Turkish Airlines to Australia in 2011

[lloyd fox]

E blackboard news today

Turkish Airlines to enter Australian market in 2011
Wednesday, 5 August 2009

Turkish Airlines CEO Temel Kotil in Sydney yesterday


Turkish Airlines plans to start flying into Australia from 2011, its chief executive announced Tuesday at a press conference in Sydney.

After giving a presentation at the Australia Pacific Aviation Outlook Summit 2009 yesterday, CEO Temel Kotil told reporters that Australia was a destination it planned to serve two years from now.

With the carrier’s expansion to Jakarta scheduled to start at the end of this month, Kotil said a Boeing 777-300 aircraft would serve the Australian route from Istanbul via Jakarta.

Kotil was confident that the carrier would be able to compete in the Australian market as it “covers Europe better” than any other airline.

He expects the flights will bring in many tourists from Turkey and be able to serve Australians desiring to visit Turkey for ANZAC services.

The carrier plans to continue expanding its network and frequency, with the Philippines and Vietnam next on its destination wish list.

Kotil added that the carrier hopes to double its frequency in the next two to three years, with hopes to eradicate limitations on destinations such as Narita, Japan which it hopes to increase its four-weekly flights to daily operations.

To serve its expansion Turkish Airlines have ordered 19 aircraft, 12 of which are Boeing 777-300s in a 3-class configuration and 7 of which are Airbus 330-300s.

[NickN]

That's an exciting proposition in my opinion. Looking forward to seeing if it actually eventuates and they fly on from Jakarta to Sydney.

[Ash W]

Flew Turkish for the first time just last week, 4 domestic flights in total, 2 in business and 2 in economy. Aircraft were modern (though still cannot work out why they have 737-800, A319, A320 and A321's in large numbers). and service good. Even on the short 30 minute flight I took in economy they offered food and a choice of hot or cold drinks. The service in business was also very good, with nice food, good leg room.

So will be interesting to see what their long haul product is like.

[Andrew P]

all over the Hong Kong MTR (Underground) are ads for Turkish Airways

theme is the quickest way to Europe, and giving examples of elapsed times

eg HKG-Warsaw quicker then by LHR, FRA etc

Banjo

[Ryan N]

I wondered what some people were doing in Martin Place yesterday. Each person wore a t-shirt spelling a letter of the words Turkish Airlines, while a photographer/director was leading them from the top of Martin Place towards George St.

[Arthur T]

Sounds good to have another European carrier to Sydney.
However, I just want to know aren't those B777-300ERs would be flying Non-stop from IST - SYD? Or that could be the job for B777-200LR?

Considering the huge demand from Australia to Europe, I really doubt why no airline is having B777-200LR to run such a non-stop service. Even a SYD - DRW - LHR or SYD - PER - LHR will be better than nothing.

[Ash W]

Arthur if you read the release Turkish plan is to run the Australian flights through Jakarta. Clearly they think that is the best way, and no doubt will pick up traffic from CGK.

As for why longer range flights don't fly to Aus, there could be a myriad of reasons why. First and foremost is the hub and spoke arrangement that is currently in place provides an efficent service. Start putting in more point to point flights and your costs will go up. Add onto that slot constraints (LHR in particular) and you will see why larger aircraft such as the 747 and the A380 dominate our flights to Eurpoe.

Also you suggest flying SYD-DRW-LHR or SYD-PER-LHR, the question is why? The most effeicient way is what already happens where flights hub through Singapore.

[Arthur T]

I think LGW would still got lots of available slots, so think it would be fine to have a AU - LGW direct?

Using PER/DRW as the transfer hub is because PER and DRW are big cities in Australia which is possible to fly direct to LGW/LHR by B77L, hence passengers can book a cheaper JQ/DJ flights to connect with those flights and avoid the expensive SYD - SIN/BKK/HKG sector.

About efficiency, I think where currently SYD - LAX is doing well with the lower capacity B77W, SYD - EU direct can work well using B77L/W using the same principle?

Actually I really think TK can use B77L to have a IST - SYD direct, which sounds more attractive to Australian travellers to take TK to IST than change.

Perhaps AZ should think a bit about that and try to ulterise their B77L to SYD from MXP/ROM direct then.

[Steve Jones]

LGW does not have plenty of available slots. In fact it is the busiest single runway airport in the world and its slots are as scarce as hen's teeth (and seem to be snapped up by the LCCs, especially Easyjet, as soon as they become available)

[Mick B]

Single runway airport? Hmmm....

London Gatwick Aerodrome Chart