Turkish Airlines Approved for More Flights into Australia

[drron]

Should have asked Turkiye to drop the e Visa requirement for Aussie Passport Holders!

Well if Australia drops the e Visa requirements for Turkey they might drop it for us.

 

[flyinpod]

Currently it looks like TK sells connecting flights into AU on Qantas, Malindo (seems random) and Thai - interestingly no SQ.
Will be interesting to see which port they choose for a stopover.

I’m flying TK in Mar IST-KUL, the KUL segment to Syd is MH

 

[evanb]

Some mention here…(lost in amongst some vblogger getting banned).

Qatar denied extra capacity into Australia

My point was simply that until it is a treaty is has limited enforcement mechanisms internationally and that Australia would have little difficulty withdrawing. I have no doubt that they will not withdraw since it does not serve Australia's national interest. While they may have fundamental...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Meanwhile, any new entrant via a new/different hub ought to have some impact on international fares moving forward. But there probably won’t be any rhyme or reason why specific city pairs are better than others….

Turkish Airlines provides something quite different compared to Qatar or Emirates. It's somewhat closer to Europe meaning that it can reach far more European destinations with narrowbody aircraft compared to Qatar or Emirates.

Add to that, due to a larger O&D market between Turkey and Europe, it also has an open skies agreement with the EU meaning that it has far greater market access. As a result of this, for example, Turkish is able to serve 13 destinations in Germany compared to the 4 each that Emirates and Qatar can serve. It can serve secondary destinations that few other carriers can. In many cases, they are often the only carrier connecting the destination to a global hub.

This also extends to other regions including the Caucuses, central Asia, Africa, etc which when combined with a more effective foreign policy, supported by a more diverse economy, means that they really do have an incredibly wide network.

So it's not just about capacity, but also about the destinations that they add to the network. Turkish Airlines claim to fly to 340 destinations in 129 countries (including 53 domestic), more than double Qatar or Emirates.

 

[evanb]

Istanbul is a fabulous connection point to a huge number of European ports, not to mention the joy of Turkiye itself

Agreed. I've had a number of very enjoyable stays in Istanbul. Always found the hospitality to be fantastic, including great good and hotels, and generally very good value. Istanbul is also a fascinating city - lots of history and great views!

 

[jase05]

Turkish Airlines provides something quite different compared to Qatar or Emirates. It's somewhat closer to Europe meaning that it can reach far more European destinations with narrowbody aircraft compared to Qatar or Emirates.

Add to that, due to a larger O&D market between Turkey and Europe, it also has an open skies agreement with the EU meaning that it has far greater market access. As a result of this, for example, Turkish is able to serve 13 destinations in Germany compared to the 4 each that Emirates and Qatar can serve. It can serve secondary destinations that few other carriers can. In many cases, they are often the only carrier connecting the destination to a global hub.

This also extends to other regions including the Caucuses, central Asia, Africa, etc which when combined with a more effective foreign policy, supported by a more diverse economy, means that they really do have an incredibly wide network.

So it's not just about capacity, but also about the destinations that they add to the network. Turkish Airlines claim to fly to 340 destinations in 129 countries (including 53 domestic), more than double Qatar or Emirates.

I do really like the TK product however many of those Euro connections are in the garbage Euro business seats so personally I still prefer to go via one of the ME airlines if possible but obviously with TK having more connections in Europe it’s often easier. I have noticed that TK is running a lot more widebodies into Europe these days (or least it appears that way) which can only be good

 

[evanb]

I do really like the TK product however many of those Euro connections are in the garbage Euro business seats so personally I still prefer to go via one of the ME airlines if possible but obviously with TK having more connections in Europe it’s often easier

True, but this is changing. All the new narrowbody deliveries are with a 2x2 in business, and Euro business is being phased out with most of the B737-800s shifting to AndoluJet. However, it's somewhat of the luck of the draw at the moment, but Euro business should be limited to domestic flights and non-IST in the next year or so.

See: Article: Why Airlines Love European Business Class

 

[SYD]

I do really like the TK product however many of those Euro connections are in the garbage Euro business seats so personally I still prefer to go via one of the ME airlines if possible but obviously with TK having more connections in Europe it’s often easier. I have noticed that TK is running a lot more widebodies into Europe these days (or least it appears that way) which can only be good

Which was / is the issue going two stops with any of the main Euro airline and hubs for years. Not to mention a lot of backtracking on BA in the days before the QF/EK partnership…

At least for Oz flyers, IST is much better geographically combined with the reach onto main and secondary ports.

Putting alliance preferences aside, I’d probably still gravitate towards DXB, AUH, DOH if that gets me one stop to where I’m going in Europe for consistency of product (for now).

 

[tmdl]

Think that maybe Virgin Australia will get Turkish Airlines as a partner airlines? Imagine being able to book with Velocity points?

 

[jase05]

Which was / is the issue going two stops with any of the main Euro airline and hubs for years. Not to mention a lot of backtracking on BA in the days before the QF/EK partnership…

At least for Oz flyers, IST is much better geographically combined with the reach onto main and secondary ports.

