Turkish Airlines unveils new business class, free fleetwide Wi-Fi

With a handful of notable exceptions, airline CEOs are a fairly measured bunch. So when you hear a chief executive predicting that “this will change everything,” it’s a good idea to pay attention. 

The much-anticipated Lufthansa Allegris has finally landed and with it a new, potentially era-defining, level of personalization, luxury, and accessibility for airline passengers. Every cabin class has been overhauled as part of this new product, from Economy Class all the way through to its First Class Suite.

As the aviation industry navigates and prepares for future growth, two events must be on every aviation professional’s calendar: Skift Global Forum in New York City (September 17-19) and the Skift Aviation Forum in Dallas (November 12). These forums present invaluable opportunities to gain insights from top industry leaders. Here is a snapshot of just a few of the leaders who will be taking the stage at each event:

Earlier this year, Air France-KLM spoke out about the challenges the airline faced in reinstating flights between Europe and China to what they were pre-pandemic. 

Starting in 2025, passengers on Turkish Airlines long-haul flights can enjoy a luxurious new business class. Known as Crystal Business Class, the upgraded cabins come with lie-flat seats, sliding doors, and high-tech amenities, putting the Istanbul-based carrier on par with global airlines such as Qatar Airways, Air France, and Lufthansa—all of which have announced or rolled out swanky new lie-flat business-class suites as of late.

Turkish Airlines unveiled a new business-class product called Crystal at the Farnborough Airshow in July.

Digitally controlled dividers, 4K TVs and AI cabin crew: Qatar Airways’ recently unveiled Next Gen suites are taking business class flying to tech-fuelled new heights.

Make 2025 the year you realize your travel dream. Maybe that's flying in a helicopter to an Alaskan glacier where you can ride on a dogsled pulled by adorable huskies. Or, perhaps it's sipping wine at vineyards across Italy, Spain and France. Your bucket list might simply include visits to new countries across the globe, such as Japan, New Zealand or Thailand, or be as specific as watching the sun set over Hawaii's Haleakala Crater or snorkeling amid brightly colored coral and fish in Bonaire's Marine Park.

Skift Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan unpack some of the biggest takeaways from the recent Union Budget announced in India as well as the earnings calls of IndiGo, MakeMyTrip, and the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). Find out how the budget fared compared to the expectations of the travel industry stakeholders in this latest episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast.

A popular international airline just announced a major upgrade for business class passengers.Turkish Airlines revealed its new Crystal Business Class Suite during the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom.  For the first time, the business class will have an adjustable sliding door which will offer more privacy in the cabin. The seat has a 22” television screen, and 23” of seat width, which make the suite comfortable for sitting or when extended into a bed for sleeping. 

Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet is getting on the free Wi-Fi bandwagon.

Inaugurated in 2018, iGA Istanbul Airport has quickly become one of the world’s busiest, recording more than 76 million passenger arrivals in 2023.