Turkish Airlines raises international flights

Turkish Airlines (THY) has raised its flights to Lebanese capital of Beirut and Kazakh cities of Astana (capital) and Almaty, a company statement said on Monday.

THY will raise its weekly flights to Beirut to 19 from 14 as of May 15. Beirut flights will be up to 20 on June 27 and 21 on August 1.

Accordingly, THY will operate three flights from Istanbul to Beirut every day till October 29.

THY will start flying from Istanbul to Astana three times a week, on Wednesday, Thursdays and Saturdays during the summer season. Currently, there are only two THY flights between the two cities, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Moreover, the Turkish national airline company will raise its flights to Almaty to nine a week as of June 2.

THY actually flies to Almaty every day. It will raise its flights to two on Thursdays and Saturdays as of June 2.

Turkey's flag carrier posted 286 million Turkish lira (188.03 million USD) net profit in 2010. It carried 6.7 million passengers in Q1 of 2011, with a 8.7 percent year-on-year rise.

Based in Istanbul, THY is one of the fastest growing and prosperous airlines in the world. It carries approximately 25 million passengers a year, with direct flights to 126 international and 37 domestic destinations.

The company was founded in 1933 with a fleet of five airplanes that carried a total of 28 passengers. THY made its first domestic flight in 1933 and the first international flight in 1947.


/World Bulletin/