Flying Turkmenistan Airlines is never exactly ordinary, but a recent three-hour hop from Ashgabat to Delhi aboard their Boeing 737-800 took “unusual” to a whole new level.
From aggressive photo bans and odd holding patterns to a meal service that completely defied logic, it was easily one of the strangest flights in recent memory.
1. The Instant “No Photos” Bellow
While filming or snapping photos on the airline’s long-haul flights or around Ashgabat Airport usually slides under the radar, this 737 crew was on high alert. The second a camera peeked out during boarding, the lead flight attendant yelled “no photos!” from the front of the plane, setting a pretty tense, secretive mood for the rest of the trip.
2. The Ghost Cabin That Filled Up Last-Minute
Unlike empty long-haul routes where you can spread out, every single seat in this 16-person business class cabin was filled. What made it weird was the timing: after initial boarding was called, only one passenger sat alone in the cabin for nearly 30 minutes. Then, right before the doors closed, all 15 other passengers suddenly boarded at once—likely a flood of last-minute upgrades from an oversold economy section.
3. The Mysterious Mid-Air U-Turn
Immediately after takeoff, the plane suddenly pulled a 180-degree turn and started flying back toward Ashgabat. Normally, thoughts immediately jumped to an engine issue or closed airspace. But after a few tense minutes, the pilots turned right back around, it turns out they were just stuck in a massive holding pattern before crossing into Afghan airspace.
A Truly Bizarre Meal Service
As strange as the flight was, nothing topped the food service. The entire business class cabin was handled by a single flight attendant who meticulously prepped every single tray one by one. The process was so slow that there was a 10-minute gap between every passenger getting served.
Lunch at 6:40 AM?
Despite taking off at 6:40 in the morning—prime breakfast time—the flight attendant bluntly informed passengers that they were serving lunch. When asked about pancake options listed on the menu, she simply shook her head and pushed the beef stroganoff instead.
Eating 10 Minutes Before Landing
Because the service moved at a snail’s pace, the crew ended up clearing trays for front-row passengers before people in the back had even been served. The last few rows didn’t get their food until 50 minutes before touchdown—giving them about 10 minutes to eat before the plane started its final descent into Delhi.
An Overloaded Tray Table
When the tray finally landed, it was total chaos. The table was completely covered in a mountain of packaged goods, paper covers, and stacked containers. There were three separate bags of dried fruit and nuts, cold cuts, salad, hot entrees, and fresh cherries. You practically had to play Tetris just to find room for your fork.
The seat hardware itself is totally fine—a standard, spacious recliner layout and the ticket prices are hard to beat. But between the bizarre pacing and quirky service, flying Turkmenistan Airlines is strictly a “been there, done that” experience for adventurous travelers.
