Sabiha to be QA’s third destination in Turkey

Qatar Airways will commence four weekly passenger services to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport from May 22.Sabiha Gökçen Airport will become Qatar Airways’ third destination in Turkey after Istanbul Ataturk Airport, started in 2004, and Ankara, launched in 2010. The airline currently operates 10 flights a week to Istanbul Ataturk Airport and four flights a week to Ankara.With the addition of Sabiha Gökçen Airport, the number of flights to Turkey rises from 14 to 18 frequencies a week. The airport will serve travellers from the eastern (Asian) side of Istanbul in addition to Ataturk Airport, which currently serves the population in the western (European) side of the city separated by the Bosphorus.The new route will be served by an Airbus A320 in a two-cabin configuration, offering 12 Business Class and 132 Economy Class seats.Situated closest to some of the highly developed industrial cities of Turkey - Kocaeli, Bursa, Izmir and Sakarya - Sabiha Gökçen Airport is one of the two international airports serving the city of Istanbul.Qatar Airways will be the only award-winning five-star airline offering connections for travellers to and from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to over 100 destinations, the airline said in a statement.“Turkey’s aviation industry has experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years and we are delighted to be part of this growth by launching additional capacity into this vibrant market,” said Akbar al-Baker, Qatar Airways CEO. “With increased government investment in the private sector and major infrastructure developments under way, we see huge market potential in adding more capacity to Turkey.”The Finance Centre of Turkey is only 15 minutes away and Technopark Istanbul is just 1km from Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Large multinational companies and banks are also headquartered in close vicinity of the airport.The fourth most populous city of Turkey, Bursa, is located near Sabiha Gökçen Airport and is famous for its Uludag Mountain and winter ski resorts. Yalova, which is also located nearby, is known for its hot springs and thermal baths.Business and leisure markets to and from Turkey include GCC countries and Asia-Pacific destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bangkok, the Maldives, Bali, Singapore, Melbourne and Hong Kong.The Doha-Sabiha Gökçen Airport schedule is as follows: Mondays and Saturdays - QR243 departing Doha at 1.55pm and arriving at Sabiha airport at 6.10pm; QR244 departing Sabiha airport at 7.05pm and arriving at Doha at 11pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays - QR243 departing Doha at 1.20pm and arriving at Sabiha airport at 5.35pm; QR244 departing Sabiha airport at 6.35pm and arriving at Doha at 10.30pm.