Imagine paying for business class on one of Europe’s best airlines, boarding a Boeing 777, and discovering that your seat is in the middle of three passengers.

You have a proper business-class seat. You get an excellent meal. But when you need the toilet, you may have to ask the person beside you to move.

That is still possible on Turkish Airlines in 2026.

I have travelled from Karachi to Munich through Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. When I choose an international flight, I look beyond the airline’s name. The connection matters, particularly at an airport as large as Istanbul.

A recent video by aviation reviewer Josh Cahill made me look more closely at another question. What does an airline award actually tell us about the seat we are buying?

Turkish Airlines Won the Award. The Middle Seat Hasn’t Disappeared.

The 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards placed Turkish Airlines fifth globally and named it Europe’s best airline.

Those are significant achievements.

The airline also ranked sixth in the global business-class category and won the award for best business-class onboard catering.

Then there is its Boeing 777.

The aircraft’s business-class cabin uses a 2-3-2 seating arrangement. Seven seats sit across each row, including a group of three in the centre.

Anyone occupying the middle position lacks direct access to the aisle. The passenger must pass someone else to get out.

Modern premium cabins increasingly solve this problem with configurations that give every passenger direct aisle access.

Turkish Airlines already offers that arrangement on its Boeing 787 and newer Airbus A350 business-class cabins.

So why is the older Boeing 777 still different?

Josh Cahill’s Review Exposes an Inconsistency

Cahill has flown Turkish Airlines repeatedly. In his video, he travels from Almaty to Istanbul in Boeing 777 business class before continuing to Johannesburg in Airbus A350 economy.

He criticizes the old business-class cabin and questions the airline’s awards.

His strongest argument concerns the physical product. The middle seat provides less privacy than many modern business-class cabins.

But his review contains an interesting contradiction.

He praises Turkish Airlines’ catering, calling it among the finest he has experienced. He also likes the clean lavatory and finds his economy seat comfortable on the second flight.

His complaints focus heavily on staff friendliness and the airport experience.

I would not dismiss those complaints. Cabin service matters, especially when someone has paid a substantial premium.

Still, one passenger’s experiences cannot establish that an entire airline has unfriendly crews.

Cahill also attacks Skytrax, calling its rankings unreliable. That accusation needs stronger evidence than one disappointing journey.

There is enough here to question the consistency of Turkish Airlines’ premium cabins without accusing the awards organization of dishonesty.

What Skytrax Actually Measures

Skytrax does not rank airlines solely by the quality of their business-class seats.

Its 2025/2026 survey methodology covers several parts of the passenger journey, from boarding and cabin service to seat comfort and value for money.

The survey ran from September 2025 to August 2026 and included more than 300 airlines.

That distinction matters.

An airline can provide excellent meals and an extensive flight network while operating some aircraft with older cabin interiors.

The overall ranking reflects much more than one seat.

The real weakness lies in how passengers interpret the award.

Someone booking Turkish Airlines business class might reasonably expect a consistently modern premium cabin. But the experience depends partly on which aircraft operates the flight.

An airline’s reputation does not guarantee identical seats across its fleet.

A Boeing 777 Seat Is Not the Same as an A350 Seat

The difference is easy to overlook during booking.

Turkish Airlines’ Boeing 777 business class has a 2-3-2 layout. Its newer-generation Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 business-class cabins use a 1-2-1 configuration.

The latter arrangement gives each passenger direct aisle access.

For a solo traveller, that can make a considerable difference during a long overnight flight. There is no need to disturb another passenger when getting up.

Yet the older Boeing 777 cabin is not without advantages.

Its seats can feel spacious, and passengers travelling together may appreciate the more open arrangement. A family or couple might value features that a solo business traveller dislikes.

That is why I would avoid declaring the older cabin completely unacceptable.

The important point is choice. Passengers should know what they are buying.

Before paying for business class, check the aircraft type and its seat map. Confirm that the cabin shown during booking matches your expectations.

Aircraft assignments can change, so even a careful seat selection is not an absolute guarantee.

Istanbul Airport Is Another Part of the Experience

Cahill spends about 13 hours connecting through Istanbul Airport.

He complains about walking distances, expensive food, crowded lounges and the behaviour of airport staff.

Some of those concerns deserve attention.

Istanbul Airport is enormous. A late gate change can become stressful when your next departure is a long walk away.

I have previously written about this problem in my guide to connecting flights at Istanbul Airport.

But one of Cahill’s statements is wrong.

He says the airport lacks a train connection to the city.

The airport has been connected to Gayrettepe by metro since January 2024. The rail line expanded further in June 2026.

That does not make every journey into Istanbul quick or convenient. Travellers may still need transfers to reach their hotels.

It does mean that a review published in 2026 should not describe the airport as having no rail connection.

There is another omission worth examining.

A Long Layover Does Not Always Mean Paying for a Hotel

Turkish Airlines offers services that can make some long connections easier.

Its Touristanbul programme provides complimentary guided tours for eligible international transit passengers with layovers of 6 to 24 hours.

The airline also provides hotel accommodation for certain eligible connecting passengers. Its standard transfer hotel service generally requires at least nine hours between flights in business class or 12 hours in economy, along with additional conditions.

A separate Stopover in Istanbul programme offers complimentary accommodation on qualifying journeys with layovers of at least 20 hours.

These programmes have different rules. A long connection alone does not guarantee eligibility.

For Pakistani travellers, visa requirements are especially important. Leaving the international transit area may require permission to enter Türkiye.

A passenger who cannot meet the entry requirements cannot simply assume that a free hotel or city tour will be available.

I discussed related departure-document checks in my article on family-sponsored travellers and FIA checks at Pakistan’s airports.

Cahill’s video does not establish whether his ticket qualified for a complimentary service. His 13-hour connection should have prompted an eligibility check, rather than an assumption that airport hotels were his only option.

What I Would Check Before Buying Turkish Airlines Business Class

The Skytrax award would not be my deciding factor.

I would first check which aircraft operates the flight and whether every business-class passenger has aisle access.

I would examine the connection at Istanbul, particularly its length and the distance between gates. I would also check the eligibility rules for any complimentary transit service.

Price matters, too.

If Turkish Airlines offers a substantially lower fare than a competitor, an older business-class seat may represent reasonable value for some passengers.

At a similar price, a more private cabin could be worth choosing.

There is no universal answer because passengers have different priorities.

A traveller who values food and a broad destination network may prefer Turkish Airlines. Someone who needs privacy and direct aisle access might choose a different aircraft or airline.

The crucial distinction is between buying an airline’s reputation and buying a particular seat.

The Award Is Real. So Is the Middle Seat.

Cahill is right to question whether an ageing cabin meets modern business-class expectations.

He is less convincing when he turns that criticism into a sweeping judgment about Turkish Airlines and its staff.

The airline’s strengths remain substantial. Its 2026 catering award is one indication of why many passengers value its service.

But a premium ticket should come with clear information about the product.

Skytrax tells us how an airline performed in a broad passenger survey. It does not promise that every aircraft in its fleet will provide the same experience.

That leaves one practical question for anyone paying for business class.

Before trusting the award printed beside the airline’s name, have you looked at the seat map?