Turkish Airlines granted extra flights into Australia

Just months after Qatar Airways was denied a similar request, Turkish Airlines has been given a major increase in the number of flights it will be allowed to operate into Australia.

Transport Minister Catherine King has paved the way for Turkish Airlines to fly to Australia via a third country after signing off on a five-fold increase in services to Turkey, months after her decision to block a similar request from Qatar Airways.

The country’s international airlines capacity registry was updated on December 15 to allow for Turkish Airlines to fly 21 flights per week between Turkey and Australia with immediate effect, and eventually the right to do so 35 times a week.

It was part of several other increases to air capacity signed off by Ms King, including additional flights to Papua New Guinea and Canada.

The amended agreement also gives Turkish Airlines access to highly coveted fifth freedom flights between two intermediate points of choice in South Asia, South East Asia and/or the Middle East.

Fifth freedom flights allow an airline to sell tickets between two foreign ports. Qantas operates fifth-freedom flights between Singapore and London, as well as Auckland to New York, while British Airways and Emirates fly between Australia and Singapore.

A spokesman from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts said that the additional flights will improve connections between the two countries and support cultural ties.

“The new arrangements with Türkiye will phase in an increase in available capacity for airlines from both countries over the next two years, including allowing for fifth freedom traffic rights for airlines of both countries,” the department said.

“This will encourage the operation of services between our two countries for the first time.”

Flight Centre chief executive Graham Turner said the decision to pave way for Turkish Airlines will help to drive down airfares to Europe.

“Particularly into Europe and to the UK, we desperately need more capacity,” he said.

“We worked out that when Qatar wanted another 28 flights, that it would probably have about a 15 per cent decrease in airfares and the same happened when they went into New Zealand so this added capacity should have the same impact.”

Turkish Airlines told The Australian in June that services would operate from Istanbul via Singapore using Boeing 787-9 aircraft until it could ultimately be flown non-stop when new generation ultra-long-range aircraft become available to do the 17-hour flight.

Turkish Airlines chairman Ahmet Bolat last week said the airline planned to commence flights to Australia between March 15 and 25.

“We are currently in discussions with Australian actor Margot Robbie. We plan to bring her to Turkey a week before the flight and explore various places, including the historic site of Göbeklitepe,” Mr Bolat told the Hürriyet Daily News.

Transport Minister Catherine King. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The decision was welcomed by Sydney Airport, which said front loading demand will help attract more airlines.

“Granting Türkiye additional air rights makes sense because bilateral air agreements should create room for growth ahead of time, rather than waiting for demand to kick in before increasing supply,“ the airport’s spokesman said.

“This allows airlines to properly plan their entry into a market and provides a more open field for competition.”

Turkish Airlines is part of the Star Alliance, which also counts Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and Air Canada as members. The airline flies to 126 countries from its hub at Istanbul Airport.

Qantas in September took the decision not to oppose an application by Turkish Airlines to start flying into Australia, after it had come out against a request by Qatar Airways for 28 additional flights per week.

Ms King’s subsequent decision to reject the application from Qatar sparked outrage from the travel industry, which had hoped additional flights would attract more international tourists by making airfares cheaper.

Ms King came under intense scrutiny for her mixed messaging as to why Qatar was rejected, and was accused of caving to Qantas and its partner Emirates, who were the only known parties against the application. Virgin Australia told a recent Senate inquiry that it had heard in January that the application by Qatar would be approved within weeks, but was denied in July.

Mr Turner said that he expected that should Qatar Airways reapply for more flights in the new year they will almost certainly be approved after the fallout earlier.