Turkish Airlines has expanded its portfolio of operations in Australia with the launch of a new service to Melbourne on Saturday.
 

The First Flight to Melbourne

Flight TK168 with Boeing 777-300ER departed from Istanbul (IST) at 05:55 p.m. (local time) and landed in Singapore (SIN) at 08:41 a.m. (local time) . After a two-hour layover, TK168 continued its flight to Melbourne (MEL) departing at 10:53 a.m. (local time) from Singapore and landing at Melbourne Airport at 08:45 p.m. local time. The scheduled flight times are as follows:

The arrival in Melbourne marks several firsts of the airline, including the 90-year-old carrier's first operation to Australia, a market which has a lot of potential for the company considering Melbourne’s large Turkish population.

The new service will operate three times per week via Singapore, departing on Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

[IST,SIN],[SIN,MEL]
 

Jim Parashos, the Chief of Aviation at the Melbourne Airport stated: "We are thrilled to welcome Turkish Airlines to Melbourne, not only because of its world-renowned hospitality but also because of the new possibilities it enables for travelers. Türkiye is already a popular holiday destination, but we expect these new flights will encourage more Australians to explore what the country has to offer, while also enticing more people to visit our incredible part of the world."

Jim Parashos added by mentioning that the flights from Melbourne to Turkey provided further recovery for the post-COVID impacts.
 

Also adding on the arrival of the Turkish Airlines' aircraft to Melbourne, Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus shared, “Turkish Airlines has an extensive network and flies to more countries than any other airline so this new competitor in the Australian market is fantastic news for consumers,” adding, "We've worked closely with the Victorian State Government to bring Turkish Airlines to Melbourne, and we now look forward to growing their services over the coming years."

She also noted the use of the route for “Victorian residents and businesses,” further explaining how she expects the routes to "prove particularly popular with people looking to visit friends and relatives."

The national flag carrier has made large strides to expand its network recently while also enlarging its fleet. In 2023 alone, the airline took delivery of 29 aircraft: a combination of A320neo family jets, Airbus A350-900, and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The airline has been placed 6th on a global scale for the number of passengers it has carried. In 2023, Turkish Airlines carried 84 million passengers which is a rise of 16% compared to 2022.

Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee Dr. Ahmet Bolat said the carrier’s expansion to Australia was a long-held ambition:

"This achievement follows meticulous planning and extensive infrastructure developments, symbolizing the successful bridging of Istanbul with a new and vibrant continent," he said and added, "The inauguration of our Melbourne route is a testament to our growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region and underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering connections between diverse cultures and communities across the globe. Through our unparalleled network, we are thrilled to offer our guests a gateway to global exploration, ensuring that our legacy of exceptional service quality continues to flourish in every corner of the world."

After Federal Transport Minister Catherine King approved a proposal from Turkey in December, Turkish Airlines was permitted to operate up to 35 flights per week to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Western Sydney airports by 2025.