One of the world’s largest airlines will soon operate flights between Sydney and Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines will operate flights four times a week – stopping in Kuala Lumpur – from December 5.
It marks the first time the airline will fly out of Sydney on top of three weekly flights already operating out of Melbourne to Turkiye’s largest city.
NSW jobs and tourism minister John Graham welcomed the new route will help ‘European travellers with direct access to our state’s world-class visitor experiences’.
The state government expects the route will bring 68,620 inbound seats to Sydney, support 290 jobs and generate about $53million in its first year alone.
‘Sydney is the gateway to Australia and supporting this new route holds enormous potential for the growth of the state’s visitor economy,’ Mr Graham said.
A non-stop flight between Sydney and Istanbul has also been promised in the near future, giving Aussies another option for European travel.
The addition could help bring down the price of airfares due to the increased competition.
Turkish Airlines has announced it will be operating it’s first flights out of Sydney from December 5 after striking a deal with the NSW Government (pictured, Turkish Airlines plane)
The deal will also see Turkish Airlines add to its extensive network of more than 340 destinations in over 120 countries.
Turkish Airlines chairman Professor Ahmet Bolat hailed the new route as a significant milestone.
‘This new route not only enhances our global network but also reaffirms our commitment to connecting passengers with new opportunities and experiences,’ he said.
‘Sydney represents a vibrant gateway to the Southern Hemisphere, and we are thrilled to offer our travellers unparalleled access to this dynamic city.
‘This expansion underscores our dedication to growing our network and providing exceptional service, bridging continents and bringing people closer together.’
The flight path will also help connect Turkish Australians.
‘With more than 15,000 Turkish-born Australians in NSW and Türkiye consistently rated as one of the top destinations for Australian travellers, we’re confident this service will be strongly supported,’ Sydney Airport chief executive Scott Charlton said.
The flightpath between Sydney and Istanbul will initially require a refuel in Kuala Lumpur but is promised to fly non-stop in the future, providing a unique path in and out of Europe
It’s also expected to increase competition in a diluted international flight market and help drive down prices for Aussies looking to travel to Europe (pictured, Sydney Airport)
Qantas international chief Cam Wallace welcomed the added competition in Aussie airspaces.
‘It keeps us on our toes and we want that competitive intensity,’ he told a CAPA Airline Leader Summit in Brisbane on Thursday.
Mr Wallace expects more competitors to battle for influence in the domestic market following the collapse of Rex and Bonza.
‘History shows there will be a third and fourth and fifth competitor (in the domestic market) because it’s a very seductive industry,’ he said.
‘The constraints and the challenges will always be there and the relatively small population base — those things aren’t changing soon but for us competition is a good thing.’