Turkish Airlines Strengthens Iraqi Network

Posted 21/06/2011

Turkish Airlines (THY) is to expand its network in Iraq with new connections from Istanbul to Najaf and Sulaymaniyah.  Following the launch of these two new routes in July it will serve five destinations in Iraq, with existing flights to Baghdad, Basra and Erbil.

From July 5, it will a three times weekly service to Najaf, becoming the first European flag carrier to offer flights to the central southern city, which is receiving a greater level of pilgrim traffic as the burial site of Shia Islam's second most important figure.  Fellow Turkish carrier AtlasJet Airways already serves the route twice weekly from Istanbul.  THY will combine the new link with its existing schedule to Basra; the aircraft flying an Istanbul – Najaf – Basra – Istanbul routing.

The new Istanbul – Sulaymaniyah link will follow from July 18, four times weekly using an Airbus A321.  Again, this route is already flown by AtlasJet Airways, which currently offers three flights per week.  An estimated 115,000 O&D passengers travelled between Turkey and Iraq in the past year with THY accounting for 28.7 per cent of this traffic; this figure is expected to grow to more than 40 per cent once the new service are introduced.

Schedule:

Istanbul – Najaf – Basra - Istanbul
TK798 IST0310 – 0605NJF0705 – 0750BSR0850 – 1215IST 738 246

Istanbul – Sulaymaniyah
TK806 IST2315 – 0145+1ISU 321 x246
TK807 ISU0310 – 0600IST 321 x357

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