Too good to be true? Turkish Airlines will open a lounge for lowly economy class passengers

Usually when it comes to upgrades, the news is all about perks for the 1%: full-size pillows and duvets, private suites, even better air if you're flying up front on Lufthansa (seriously, that's a real thing). That focus on the wealthy traveler makes it even more newsworthy that Turkish Airlines will open a new lounge for transiting economy class passengers in 2017.

In comments to the Runway Girl Network, Turkish Airlines CEO Temel Kotil highlighted how the investment of about $20 per passenger on the lounge experience is worth it to provide more memorable service that then drives sales of airfare, the higher margin product:

In the future, every single airline will be favorable on service. This is the only way we can directly communicate with passengers.

Part of this enhancement is part of the airline's efforts to make passengers comfortable. The airline already offers a complimentary transit hotel room to any passenger on a layover longer than 10 hours. The new lounge looks like it won't be a hovel masquerading as a lounge – the airline intends on investing significant resources into the lounge while also offering the complimentary food and drink that make lounges appealing to travelers.

The airline currently has 40,000 daily passengers eligible for lounge use (on all lengths of layovers) and is targeting far more with its ambitious goal of increasing traffic to 90 million passengers in 2020. Only actual experience will tell whether Turkish Airlines can achieve this ambitious passenger-first amenity.