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Showing posts with label Istanbul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Istanbul. Show all posts

Sunday, September 30, 2012

► KENYA: Turkish Airlines launches Kilimanjaro, Mombasa from December.

Turkish AirlinesThere at last seems to be some good news for the Kenyan city of Mombasa as Turkish Airlines (TK) announced today that it would commence a 5x weekly, Boeing 737-900ER operated flight routed Istanbul (Turkey) - Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) - Mombasa (Kenya) - Istanbul effective 4 December.

► SOMALIA: Turkish Airlines boosts Djibouti and Mogadishu flights from 2013 on.

Turkish AirlinesTurkish Airlines (TK) will, starting from 26 January 2013, increase its current 2x weekly Boeing 737-800 operated  Istanbul – Djibouti – Mogadishu (Somalia) service, to 3x weekly by adding a Saturday flight to the roster.

Monday, September 10, 2012

► MOZAMBIQUE: Turkish Airlines looks to add Maputo to route network in coming months.

Turkish Airlines
The Turkish media this week allured to a new possible route between Istanbul and Maputo, Mozambique as Turkey aims to extend its carrier, Turkish Airlines' (TK), reach even further into the continent.

Following the recent signing of a new memorandum of understanding between Turkey and Gabon which will see service to Libreville and possibly, another as yet unnamed destination (either Franceville or Port Gentil), the Turkish Ministry of Transportation's Suat Hayri Aka stated that: 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

► GABON: Turkish Airlines to serve Libreville from late December.

Turkish Airlines
Panapress Africa is reporting that Turkey and Gabon, on Monday 4 September,  finalized a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) that will see the Turkish carrier operating a daily flight between Istanbul and Libreville, the Gabonese capital, with effect from "the end of December."

Monday, September 3, 2012

► MAURITANIA: Turkish Airlines to launch Nouakchott via Dakar from mid September.

Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines (TK) made another power move into the West African market by announcing a Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday weekly Istanbul – Nouakchott, Mauritania – Dakar, Senegal – Istanbul service using a Boeing 737-800 with effect from 16 September 2012. 

At present the Dakar sector is operated via Tunis, Tunisia, which will cease on the 16th.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

► EGYPT: Turkish Airlines to start Hurghada from October.

Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines (TK) has continued its push into the Egyptian market by announcing the start of 3x weekly Airbus A319 operated flights between Istanbul and Hurghada, Egypt to start 17 October 2012.

Turkish Airlines Africa Network
Turkish Airlines Africa Network (Updated)
Turkish Airlines: Istanbul, Turkey - Hurghada, Egypt
-Effective 17 October 2012
  • TK702 IST0205 – 0450HRG 319 x567
  • TK703 HRG0635 – 0925IST 319 x567
Source [Airline Route]

Turkish Airlines has an extensive network in Egypt, serving Cairo, Alexandria and Sharm el Sheikh.

Friday, August 3, 2012

► DJIBOUTI: Turkish Airlines to serve Mogadishu via Djibouti from September.


Turkish Airlines
It seems hardly a week goes by that Turkish carrier Turkish Airlines (TK) doesn't announce a new African destination. This time round, the new African route to be served will be Djibouti, with a tag on leg to Mogadishu, Somalia, which was previously serviced via Khartoum, Sudan. 

Turkish Airlines Africa Network
Turkish Airlines Africa Network
The 2x weekly flights are scheduled to begin 4 September 2012 with an Airbus A320 and, it should be noted, Turkish Airlines has also been given 5th Freedom rights to ferry passengers on the Djibouti - Somalia sector of the flight.

Turkish Airlines: Istanbul – Djibouti – Mogadishu, Somalia
- Effective 4 September 2012
  • TK686 IST2325 – 0440+1JIB0530+1 – 0705+1MGQ 320 24
  • TK687 MGQ0830 – 1005JIB1055 – 1600IST 320 35


Wednesday, August 1, 2012

► LIBYA: Turkish Airlines to start Sebha effective September 2012.

Turkish AirlinesStarting 2 September 2012, Turkish Airlines (TK) continues its aggressive push into Africa, this time with the announcement of a new 3x weekly flight between Istanbul and Sebha, Libya to be serviced with an Airbus A320. At present Turkish Airlines operates a fairly extensive Libyan network with flights offered to Tripoli, Benghazi and Misurata.

Turkish Airlines' Libya Routes
Turkish Airlines' Libya Network

Turkish Airlines: Istanbul, Turkey - Sebha, Libya
-Effective 2 September 2012
  • TK641 IST0945 – 1215SEB 320 247
  • TK642 SEB1310 – 1730IST 320 247
Source [AirlineRoute]

As previously reported by The African Aviation Tribune, Turkish Airlines will shortly commence flights to Kinshasa, DRC and to Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.


Friday, July 27, 2012

► TURKEY: Turkish Airlines announces changes to Africa Network for Winter 2012.

Turkish AirlinesTurkish carrier Turkish Airlines (TK) has announced various changes to its African network effective Q4 of 2012.

Turkish Airlines Africa Network
Turkish Airlines Africa Network



Istanbul – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
-Effective 28 October 2012 service reduces from daily to 5x weekly using 737-900ER.
  • TK603 IST1910 – 0335+1DAR 739 x13
  • TK604 DAR0435 – 1050IST 739 x24
Istanbul – Nairobi, Kenya 

-Effective 28 October 2012 Boeing 737-800 replaces -900ER, daily service
  • TK607 IST1950 – 0325+1NBO 73H 1234567
  • TK608 NBO0445 – 1020IST 73H 1234567
Istanbul – Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
-Effective 9 October 2012 NEW 4x weekly service to its 3rd destination in Egypt. Schedule below effective 28 October 2012.

