Frankfurt then off to Istanbul. 👍. Very short layovers so I don’t mind. I just don’t know which carrier to go with. 🥺. For example Icelandic’s business class is really not business class 😂 so I’m not sure about Air Canada? I know Turkish airlines has a great reputation.

I like to watch video (You Tube) of the different airlines Business class. There is lots of reviews.here is one for Turkish air. UseSeat Guru to find the iron that flys your route.Then look at You tube for that plane version

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/turkish-airlines-business-777-review/

Thank you Mark…
Yes I will do that. But sometimes it’s nice to hear authentic reviews from fellow travelers. For example: Lufthansa gets good reviews, but I wasn’t that impressed. 😂

Thanks Mark again for the you tube suggestion. 😣my eyes are tired from watching all the reviews. And some were so old. I didn’t see any good recent ones, but sounds like Air Canada has the most points from what I saw. 😂. Turkish has declined in service and amenities it sounds like.

The problem is that your questions are very general, and meaningful answers depend on very specific details.

For any valid comparison, you need to know what the exact aircraft type is, and (sometimes) even which variation of that airline's business class cabin (they're not all consistent). So you need to specify what airline, what route, and what date you are looking at. Without knowing those details, it's impossible to give meaningful answers.

Hint: Business class is all about the seat -- for sleeping. Flying "business class" within Europe is fairly meaningless, because that's (usually) just an ordinary coach seat (they simply block the seat next to you, and maybe give you more/better food/drinks...it's generally nothing to gush over). Plus the flights are short -- who cares if you're in business class for an hour or two during the daytime on intra-Europe flights? OTOH, the place where you really want business class (where it provides the greatest benefit) is that longhaul trans-Atlantic leg. What you get for that flight depends on the aircraft type. You can only determine the aircraft type when you know the route and (often) also the exact date (because some airlines use different planes on different days, and not all aircraft cabins on the same airline are the same...they can vary a LOT).

All that said, in general, I'd give Turkish the edge over Air Canada for a long-haul, trans-Atlantic business class flight....but it depends on the aircraft type (it also depends on your personal tastes, there is an "old" versus "new" Turkish business class, some folks prefer the older seat over the newer one). Some people complain that some Air Canada business class "pods" are claustrophobic (some people say the same about the "new" Turkish pods). Either is going to be way better than Condor (Lufthansa also has a very "meh" old seat, and a rather nice "new" one). Lots of variables, be wary of broad generalizations.

Thank you David. 🙏🏻Yes I agree details are important…but I’m always afraid to bore someone on the forum. I try to be short & succinct just to capture one’s interest in replying. It’s hard to sound articulate when your confined to limited characters. 😂 Also there are so many options for my flight choices I didn’t want to throw any out yet. But yes, behind the scenes I’m investigating each aircraft and the comforts they bring. 🧐 I also agree with your statement about the old & the new. 😂Thanks for your reply. Very well written.

a1 Nova, you are fine; sometimes you just gotta toss it out.
a2 I cant do your comparison for you because I have only flown Air Canada once and it wasn't a very pleasant experience and it wasn't Business Class; nor have I ever flown Turkish Air Business Class but I have flown Turkish Air a lot, and the service and the amenities at the airport and back in Coach Class are better than my experiences on Lufthansa and Delta.
a3 You mentioned the flights had short layovers .... not too short I hope?
a4 Sorry, not much help.
a5 Maybe David can share some detail from his Business Class experiences on Air Canada and Turkish Air and they you will have a bit more to go on.

Thanks James. All good notes. I understand every experience & flight is different. (Also ✈️aircraft) but I was hoping to hear from some recent fliers. Like I mentioned before the videos I watched were almost a year ago….so I was just curious about the updates. I like to hear peoples perspectives 😂
Thanks again.

I can add that it may not apply to you at all, but I have had a leg of Air Canada cancelled on 2 international trips in the past 10 months (usually the DFW - Canada leg), resulting in needing to reschedule the whole trip. While this worked out to my advantage for better connections, it didn’t make me feel secure on Air Canada.

