Initial details of a new Turkish Airlines route were revealed yesterday. Effective mid-2020, the airline will run flights to Vancouver from Istanbul three times per week.

Aeronews posted details of Turkish Airlines' plans for a new three-times-weekly service from Istanbul to Vancouver yesterday. Turkey’s flag carrier, which already flies to the most countries of any airline in the world, will add the new Canada route in mid-2020.

At the moment, specific details surrounding the new route have not been released. But Turkish Airlines says it will be operating either the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or its new Airbus A350s on the route.

Turkish Airlines’ Airbus A350s

Turkish Airlines has an order for 25 Airbus A350s, which it should start taking delivery of early next year. The Airbus A350 will become one of the airline’s most sought-after aircraft when it enters service.

They will be fitted with Turkish Airlines’ new “full flat, full access, full privacy” business class seats. These feature extended leg room, an 18-inch touchscreen TV and privacy screens.

Turkish Airlines has already announced it will be running the Airbus A350 on its Istanbul to London and Istanbul to Dubai routes in April 2020. It will also introduce the new addition to its fleet on the long-haul service from Istanbul to Los Angeles beginning in June 2020.

The Airbus A350 has entered the fleets of many airlines this year as a flagship. Its long-haul capabilities and widebody fuselage make it perfect for airlines looking to show off their business class and customer service capabilities.

However, this position is also contested with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, another long-haul, wide-body aircraft which has proven popular with many airlines.

Turkish Airlines itself took a shining to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, introducing the type as its flagship on a number of long-haul routes.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner flew its inaugural flight for the carrier back in July and has been posted to take over the Istanbul to New York route from the Airbus A330-300 in August 2020.

Turkish Airlines’ continued growth

Turkish Airlines already holds the impressive title of being the airline to fly to the most countries across the world. You may assume that this number has been reached slowly after many years of slow expansion, but Turkish Airlines has actually experienced rapid expansion to reach its current position.

From just 10 years ago, Turkish Airlines has more than tripled its annual passenger numbers from 21.5 million, to 72.5 million. In quarter two of 2019, Turkish Airlines was the fastest-growing flag carrier in Europe, just edging out Lufthansa.

In recent years, Turkish Airlines has been helped by its place at the center of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plans for expansion of the Turkish airline industry. President Erdogan views Istanbul’s new mega-airport, which will eventually be able to handle 200 million passengers per year, as a tool for growing Turkey’s soft power around the world.

As Turkey’s flag carrier, Turkish Airlines has found itself conveniently placed to take advantage of this wider project.

Turkish Airlines was not available to respond to Simple Flying's request for comment on the new route.