Why Doesn’t Turkish Airlines Have Premium Economy? We Ask the Chairman

It's a concept that’s more than 30 years old, but the airline industry still can’t decide if premium economy is a good idea.

First rolled out by Taiwan’s EVA Air on transpacific routes in the early 1990s, this mid-range cabin can now be found at dozens of carriers around the world. 

From Qantas to Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand to Austrian Airlines, the hybrid offering is big business on many long-haul routes. Last year, Germany’s Lufthansa even went so far as to describe premium economy as its most profitable cabin. 

Emirates, Finnair, and KLM have all joined the premium economy club in the past two years. But not everyone is on board.

Turkish Airlines is one of a narrowing list of carriers to resist the temptation. Asked by Skift if he could categorically rule out its introduction, Turkish