Rooting around for Turkish Airlines Business Class seating, the current seating arrangement looks abysmal for the 777s out of YYZ and the 330s out of YUL ... 2-3-2, no Pods, just scrunchy seats that you have to crawl over someone to get to an aisle - not even part of a consideration for me. Best I can make out is they offer the "new" Pod seating on their 787 and a350 aircraft, which Turkish Airlines is/has used out of YVR.

AC Business Class seating is consistent across their international fleet, with Pod seating on their 787s and 777s (and I think they have finished the conversions of their a330s to the Collins Aerospace Pods, but you would have to confirm that.)

Wow Periscope, you can add aviation consultant to your resume. 😂. That was amazing details! I will most definitely start looking up the aircrafts on my possible flights. I know people probably think I’m wasting my time, but if im spending 5k on a ticket I expect some comfort along the way. ☺️

So, while Business Class is a pretty nice step up from the now high-density seating in economy, it is not as special as flying First Class - flying First Class is where there can be considerable differences in service.

Having said that, if your final destination is Istanbul, I would probably make every effort to make Turkish Airlines work to take advantage of the DIRECT flight.

Yes Periscope…I thought the same thing. That 1 less transfer might be worth the Turkish flight. 😂. I can’t quite justify the 1st class $$$ it’s like 2-3x more than business 😂. I try to pick & chose my splurges wisely. Thanks for helping me affirm the Turkish choice.

I have just booked a Business Class ticket from Seattle to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines and have previously flown on Air France and Delta. The youtube reviews of Turkish say that the seats are a bit narrow, which I found to be the case on Air France. But that was not a deal breaker because of other considerations. We are flying on a 787-9, which has a 1-2-1 configuration, which gets better reviews that the 777.

With all due respect, @Periscope's characterization of Turkish Airlines' 777 old business class is - or at least MAY be - wrong. Opinions on this are divided.

New versus old:

The New: It's new, it has that New Airplane Smell. It's a 787. The cabin finishes are modern and stylish. You get "pods" of a sort, so a bit more privacy, all seats have direct aisle access. And yes, the dreaded "What? a middle seat in business class?!" is gone. All that is good. But your personal space is tighter, especially the footwell; the pods are also somewhat restrictive around the hips and shoulders (this is relative to other things, it's not awful) . Of course, if you are used to flying coach, it won't seem cramped (and honestly, compared to coach, it's not!), but taller folks, people with broad shoulders, big hips, big feet, or those who just want a bit of room for their feet to flop around, or who have a preferred sleeping position that isn't flat-on-your-back with arms at your side...it's still a bit constrained. Compared to the alternative...

The Old: TK's 777s have a lot of miles on them. It doesn't feel like a brand new business class cabin. The seats are in 2-3-2 layout. That middle seat looks like heartbreak, unless maybe you are a couple traveling with your child, in which case it's perfectly awesome. You do not want that seat if you are traveling solo. That middle seat - as well as the window seats - do not have direct aisle access, which has become a hallmark of "good" business class cabins nowadays. But...there's really no "climbing over" the seat next to you to get to the aisle, because there's so much space in front of your seat, you can walk forward a few steps, turn, and go around their legs as you stroll to the aisle. That that is the surprising benefit (well, one of a couple) of the "old" TK business class: the seat pitch aka "legroom". It's insane! If you are a seven-foot-tall NBA Center, this is the seat for you. For those of us who are not quite that tall, the space in front of you is so huge, you can literally stand up and pace back and forth between your seat and the seatback of the row in front of you. I did exactly that on my last flight home from IST (annoying my spouse immediately). This is not just a way to annoy your travel companion - it means that even though you don't have direct aisle access from a window seat, you won't care, because you can easily walk around (in front of) the sleeping person in the seat next to you, on your way to the loo. No jumping required. It also means you have oodles and oodles of room for your legs and feet and butt while sleeping. Also, the old seats are not in a "pod". Some folks love pods - they do provide more privacy - but they also constrain you (mostly when sleeping). The 777 seats are old-school rectangular, and they are also wider (from top to bottom) than the new seats. The new seats taper to a (some would say) narrow foot cubby. The old seats are gloriously full-width everywhere.

