To inaugurate its newest route to Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), British Airways operated an all-female flight in commemoration of the airport's namesake.

All new connections

The latest service from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) launched on Thursday, touching down on the Anatolian side of Istanbul at 16:00 TRT. To commemorate the airport's namesake, Turkish military aviation pioneer Sabiha Gökçen, British Airways selected an all-female flight crew comprised of Captain Jessica Telford and First Officer Kerry Bennett.

British Airways' Heathrow – Istanbul connection will operate until October, with four weekly flights on offer, covering Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Flights are scheduled to depart from Heathrow at 0930 GMT, landing in Turkey at around 15:45 TRT before returning to London at 16:50 TRT. Services will be operated by the carrier's Airbus A320 family aircraft, allowing capacity for between 180 and 220 passengers.

The route will support British Airways' pre-existing connection between Heathrow and Istanbul Airport (IST), which currently operates three times per day. London – Istanbul has become a very popular service in recent years, partly due to the city's strategic location as a midway point between Europe and Asia. At least 24 daily flights are set to be operated from Heathrow, London Gatwick (LGW), London Luton (LTN), and London Stansted (STN) to both Istanbul Airport and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen this summer.

Growing airport

The launch follows the airport's gradual development as an alternative hub for passengers traveling to Istanbul and is set to bolster connectivity between the two cities. Opened back in 2002 to handle overspill from the now closed Atatürk Airport (ISL), the airport currently connects to 154 destinations across 51 countries, including recent additions to popular tourist destinations Rhodes (RHO) and Mytilene (MJT) in neighboring Greece via low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport can provide capacity for up to 41 million passengers annually, typically seeing around 35 million in 2019 before dropping sharply during the pandemic. In 2022, the airport welcomed almost 31 million guests, though 2023 has seen a noted period of resurgence, with 14 million passenger movements recorded between January and April.

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In a statement shared Friday, British Airways' Head of Corporate Sales in Europe, Elisabeth Ruff, celebrated the carrier's newest addition to its network and its subsequent support of connectivity between Turkey and the United Kingdom,

“As we continue our investment programme into new products, services, and technology, we’re excited to open up even greater connectivity between two of the world’s leading cities, Istanbul and London.”

Sabiha Gökçen Airport chief executive Berk Albayrak expressed similar enthusiasm for the airport's growth and British Airways' contribution to its expansion,

“British Airways has become the 45th airline to operate to Sabiha Gökçen and now our passengers can benefit from its extensive global route network. British Airways serves 200 destinations in more than 65 countries and with their large fleet and renowned services, the addition of this route will undoubtedly further enhance the travel experience of our guests.”

What are your thoughts on British Airways' newest route? Will you be flying to Istanbul this summer? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: Tolgaozbek, AviationSource News

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  British Airways

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  BA/BAW

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport

  Year Founded:

  1974

  Alliance:

  oneworld

  Airline Group:

  IAG

  CEO:

  Sean Doyle

  Country:

  United Kingdom