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Reader Doug inquired about the absence of Coca-Cola in Turkish Airlines' business class or Miles & Smiles lounges in Istanbul. The reason is a political statement.
Last year or at the beginning of this year, the Turkish Airlines lounge in Istanbul stopped providing soda, including Coke and Pepsi products. Consequently, some passengers, like Doug, opt to purchase sodas before entering the lounge and prefer other airlines for travel to the Balkans and Middle East when possible.
The decision to remove soda was made in November 2023. Turkey's parliament removed Coca-Cola and Nestle products from its restaurants due to their alleged support for Israel amid the conflict in Gaza, following a Hamas attack on October 7th. Other companies such as PepsiCo, SodaStream, McDonald’s, and Starbucks have also been targeted in Turkey.
