THY Increases Capacity to Asia

Turkish Airlines (THY) is to increase capacity on its flight from Istanbul to Singapore and Jakarta during the Northern Winter schedules by introducing an Airbus A340-300 on four of its seven weekly services. The route was previously due to be served by an A330-200 on a daily basis, but the type will now be used on just three rotations per week. The schedule change will represent a 4.6 per cent increase in capacity on the route as the A340-300 is configured with 20 seats more than the twin-engined model.

Turkish Airlines currently faces competition on the route from Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines. The latter offers eleven flights per week between Singapore and Istanbul, while Garuda has a daily service through to Jakarta. An estimated 73,000 O&D passengers travelled between Istanbul and Singapore in the past year and around 32,000 between Istanbul and Jakarta. Turkish Airlines holds a 33 per cent and 44 per cent share of these two respective markets.