Turkish Airlines to fly out of Sydney connecting the city to hundreds of destinations
One of the world’s largest airlines will soon offer flights between Sydney and Istanbul.
Starting December 5, Turkish Airlines will operate flights four times a week, with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur.
It is the first time the airline has flown from Sydney, adding to the three weekly flights it already operates from Melbourne to Turkey’s largest city.
New South Wales Minister for Employment and Tourism John Graham welcomed the new route, which “will provide European travellers with direct access to our state’s world-class visitor experiences”.
The State Government expects the route to bring 68,620 inbound passengers to Sydney, create 290 jobs and generate approximately $53 million in the first year alone.
“Sydney is the gateway to Australia and supporting this new route offers huge potential for growing the state’s tourism economy,” Graham said.
There has also been a promise of a direct flight between Sydney and Istanbul in the near future, giving Australians another option for travelling around Europe.
This addition could contribute to lower airfares due to increased competition.
Turkish Airlines has announced that it will operate its first flights from Sydney from December 5, following a deal with the NSW Government (pictured is the Turkish Airlines aircraft)
With this deal, Turkish Airlines expands its extensive network of more than 340 destinations in over 120 countries.
Professor Ahmet Bolat, chairman of Turkish Airlines, called the new route an important milestone.
“This new route not only strengthens our global network, but also reaffirms our commitment to offering passengers new opportunities and experiences,” he said.
‘Sydney is a vibrant gateway to the Southern Hemisphere and we are proud to offer our travellers unparalleled access to this dynamic city.
“This expansion underscores our commitment to growing our network and providing exceptional service, bridging continents and bringing people closer together.”
The flight route will also promote connectivity between Turkish Australians.
“With more than 15,000 Turkish-born Australians in New South Wales and Turkey consistently regarded as one of the top destinations for Australian travellers, we are confident this service will receive strong support,” said Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton.
The Sydney-Istanbul flight route will initially require a refuelling stop in Kuala Lumpur, but is expected to fly non-stop in the future, creating a unique route to and from Europe.
It is also expected to increase competition in a diluted international flight market and help lower prices for Australians wanting to travel to Europe (Photo: Sydney Airport)
Cam Wallace, Qantas’ director of international flights, welcomed the added competition in Australian airspace.
“It keeps us on our toes and we want that competitive intensity,” he told the CAPA Airline Leader Summit in Brisbane on Thursday.
Mr Wallace expects that after the demise of Rex and Bonza, more competitors will vie for influence in the domestic market.
“History shows that there will be a third, fourth and fifth competitor (in the domestic market) because it is a very tempting industry,” he said.
“The limitations and challenges will always be there and the relatively small population base is not going to change anytime soon, but for us competition is a good thing.”