Melbourne Airport’s chief of aviation, Jim Parashos says Turkish Airlines’ move to operate flights from Istanbul to Melbourne would be important for Australia.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Jim Parashos said that the services [flights] will connect Australia to one of the most important airports in the world – Istanbul Airport.
This development is expected to put downward pressure on airfares ahead of the European summer, with the carrier set to initially operate flights from Istanbul to Melbourne, including a stopover in Singapore, three times a week from March 16.
The federal government granted the application last month after being entangled in another bilateral air rights crisis centered on the government’s rejection of Qatar Airways’ request to expand its flights to Australia.
Parashos asserts that this development will be beneficial for Australia, as Istanbul has always been an important destination for Melbourne, with the city hosting Australia’s largest Turkish population.
“Istanbul is the only city to straddle two continents and has always been an important trading post. It is also now one of the most important transit hubs in the world,” Parashos said.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
