Turkish Airlines Eyes London City Airport Route and Direct Flights to Australia in Major Expansion

Turkish Airlines has signaled plans to expand its international network with a new route to London City Airport and eventual nonstop service to Australia, according to statements from the carrier's leadership. 

The announcement signals one of the most ambitious expansion moves by the Istanbul-based airline in recent years, positioning it to compete more directly with major European and Middle Eastern carriers on ultra-long-haul routes.

A Fourth London Gateway

Turkish Airlines already operates flights to three airports in the London area: Heathrow, Gatwick, and, since March, Stansted. The addition of London City Airport would give the carrier a fourth access point to the British capital, targeting business travelers who prioritize proximity to the financial district.

London City Airport sits just minutes from Canary Wharf and the City of London. The airport handles smaller aircraft due to its short runway and steep approach requirements, which limits the types of jets that can operate there.

Turkish Airlines Chairman Murat Şeker, who succeeded longtime chairman Ahmet Bolat earlier this year, identified London City as a future target for the airline. However, the carrier does not have an obvious aircraft solution: its existing Airbus A319s and A320s are not straightforward fits for the route, and London City is hoping to allow newer-generation jets like the Airbus A320neo, a type Turkish Airlines' mainline fleet does not operate, once a revised, less steep approach procedure is approved from 2027.

The move would place Turkish Airlines in direct competition with British Airways, which dominates traffic at the airport, along with a handful of European carriers offering short-haul connections.

Nonstop Australia Flights on the Horizon

Turkish Airlines already flies to Australia, serving both Melbourne and Sydney, though both routes currently include a stopover, in Singapore for Melbourne and via Kuala Lumpur for Sydney. What the airline is now targeting is making at least one of these routes, likely Sydney, truly nonstop once it has aircraft capable of the journey.

Such a nonstop route would rank among the longest commercial flights in the world. The distance from Istanbul to Sydney measures roughly 15,000 kilometers, placing the journey at the outer edge of what current commercial aircraft can operate nonstop. Turkish Airlines would likely need to deploy long-range widebody jets such as the Boeing 777-9 or Airbus A350-1000 to make the route commercially viable.

Positioning for Global Reach

Turkish Airlines serves several hundred destinations across more than 130 countries, making it one of the most extensive networks operated by any single carrier. Istanbul Airport, which opened in 2019, was designed to function as a global hub capable of handling the airline's continued growth.

A nonstop Australia route would close one of the last remaining gaps in the carrier's global map. Direct flights between Europe and Australia have historically been rare, with most passengers connecting through Middle Eastern or Southeast Asian hubs. Qantas has led the field with its Project Sunrise initiative, planning nonstop flights from Sydney to London and New York using specially configured Airbus A350s.

By pursuing this market, Turkish Airlines would challenge Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines, all of which move significant volumes of passengers between Europe and Australia via one-stop itineraries.

Challenges Ahead

Both projects face hurdles before they can become reality. The London City service depends on aircraft availability, slot availability, and route economics. Slots at the airport remain tightly controlled, and any new entrant must secure appropriate departure and arrival times to make operations viable.

The nonstop Australia upgrade presents more complex obstacles. Ultra-long-haul flights require careful crew scheduling and payload calculations that often restrict passenger and cargo capacity. Fuel costs on such routes also weigh heavily on profitability.

Aircraft delivery delays could further affect timelines. Both Boeing and Airbus have faced production challenges in recent years, pushing back handovers to airlines worldwide. Turkish Airlines executives have publicly voiced frustration over these delays, which affect fleet planning across the industry.

Neither project has been given a firm launch date. The carrier has indicated that both remain part of its medium-term strategy as it works to expand its footprint and refine its network across every inhabited continent.