Qatar Airways launches Flights to Ankara, Turkey

Doha-based Qatar Airways has launched scheduled services to Ankara in Turkey. By adding four-non-stop services a week between Doha and Ankara, the new route strengthens the airline’s operations in Turkey, where it already operates daily flights to Istanbul.

Qatar Airways is operating an Airbus A320 with 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy on the new route.

“Since we entered Turkey in 2004 with flights to Istanbul, the route’s performance has exceeded our expectations year on year,” said  Qatar Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker. “We are confident that our new service to Ankara will be equally as successful helping facilitate travel to and from this wonderful city and beyond for both the business travel community and leisure travellers.”

The new route comes at a time of strong trade between Qatar and Turkey, whose relations have grown from strength to strength and which go beyond political and economic ties. Bilateral trade between the two countries increased five-fold from US$21 million in 2007 to over US$1.2 billion in 2008 with the aim of boosting commercial trade even further to US$10 billion by 2015.

With a population of 72 million with an average age of 28.5 years, the Republic of Turkey is the 15th largest and one of the most vibrant economies in the world.

Turkey, with its spectacular coastline, cosmopolitan cities and historical sightseeing attractions, remains a highly popular tourist hotspot. According to the United Nations agency, World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Turkey is in fact the third fastest growing tourism destination in the world.

For foreign visitors to Turkey, the new route to Ankara is an ideal gateway when visiting, for example, the famous Cappadocian region, best known for its moon-like landscape with underground cities and houses carved in rocks.

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