TURKISH AIRLINES: Approval for up to 35 flights per week to Australia in 2025

You may remember that a week ago, I wrote about the Chairman of Turkish Airlines letting slip that services between Türkiye and Australia (via Singapore) would begin on 24 March. That story came with a dose of Barbie pink. Margo Robbie is negotiating with the airline to head up the Australia campaign.

Approval granted

It looks like the air rights for Turkish Airlines flying to Australia have been granted. This makes it ready for the commencement of flights between Australia and Türkiye. Frequency will start with 21 weekly services and with room for expansion.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts publishes a little document called the Register of Available Capacity for Australian International Airlines, which outlines an:

‘up to date register of all available capacity, under Australia’s air services agreements and arrangements…”up to date register of all available capacity, under Australia’s air services agreements and arrangements…’

Register of Available Capacity for Australian International Airlines

Turn to page 102, and it details the number of flights and ports in Turkey and Australia to be used. In this case, the capacity currently is 21 ‘frequencies’ per week, but can expand to:

• Northern Winter 2024 – 28 weekly frequencies to/from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Western Sydney.
• Northern Winter 2025 – 35 weekly frequencies to/from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Western Sydney.

Sidebar about Qatar

There is no recorded change to the entitlement of Qatar, which remains at 28 frequencies, each direction per week to/from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth, plus an additional seven frequencies ‘…provided such services operate via or beyond to a point in Australia other than Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.‘

So that review of the government’s decision to refuse Qatar Airways application has not been reviewed as yet.

Fifth Freedom rights

The new deal allows Turkish Airlines to sell a single leg on the route between stopovers. An example would be between Sydney and Singapore, the proposed stopover on the way to Türkiye. Turkish Airlines has always regarded this fifth freedom right as essential to the route’s success.

Which port in Australia?

We still don’t know the initial route, although the choices are between Sydney and Melbourne. The new agreement allows Turkish to choose from an even wider set of destinations. These include Brisbane, Perth and the new Western Sydney airport which doesn’t open until 2026

2PAXfly Takeout

An expansion of flights to and from Australia is welcomed. It adds to competition and helps provide downward pressure on prices. Welcoming a new airline is an even better expansion as it truly benefits competition.

So now it would appear everything is in place. The bilateral agreement between Türkiye and Australia is in place. All we need to know is the destination port(s) in Australia, the flight details, the start date and finally, the fares.