Turkish Airlines first flew, the Hamburg-Istanbul route 50 years ago. Since then, the Turkish airline has become the largest provider of flights to Turkey from Hamburg. Turkish Airlines offers passengers in northern Germany a varied mix of vacation and business destinations, as well as flights that are especially popular for visiting friends and relatives. Turkish Airlines flies year-round to the two main commercial airports in Istanbul, the airline's international hub. In the summer schedule, Turkish Airlines also flies to Antalya and Ankara, as well as other seasonal destinations. After the COvid pandemic, Turkish Airlines was one of the first airlines to ramp up its services, demonstrating its special attachment to Hamburg as a business location.

To mark their 50-year business relationship, Hamburg Airport and Turkish Airlines hosted an anniversary celebration at the airport. Michael Eggenschwiler, Chairman of the Executive Board at Hamburg Airport, Nurullah Oguz, Director of Turkish Airlines in Hamburg, Dr. Judith Reuter, Head of the Aviation Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, and Emine Derya Kara, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in Hamburg, welcomed an Airbus A330 aircraft serving the Istanbul-Hamburg route. The connection to Istanbul is still in great demand today, not only for vacations in Turkey and business trips to the Bosporus, but also as an international gateway to Asia or Africa. With Turkish Airlines, people from northern Germany can reach a wide range of intercontinental destinations all year round.

"A business relationship that has lasted 50 years is not something that can be taken for granted. A real success story began with the Hamburg-Istanbul connection. Turkish Airlines' services are in high demand all year round and it is impossible to imagine Hamburg's route network without them," says Michael Eggenschwiler, CEO at Hamburg Airport. "Turkish Airlines was one of the first airlines to ramp up operations again after the pandemic and increase flight frequency step by step. That courage has paid off: measured by passenger numbers, Turkish Airlines has become the fifth largest airline in Hamburg in the past year. At the same time, this commitment proves once again the great importance of Hamburg as a business location. With Turkish Airlines, we also know that we have a future-oriented partner at our side that relies on modern and efficient aircraft types such as the Airbus A321neo, Airbus A350 and the Boeing 737 Max, which makes us very happy as the first CO2-neutral commercial airport in Germany."

"We are delighted to celebrate 50 years of Turkish Airlines at Hamburg Airport and the connection to Istanbul, and are proud to have made air travel from Hamburg to Turkey - and especially via the Istanbul hub by means of many international connections to destinations all over the world - pleasant and comfortable for the people in the Hanseatic city and the entire region over many decades," says Nurullah Oguz, Director of Turkish Airlines in Hamburg.

Turkish Airlines: Largest provider of flights to Turkey

With Istanbul (IST) and Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) airports, the Turkish airline has two year-round destinations on its schedule. This summer, the offer will be expanded to include Ankara and Antalya, one of the most popular vacation destinations from northern Germany. In addition, the airline traditionally focuses more on family visits from June to August and offers a varied seasonal range to other Turkish airports. In the 2022 summer season, there were six seasonal destinations, including Ordu, Kayseri and Adana, among others. This diverse and demand-driven offering secures valuable market share for the airline. Of the approximately 800,000 passengers who traveled to Turkey or returned to Hamburg between January and August 2022, around 43 percent flew with Turkish Airlines - including passengers who embarked on a long-haul trip via Istanbul.

Turkey more popular than ever as a travel destination

Since Turkish Airlines first landed in Hamburg in 1972, Turkey has become one of the most popular travel destinations, with business travelers also making up a substantial share of traffic. Emerging from the Corona crisis, Turkish Airlines was one of the first airlines to reintroduce services.

via: Hamburg Airport