Putting alliance preferences aside, I’d probably still gravitate towards DXB, AUH, DOH if that gets me one stop to where I’m going in Europe for consistency of product (for now).

The two stop route with TK doesn’t phase me but I guess it may put some off dependant on time constraints. Will be massive though when they do eventually chop out the Asian stop and go direct to IST though. With they product they offer I can see it being very popular

 

[Ade]

I'd be thinking in the lines of gaining & retaining *AG using TK & their 5th freedom routes ... I read earlier that it is easy to get a status match with TK ... so I guess this TK entry (& subsequent expansion) will help our OW heavy market to venture into *A. I know I will ...

 

[SYD]

Think that maybe Virgin Australia will get Turkish Airlines as a partner airlines? Imagine being able to book with Velocity points?

They’ll need a domestic feeder partner (assuming they don’t have one already). The current connections via Asia are a smorgasbord: GA, SQ, MH, and TK. Mainly *A as you’d expect.

The two stop route with TK doesn’t phase me but I guess it may put some off dependant on time constraints. Will be massive though when they do eventually chop out the Asian stop and go direct to IST though. With they product they offer I can see it being very popular

Yep, 2 stops is still pretty common for non main ports.

My comment was more about that final leg in an A319 with Euro Biz.

TBH, I don’t mind AY’s Euro Biz product. I’m sure others are ok as well.

 

[tmdl]

They’ll need a domestic feeder partner (assuming they don’t have one already). The current connections via Asia are a smorgasbord: GA, SQ, MH, and TK. Mainly *A as you’d expect.

Yep, 2 stops is still pretty common for non main ports.

My comment was more about that final leg in an A319 with Euro Biz.

TBH, I don’t mind AY’s Euro Biz product. I’m sure others are ok as well.

I just wonder who would be the best AU Airline feeder?

In my perfect world it would be VA but any of the 3 would be good

 

[Mwenenzi]

I just wonder who would be the best AU Airline feeder?

For example was a time when UA would use QF, JQ or/and VA as tag on/feeder flights.
Really just a travel agent for AU domestic flights to get a sale on the long haul. Just business:- nothing to do with alliance or ff partners.

 

[tmdl]

For example was a time when UA would use QF, JQ or/and VA as tag on/feeder flights.
Really just a travel agent for AU domestic flights to get a sale on the long haul. Just business:- nothing to do with alliance or ff partners.

My hope is that we could book TK flights with either QFF or VV or REXflyer (if they ever become a major player in the market)

I know you can book via SQ as star alliance partner but the option with an AU program would be good

 

[justinbrett]

Think that maybe Virgin Australia will get Turkish Airlines as a partner airlines? Imagine being able to book with Velocity points?

I imagine QR would consider TK a major competitor like EK, and if VA were to parter with them, VA would probably get the same treatment from QR that QF got from them.

Or more likely, the VA/QR agreement probably has an exclusivity clause to prevent new parters like this.

TK already has an interline agreement with QF, but not with VA. On a recent QF flight to MNL, the cabin manager welcomed TK pax connecting to IST - so perhaps there is a loose agreement there already?

 

[tmdl]

I imagine QR would consider TK a major competitor like EK, and if VA were to parter with them, VA would probably get the same treatment from QR that QF got from them.

Or more likely, the VA/QR agreement probably has an exclusivity clause to prevent new parters like this.

TK already has an interline agreement with QF, but not with VA. On a recent QF flight to MNL, the cabin manager welcomed TK pax connecting to IST - so perhaps there is a loose agreement there already?

So could this be something like the Air France / KLM partnership with QF? I would love to be able to book TK flights with points

 

[evanb]

For example was a time when UA would use QF, JQ or/and VA as tag on/feeder flights.
Really just a travel agent for AU domestic flights to get a sale on the long haul. Just business:- nothing to do with alliance or ff partners.

Interline or codeshare? It can make a big difference, but I don't recall UA codesharing with QF or JQ.

UA still have interline with QF and JQ. TK already have an interline with QF and JQ (but not VA). cough, even QR have an interline with QF and JQ.

 

[justinbrett]

Interline or codeshare? It can make a big difference, but I don't recall UA codesharing with QF or JQ.

UA still have interline with QF and JQ. TK already have an interline with QF and JQ (but not VA). cough, even QR have an interline with QF and JQ.

There’s a difference between interlining and selling the flights directly.

As far as I’m aware QR no longer sells any QF flights.

QF still sells UA flights directly last time I checked. It also sells HA. I’m not sure about DL, I haven’t seen that. It obviously sells AA & AS.

It’s not quite a codeshare but it’s a step above interlining.

 

[Harrison_133]

Discussions have apparently taken place between Turkish and Rex, as they explore options for a domestic partnership.

Turkish Airlines explores partnership with Rex

TK is putting together the pieces for its entry into Australia skies.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[HS-TQE]

Per 'that site' they've already uploaded an article that TK and ZL are in negotiations for a partnership, so ZL are in the box seat over QF for that partnership.

As mentioned TK doesn't interline with VA and most likely considers VA's current partner QR as their direct rival. In addition, VA still interlines with their 'former bestie' EY.