Turkish flag carrier makes Australian debut
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After much anticipation and meticulous planning, the skies over Australia have welcomed a new player to their aviation game that promises to revolutionise travel.
With the arrival of this new airline, the gates to over 300 new destinations and competitive airfares have been thrown wide open to every traveller.
Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkiye, made a spectacular entrance to the Australian market as their inaugural flight TK168 touched down in Melbourne on Saturday, 2 March.
The arrival of this airline is more than just an addition to the long list of carriers servicing Australia—it's a game-changer.
The new service will connect Australia with 346 destinations across 130 countries.
This staggering figure is a testament to the airline's considerable scale and scope—it currently flies to more countries than any other airline, according to reports, with an impressive 450 aircraft at its disposal.
At this historic event, Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins applauded the efforts that made this launch possible.
‘We’ve been working long and hard on this. [It] has been a great team effort,’ she said.
'It’s a significant milestone to have Turkish Airlines at Melbourne Airport.’
She added that Melbourne now serves a European-based airline directly for the first time in decades and ensured it would bring competitive prices.
‘Having such an important player in Australia is great for this whole country because it gives our travellers, our tourists, our businesses [and] our exporters more choice and more competition.’
In its first phase, Turkish Airlines will operate three flights per week between Istanbul and Melbourne, with layovers at the award-winning Singapore Changi International Airport at special introductory prices.
Economy tickets start from $1,499 for ticketing between 19 January and 15 April 2024 for scheduled trips from 15 March to 15 May 2024.
Business-class trips start at $7,599 for ticketing between 24 February and 15 April, with trips scheduled between 1 March and 15 May.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus noted the significance of this service not only for competitive fares but also for the culturally rich Victorian community that hosts the largest Turkish population in Australia.
‘Melbourne is proudly home to the largest Turkish population in Australia, so we expect these flights will prove particularly popular with people looking to visit friends and relatives,’ she said.
Professor Dr Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, said the development was a sign of the deep-rooted friendship between Australia and Turkiye.
‘Although our countries are far apart, we know that the people of both countries feel very close to each other the thousands of Australian visitors who visit the Gallipoli Peninsula every year for Anzac Day, and the thousands of Turkish people who have made this beautiful country their home,’ he said.
The airline’s entry to the Australian aviation game followed ‘meticulous planning and extensive infrastructure development’.
Hutchins said it’s the ‘hardest I’ve ever worked to get an airline to Melbourne,’ and she was thrilled that Turkish Airlines chose Australia.
But Melbourne is just the beginning. In his speech, Bolat hinted at Sydney's inclusion in the airline's network by the end of the year, though no specifics have been released as of writing.
Turkish Airlines was also among the best airlines in the ‘short-haul’ category in a survey conducted by UK-based consumer group Which?.
How did Qantas fare in the poll? You can find out here.
What are your thoughts on this, members? Do you have experience flying with Turkish Airlines? Share them with us in the comments below!
With the arrival of this new airline, the gates to over 300 new destinations and competitive airfares have been thrown wide open to every traveller.
Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkiye, made a spectacular entrance to the Australian market as their inaugural flight TK168 touched down in Melbourne on Saturday, 2 March.
The arrival of this airline is more than just an addition to the long list of carriers servicing Australia—it's a game-changer.
Turkish Airlines entered the Australian market on March 2. Credit: @turkishairlines / Instagram
The new service will connect Australia with 346 destinations across 130 countries.
This staggering figure is a testament to the airline's considerable scale and scope—it currently flies to more countries than any other airline, according to reports, with an impressive 450 aircraft at its disposal.
At this historic event, Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins applauded the efforts that made this launch possible.
‘We’ve been working long and hard on this. [It] has been a great team effort,’ she said.
'It’s a significant milestone to have Turkish Airlines at Melbourne Airport.’
She added that Melbourne now serves a European-based airline directly for the first time in decades and ensured it would bring competitive prices.
‘Having such an important player in Australia is great for this whole country because it gives our travellers, our tourists, our businesses [and] our exporters more choice and more competition.’
In its first phase, Turkish Airlines will operate three flights per week between Istanbul and Melbourne, with layovers at the award-winning Singapore Changi International Airport at special introductory prices.
Economy tickets start from $1,499 for ticketing between 19 January and 15 April 2024 for scheduled trips from 15 March to 15 May 2024.
Business-class trips start at $7,599 for ticketing between 24 February and 15 April, with trips scheduled between 1 March and 15 May.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus noted the significance of this service not only for competitive fares but also for the culturally rich Victorian community that hosts the largest Turkish population in Australia.
‘Melbourne is proudly home to the largest Turkish population in Australia, so we expect these flights will prove particularly popular with people looking to visit friends and relatives,’ she said.
Professor Dr Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, said the development was a sign of the deep-rooted friendship between Australia and Turkiye.
‘Although our countries are far apart, we know that the people of both countries feel very close to each other the thousands of Australian visitors who visit the Gallipoli Peninsula every year for Anzac Day, and the thousands of Turkish people who have made this beautiful country their home,’ he said.
The airline’s entry to the Australian aviation game followed ‘meticulous planning and extensive infrastructure development’.
Hutchins said it’s the ‘hardest I’ve ever worked to get an airline to Melbourne,’ and she was thrilled that Turkish Airlines chose Australia.
But Melbourne is just the beginning. In his speech, Bolat hinted at Sydney's inclusion in the airline's network by the end of the year, though no specifics have been released as of writing.
Turkish Airlines was also among the best airlines in the ‘short-haul’ category in a survey conducted by UK-based consumer group Which?.
How did Qantas fare in the poll? You can find out here.
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