Turkish Airlines is 'working closely' with the Indian government to potentially increase the number of flights between Turkiye and India, even as it is also aiming to extend its reach across a wider geographic area amid its codeshare partnership with domestic airline IndiGo, a top Turkish Airline executive has said.
Turkish Airline’s General Manager for Western and Southern India Fatih Karakoc told CNBC-TV18 that the Turkish flag carrier is mindful of the rapid growth that the domestic aviation sector is witnessing while emphasising that a huge population and a big country like India deserves more air transportation.
The airline currently operates 14 weekly flights to Turkiey’s capital Istanbul from Delhi and Mumbai. Besides, it also offers flights to its customers to destinations such as Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai via Delhi and Mumbai under its codeshare partnership with IndiGo.
Globally, Turkish Airlines flies to 130 countries, connecting travelers to 346 destinations-- 293 international and 53 domestic-- with a fleet of 456 aircraft, which include freighters as well.
“We understand that India's aviation sector is growing, and airlines are expanding their routes to meet the demand for international travel. In line with this, Turkish Airlines is working closely with the Indian government to potentially increase the number of flights between Turkiye and India,” Karakoc told CNBC-TV18 in an exclusive interaction.
However, India wants domestic carrier to become global players. Emphasising that due to its geographical location Türkiye is a very important destination for Indian passengers to connect them to other destinations, he said, “our collaboration with IndiGo offers more options to Indians traveling to America and Europe.”
“As part of our ongoing partnership with IndiGo through codeshare agreements, we are broadening our coverage to include additional routes as the passengers can now conveniently access routes in India such as Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai via Delhi and Mumbai,” Karakoc added.
He also said that Turkish Airlines is aiming to extend its reach across a wider geographic area and adding that “recognizing India's rapid economic growth, “we are strategically expanding our routes to major Indian cities, tapping into the rising demand for international travel.”
Additionally, as part of the airline’s commitment to enhancing connectivity, Turkish Airlines is "evaluating" the possibility of increasing flight frequencies in the near future," he added further. “This initiative aligns with our goal to provide more comprehensive travel options for passengers in India and beyond.”
The "Stopover in Istanbul" program in India, according to him, has shown “good output” among Indian customers, which has generated interest and increased engagement from Indian passengers, contributing to a noticeable uptick in bookings from India.
The initiative allows the passengers flying with Turkish Airlines make the most of their layover by exploring the Istanbul city.
Turkish Airline’s General Manager for Western and Southern India Fatih Karakoc told CNBC-TV18 that the Turkish flag carrier is mindful of the rapid growth that the domestic aviation sector is witnessing while emphasising that a huge population and a big country like India deserves more air transportation.
The airline currently operates 14 weekly flights to Turkiey’s capital Istanbul from Delhi and Mumbai. Besides, it also offers flights to its customers to destinations such as Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai via Delhi and Mumbai under its codeshare partnership with IndiGo.
Globally, Turkish Airlines flies to 130 countries, connecting travelers to 346 destinations-- 293 international and 53 domestic-- with a fleet of 456 aircraft, which include freighters as well.
“We understand that India's aviation sector is growing, and airlines are expanding their routes to meet the demand for international travel. In line with this, Turkish Airlines is working closely with the Indian government to potentially increase the number of flights between Turkiye and India,” Karakoc told CNBC-TV18 in an exclusive interaction.
Significantly, in the recent past Indian government has received several requests seeking more foreign flying rights from countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia besides Turkiye.
However, India wants domestic carrier to become global players. Emphasising that due to its geographical location Türkiye is a very important destination for Indian passengers to connect them to other destinations, he said, “our collaboration with IndiGo offers more options to Indians traveling to America and Europe.”
“As part of our ongoing partnership with IndiGo through codeshare agreements, we are broadening our coverage to include additional routes as the passengers can now conveniently access routes in India such as Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai via Delhi and Mumbai,” Karakoc added.
He also said that Turkish Airlines is aiming to extend its reach across a wider geographic area and adding that “recognizing India's rapid economic growth, “we are strategically expanding our routes to major Indian cities, tapping into the rising demand for international travel.”
Additionally, as part of the airline’s commitment to enhancing connectivity, Turkish Airlines is "evaluating" the possibility of increasing flight frequencies in the near future," he added further. “This initiative aligns with our goal to provide more comprehensive travel options for passengers in India and beyond.”
The "Stopover in Istanbul" program in India, according to him, has shown “good output” among Indian customers, which has generated interest and increased engagement from Indian passengers, contributing to a noticeable uptick in bookings from India.
The initiative allows the passengers flying with Turkish Airlines make the most of their layover by exploring the Istanbul city.
First Published: Jun 3, 2024 8:00 PM IST
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