Turkish Airlines will launch a new three-times-weekly service from Istanbul to Melbourne via Singapore from 15 March, 2024, the carrier announced on Friday.
The new service is set to increase ‘bilateral tourism, trade and business opportunities’ between Turkey and Australia, according to the carrier, and will see Turkish Airlines become the only European airline to operate flights to Melbourne Airport.
Turkish Airlines chairman of the board and executive committee, Ahmet Bolat, said: “Today is an important day for us. We have realised our goal of reaching the continent of Australia, which we have been successfully working on for a while, with the confirmed flight date.”
With the addition of the latest Melbourne route, the carrier’s global network now serves 346 destinations and 130 countries.
Following a landmark deal with Airbus to purchase 220 aircraft, the carrier in a statement said it plans to operate direct flights to Melbourne as well as to other Australian destinations “in the next few years”.
