Turkish Airlines to Introduce A350 Flights to Sydney in December 2024
Turkish Airlines is set to enhance its network by introducing a new one-stop service to Sydney, marking the carrier’s second Australian destination following Melbourne. Starting December 4, Turkish Airlines will operate four weekly flights from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), with a refueling stop in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) in Malaysia. The route will be served by Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat has indicated that Sydney will become the carrier’s first nonstop Australian destination once they acquire aircraft capable of making the journey non-stop, expected around 2026. This service will likely utilize either the Airbus A350-1000 or the Boeing 777X, optimizing flight efficiency and passenger comfort.
The introduction of Sydney routes follows Turkish Airlines’ recent expansion into the Australian market. In March 2024, the airline began operating its first flights to Australia, connecting Istanbul with Melbourne using Boeing 777-300ERs. These Melbourne flights have since transitioned to the more fuel-efficient Airbus A350-900s, offering six weekly services via Singapore.
Bolat had previously mentioned in July that Turkish Airlines was considering either increasing the Melbourne service to daily flights or launching a new route to Sydney. The decision to initiate the Sydney route has been bolstered by support from the New South Wales (NSW) government’s Aviation Attraction Fund. This fund, established during the pandemic, aims to stimulate international capacity and foster new routes. The NSW government anticipates that Turkish Airlines’ Sydney service will contribute approximately A$53 million ($35 million) annually to the state’s tourism economy.
Scott Charlton, CEO of Sydney Airport, expressed enthusiasm for the new service, highlighting its potential to offer seamless access to numerous destinations from Turkish Airlines’ hub in Istanbul. With over 15,000 Turkish-born Australians residing in NSW and Turkey being a popular destination for Australian travelers, the new service is expected to see strong support.
Data from Sabre Market Intelligence reveals that over 1.7 million passengers traveled between Sydney and Europe in 2023, with Sydney-London being the most popular city pair.
In addition to the Sydney announcement, Turkish Airlines has confirmed plans to commence its inaugural flights to Santiago, Chile, in December. This expansion will make Chile the eighth country in Latin America served by the airline. The Santiago route will operate four times weekly using Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with flights routed through São Paulo, Brazil.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, Turkish Airlines