  • TK700 IST0205 – 0440SSH 737 135
  • TK701 SSH0640 – 0925IST 737 135

Istanbul – Kigali, Rwanda – Entebbe, Uganda - Istanbul
- Effective 28 October 2012 service increases from 4x to 5x weekly using a 737-900ER
  • TK606 IST1840 – 0130+1KGL0225+1 – 0420+1EBB0520+1 – 1045+1IST 739 x27
Istanbul – Kinshasa, DRC
- Effective 27 September 2012 service increases from 4x to 5x weekly. Schedule below effective 28 October 2012.
  • TK671 IST1445 – 2115FIH 739 26
  • TK672 FIH2215 – 0630+1IST 739 26
Source [Airline Route]


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

► NIGERIA: Turkish Airlines applies for Abuja & Kano; considers Enugu.

Turkish AirlinesTurkish Airlines (TK) has reportedly applied for clearance to the Nigerian Government for permission to start flights between Istanbul and Abuja, Kano and possibly Enugu according to news reports out of Nigeria.

Should the routes be granted, they would be Turkish Airlines' second, third and fourth destinations in Nigeria after Lagos, which they have served since 2006.

Chief Executive Officer and President of Turkish Airlines, Dr. Temel Kotil had this to say:
With its huge resources, Africa is the place to go. We want to expand our business in that continent.  With her huge population and resources, we want to increase our flights to Nigeria.  We want to fly into Abuja, Kano and Enugu.

Turkish Airlines Africa Network
Turkish Airlines Africa Network
Turkish Airlines has seen its African Market share rise to 3% in the last 10 years with an aggressive push into various markets, the most adventurous of which has been its service to Mogadishu, Somalia which started this year.

Currently, it serves 21 destinations, the latest being Kinshasa whose service will begin in August. Rumours are afoot that  Conakry (Guinea), Freetown (Sierra Leone) and  Douala (Cameroon) are also inline to be added, however, no official confirmation from Turkish Airlines could be obtained.

Friday, July 6, 2012

► TUNISIA: Syphax Airlines announces Summer schedule changes; outlines new routes.

Newly founded Tunisian carrier Syphax Airlines (FS) has announced changes to its Summer timetable effective 5 July 2012.

Founded in 2011 and based in the coastal city of Sfax by businessman Mohamed Frikha, Syphax Airlines is a scheduled airline serving destinations in the Mediterranean with plans to increase its presence in both the Magreb region of Africa and Europe in the near future, amongst which will see Nice and Lyon in France being connected with Sfax, Tunisia a whilst Casablanca - Tunisia service is also in the pipeline.

Syphax Airlines Routes
Syphax Airlines Route Map

● Syphax Airlines Summer 2012 Timetable ●


Djerba, Tunisia – Paris CDG, France 
2x weekly service operating since 18JUN12
  • FS110 DJE1510 – 1900CDG 319 14
  • FS111 CDG1225 – 1410DJE 319 14
Sfax, Tunisia – Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen, Turkey
Operational days moving from Day 47 to Day 26 (SFA departure)
  • FS212 SFA1635 – 2055SAW 319 26
  • FS213 SAW2155 – 2220SFA 319 26
Sfax, Tunisia – Marseille, France
Service operates twice weekly instead of planned 3x weekly
  • FS210 SFA0715 – 1000MRS 319 25
  • FS211 MRS1045 – 1125SFA 319 25

Sfax, Tunisia – Paris CDG, France
Service operates 5x weekly instead of planned daily
  • FS100 SFA0745 – 1125CDG 319 x267
  • FS100 SFA1030 – 1410CDG 319 7
  • FS101 CDG2000 – 2135SFA 319 14
  • FS101 CDG2030 – 2205SFA 319 35
  • FS101 CDG2215 – 2350SFA 319 7

Sfax, Tunisia – Tripoli, Libya
3x weekly service entered operation since early-June 2012
  • FS250 SFA2250 – 0025+1TIP 319 135
  • FS251 TIP0110 – 0050SFA 319 246
Tunis, Tunisia – Paris CDG, France
Service operates 3x weekly instead of planned daily
  • FS104 TUN1555 – 1930CDG 319 35
  • FS104 TUN1740 – 2115CDG 319 7
  • FS105 CDG1225 – 1355TUN 319 35
  • FS105 CDG1510 – 1640TUN 319 7


Routes to be launched in the near future:
  • Sfax, Tunisia – Lyon, France: 3x weekly (previously due to start from 7 May 2012)
  • Sfax, Tunisia – Nice, France: 2x weekly (previously due to start from 10 May 2012)
  • Sfax – Tunis – Casablanca, Morocco: 2x weekly (previously due to start from 22 May 2012)
  • Tunis – Lyon 3x weekly (previously due to start 7 May 2012)
Read More Here [Airline Route]

Presently, Syphax Airlines' fleet consists of two Airbus A319s.


Sunday, May 13, 2012

► UGANDA: Turkish Airlines flight to Johannesburg diverts to Entebbe.

Turkish AirlinesA Turkish Airlines Airbus A330 TC-JNM recently enroute from Istanbul to Johannesburg, South Africa was forced to divert to Entebbe, Uganda following engine problems.

The aircraft landed safely, though passengers were forced to wait for a replacement aircraft to be dispatched from Turkey.

THY Turkish Airlines
THY Turkish Airlines A330 TC-JNM (Alfonso Rodenas Pena)
"A Turkish Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration TC-JNM performing flight TK-40 (dep May 10th) from Istanbul (Turkey) to Johannesburg (South Africa) with 250 passengers, was enroute near Entebbe (Uganda) when the crew needed to shut an engine (CF6) down. The aircraft diverted to Entebbe for a safe landing."
Read More Here [The Aviation Herald]