Straight to Istanbul
Who says United's airport war will hurt Houston? Turkish Airlines to startdirect flights out of IAH
Turkish Airlines flights between Houston and Istanbul will have a 334-passengercapacity.Airline-News
Travelers can now book online for flights departing on April 1, 2013, andbeyond.BeautifulPlacesToVisit.com
Perhaps all of the United Airlines talk about Houston losing a competitive edge with two international airports was empty after all: Turkish Airlines announced on Monday plans to initiate direct flights between Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 1, 2013.
Flights from Houston will depart at 7:50 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting in 2013, with a capacity of 334 passengers and a duration of nearly 13 hours. The airline will offer flights from Istanbul at 1:05 p.m. (local time) on the same days.
Introductory fares between the two cities look to cost approximately $1,000 round-trip.
Introductory fares between the two cities look to cost approximately $1,000 round-trip.
Turkish Airlines already services routes from Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C., and has expanded to three daily services — operating on both Boeing 777 and Airbus 330-300 planes — between Istanbul and New York City for the summer season.
There is a silver lining in the new service for United. Turkish Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, which also counts United Airlines as a dominant member. Since the two airlines coordinate their schedules, passengers continuing on from Houston will likely fly on United to their final destination.
"Houston's strong business connections with Turkey created the opportunity to attract this foreign flag airline to our city," Mayor Annise Parker said in a press release. The belief is that the Houston to Turkey trade value, which amounted to $1.9 billion in 2010, will continue to grow with increased contact and commerce.
"Houston has become the gateway to the world. Our global business structure helps our economy thrive and our job market remains the envy of the nation," Parker continued. "These four new weekly flights will surely lead to increased economic opportunity for both Istanbul and Houston."
