Turkish Airlines Expands India Operations, Eyes More Indian Cities and Southeast Asia

Turkish Airlines, the country's flagship carrier, is poised to expand its operations in India significantly in 2012, doubling its weekly services to 28 and making Hyderabad its third destination in the country. The move is part of the airline's broader strategy to tap into the rapidly growing Indian market and establish Istanbul as a key transit point between Asia and Europe. With a fleet of 170 aircraft and an ambitious plan to double destinations in Southeast Asia over the next five years, Turkish Airlines is gearing up for rapid expansion in the region.

Key Takeaways:

• Turkish Airlines plans to double its weekly services to 28 in India in 2012, with Hyderabad as its third destination.
• The airline aims to increase its services to at least five Indian cities, including Chennai and Kolkata after Hyderabad.
• Turkish Airlines will extend its code-share facility with Air India to get more Indian passengers to fly to or through Turkey to other destinations.
• The airline operates Airbus 330-200 and Airbus 330-300 aircraft for its India operations, registering average load factors of 70-75%.
• Turkish Airlines has ambitious plans for South East Asia, with plans to double destinations over the next five years.
• Expansion plans in Southeast Asia include flights to Nepal, Cambodia, Burma, Hanoi, Sydney, Manila, and Mongolia in the next two years.
• The airline is considering newer aircraft like the Airbus 380 and Boeing 787 to meet expansion needs.

Statistics:

• Turkish Airlines operates a daily service to Delhi and Mumbai in India.
• The airline covers 74 European cities through 144 routes with a fleet of 170 aircraft.
• Turkish Airlines registers average load factors of 70-75% on its India operations.
• The airline aims to make Istanbul the preferred transit point between Asia and Europe, with flights taking only three to four hours to reach anywhere in Europe.

Sources:

• Domain-b.com (2012)
• Contify.com (2010)