Turkish Airlines Expands UK Reach with Stansted Route
Turkish Airlines is set to expand its footprint in the United Kingdom by launching new service between London Stansted Airport (STN) and Istanbul Airport (IST), starting March 18, 2026. The airline will operate 14 weekly flights on the route, adding a sixth UK destination to its growing network. This move strengthens Turkish Airlines’ already extensive presence in the UK market, where it currently flies 47 times weekly between Istanbul and London Heathrow, and 28 times weekly to London Gatwick.
Beyond the London area, the carrier serves Birmingham with 18 weekly flights, Manchester with 28, and Edinburgh with 14. With the new Stansted route included, Turkish Airlines will operate a total of 149 weekly flights between Istanbul and the UK next year. In addition, it flies 21 times weekly between Istanbul and Dublin, reinforcing its strong ties across Western Europe.
Qatar Airways is also reinforcing its Middle East and Levant network. The airline has resumed flights from Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) to four key cities in Iraq: Baghdad, Erbil, Najaf, and Sulaymaniyah. Service to Baghdad now runs 13 times per week. Qatar Airways will also restart flights to Basra on July 3 and return to Damascus on July 6 with daily service, which will increase to twice daily beginning July 15. On July 1, the airline also increased its flights to Amman and Beirut to three daily services, reflecting growing regional demand and operational recovery.
In transatlantic news, Air Canada has launched a new seasonal route between Montreal and Edinburgh. The 3X-weekly service operates through September 7 using a Boeing 737-8 aircraft with 169 seats. The flight offers a nonstop link between Canada and Scotland during the busy summer travel season and is currently the only direct service on this city pair.
Meanwhile, Etihad Airways has made a significant equipment upgrade on its Abu Dhabi–Toronto route. The carrier has replaced its Airbus A350 with the larger Airbus A380. The superjumbo, configured with 486 seats, adds 115 more seats per flight compared to the A350. This move marks a strong vote of confidence in the Canadian market, with Etihad stating that the upgrade reflects the airline’s commitment to meeting growing demand on the route.
These developments highlight a wave of renewed confidence and strategic expansion across key global markets. Whether it’s reinforcing ties in Europe or restoring crucial Middle Eastern routes, airlines are adjusting fleet strategies and route maps to match a new phase of international travel recovery.
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