The only mainland European carrier to fly to Australia, Turkish Airlines, is intent on growing its Australian footprint – and that could mean commencing flights between Sydney Airport and Istanbul even before the end of 2024, its boss, Ahmet Bolat recently explained.
“We will grow in Australia. Maybe in two years, we’ll have daily flights to both Melbourne and Sydney, but later this year we’ll either increase the frequency of Melbourne or add Sydney. We are still debating,” the Turkish Airlines chair told US-based Aviation Week at UK’s Farnborough Airshow last week, saying that a Sydney service would operate four times per week.
Turkish Airlines commenced direct services between Melbourne and Istanbul in March this year. While the service isn’t nonstop – it operates via a quick stop at Singapore Changi – Turkish Airlines could upgrade the service to a nonstop route when it receives its new long-range aircraft. Though that’s no certainty.
“Sometimes a one-stop is more preferable than 17 hours nonstop – we will have both products,” Bolat added.
The Istanbul-based carrier currently flies between Tullamarine and Istanbul three times per week using its A350-900 aircraft, so a daily service to Melbourne would be a big step up for the airline – and one the Victorian gateway, Australia’s busiest 24/7 airport, would welcome.
“We’ve said from the get-go we would love to see them increase to daily out of MEL- and we’re working with them on that,” the airport told Karryon.
AW reports that daily nonstop flights to both Melbourne and Sydney are expected by 2026, but this could still be four years away. The airline has also stated it is eyeing flights to Brisbane and Perth. So watch this space.
Sydney Airport has been reached out for comment.
Turkish Airlines can operate up to 35 flights a week in and out of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Western Sydney airports by 2025 after Federal Transport Minister Catherine King approved a proposal from Turkey.
