Welcome aboard Turkish Airlines

King Shaka International Airport celebrated the arrival of a new family member on Thursday, as they proudly welcomed a direct flight to Istanbul to their international destinations.

Voted as the best airline in Europe for the fifth year, according to Skytrax, Turkish Airlines landed their first plane in Durban yesterday and were delighted to add us to their 280 destinations.

Turkish Airlines chairman of the board, Ilker Ayci said this was a historical event.

“Our decision to launch this flight was driven by an increased demand for international travelers to travel to Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. We have commenced our Durban flights with four weekly frequencies, but hopefully, we will increase that to seven weekly frequencies soon,” said Avci.

Provincial Minister of economic development, tourism and environmental affairs KZN, Michael Mabuyakhulu said KZN has been largely relying on indirect connectivity to access international markets.

“In this regard, limited connectivity to international markets hampers efficient movement of tourists and goods from our region and therefore retards economic growth and job creation. We are confident that Turkish Airlines will act as a catalyst for advancing the KZN gateway status and economic integration with global markets,” said Mabuyakhulu.