Personally, I have only flown the old seat (on the 777s). I absolutely loved that seat, and I'd rather spend the 14+ hours on the way to/from IST in that old seat. The new seats (on the 787s) look pretty and slick, but I know I would get better sleep on the old seats (and for me, a good sleep experience is what's most important). If traveling as a couple, or with one travel companion, I'd pick the old seat in a heartbeat. But you probably won't have a choice -- the 777s fly to some cities, they use the 787s to others. So you get the plane they are using.

The good news: the service, food & overall experience in TK business class will knock your socks off, on either plane. Good food, 2 live human chefs on board with puffy white hats. Many charming little touches (eg little electric "candles" flickering on your dinner trays in the darkened cabin as you dine). You will like it. 😎

Just an update I looked at the potential flight: departure 777 & arrival 787. I really appreciate everyone’s wit &wisdom when it comes to aircrafts!!! Wow I’m impressed.

b1 you can't beat David's assistance, but now I will hate the BC people even more when I am sitting in coach; but the money I save gets spent well on Ó Utca.
b2 I have been on no less than 30 Turkish Air flights in the last 12 months, and the service, and even the coach food, has been pretty amazing; for that alone they get my dollar.

Touché James. 🤺🤺🤺very clever & funny 😂

@James: Don't hate on those sitting up front too much...it's often said that the folks in the posh forward cabins are paying the airline's bills, going a long ways to subsidize the relatively inexpensive seats in the back. Besides, with all the flying you do on TK, you should have enough miles to book one of those cushy flat-bed seats on the long ride over when you decide to cash in your stash of miles. The "candlelight" dining experience is pretty cute...

@Nova: I'm sure you will be happy with the TK business class experience on either plane. After your trip I'd be interested to hear your impressions of how the two compare (since it sounds like you may get to try both). FWIW I have a flight to IST booked in October on the trusty old 777 (with a connection), but to my absolute delight, TK has just recently begun flying from my home airport (SEA) nonstop to IST, and they're using the 787 with the new interior, so it's just a matter of time until I end up on that plane. I expect it will be quite nice, even if I won't be able to stand up and run laps back and forth between my seat and the seatback screen in front of me.
Have a fabulous trip.

What? David…Turkish Air has a direct flight back to SEA? Am I blind? 😳 I too will be flying back in Oct…maybe I’m not scrolling far enough?? But then that ticket might be too $$$ 😂. Thanks for the update.

I find Turkish Air to be a wonderful airline, but I have had only bad experiences with Air Canada.

Be certain to distinguish whether it’s Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge. ACR is their low cost “budget” subsidiary. Was once on a flight to Europe booked on AC but at the airport discovered it was ACR. Flight was OK but definitely a budget airline.

@Nova -- Yep. Turkish now flies between Seattle and Istanbul four times a week, nonstop, year 'round. Flights go on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays (maybe you were searching for a flights on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday?). I've been hoping they would begin Seattle service for years, now they finally have answered my nagging requests. I expect this flight is going to be very popular with Ricknics (and with RSE staff, too). It's great news for Seattle-area travelers.

As luck would have it, the inaugural Seattle TK flight is...today!...so they will probably set up the ceremonial water cannons (the very first flight, TK 203 is scheduled to land at SEA at 4:15 this afternoon....I'm tempted to drive out there and sprinkle some Kolonya on the arriving passengers...). This will be an awesome way to get to Turkey, anywhere in southeastern Europe, and beyond. Woot!

🙇‍♀️I thank you so much for the insider tip! Yes, I did exactly what you thought. I purposefully chose a Tue to fly because I was always told prices are lower on Tue. Maybe I got inaccurate tips in the past? 😂. Geez…well I’m now going to have to go and revise my schedule. I’ll try to pick a day you mentioned. I’m so excited to look! 💆🏻‍♀️But also dreading to start this all over again.

And the WINNER is David!!! 🏆🏆🏆. You have solved my flight dilemna! That direct flight stumps my original question: which carrier is most comfortable & reliable. Hehe 🙅🏻‍♀️I can officially say I am not fretting anymore. 👏✈️ I didn’t even think to ask that question. I think I’m becoming a savvier traveler. 😂