The national flag carrier has expanded its capacity to the UK and currently operates between Istanbul Ataturk Airport and Birmingham, Edinburgh, London Gatwick, London Heathrow and Manchester, as well as between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen to London Gatwick – a route that was launched in May 2013.
Although the airline has been operating to both Gatwick and Manchester for a long period of time, Turkish Airlines has grown rapidly over the previous six years to offer routes across multiple hubs in the UK.
The airline began operations to Birmingham in December 2008, and launched flights to Gatwick in December 2011. Its Edinburgh operation followed in quick succession, launching in July 2012. The Turkish flag carrier has also operated between Istanbul and London Stansted between 2005 and 2012.
Turkish Airlines has recently announced it is increasing its flight services from Manchester Airport to Istanbul by an additional four fight per week, from May 25, 2015. Turkish will then add an additional three flight frequencies per week from June 22, 2015.
Ersen Engin, General Manager for Manchester, Turkish Airlines said: “Outside of London, Manchester is the biggest UK airport, serving almost 22 million passengers a year to reach more than 200 destinations worldwide. Over the summer months, these numbers are expected to soar as residents of Manchester and surrounding areas embark on their summer vacations.”
For the fourth consecutive year, Turkish Airlines were chosen as the ‘Best Airline in Europe’ at the 2014 Skytrax World Airline awards. The carrier currently flies to 108 countries - which is more than any other airline across the globe.
As one of the fastest growing airports in the world, Turkish Airlines holds a strategic position between the East and the West. The carrier’s expansion in recent years has allowed the airline to grow to over 100 weekly flights from the UK alone.
Data provided by 
The above chart clearly shows Turkish Airlines' growth in the UK, with the increasing number of UK airports from 2008 onwards. Although Manchester Airport suffered a decline in capacity in 2010, the airport has witnessed a significant increase since 2011. London Heathrow has generated a steady growth in seat capacity, while Gatwick has seen a huge growth since the route was inaugurated in December 2011.
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