EasyJet is to introduce a daily Gatwick to Istanbul”s Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on 12 December.
The airline already successfully serves the gateway, situated in the eastern, Asian, part of Istanbul, with a single flight per day from Luton. It expects over 100,000 passengers to travel on the new service in the first 12 months.
Basel in France is easyJet”s third destination from Sabiha Gokcen International, an airport named after Turkey”s first female fighter pilot and leader in the country”s emancipation of women.
Istanbul is Gatwick”s 51st easyJet route, making the airport the airline”s largest hub and its fifth new destination for this winter. The airline has now confirmed that Lyon will be launched on 3 October, Basel 27 October, Helsinki 3 November, Istanbul as noted 12 December and Salzburg the day after. Airbus A319 with 156 seats will be used on the route.
In spite of being technically in Asia, Sabiha Gokcen is easily accessible from Taksim Square in the centre of Istanbul. The 30 minute bus trip via the TEM motorway includes a spectacular ride across the Bosphorus Bridge.
Sabiha Gokcen competes with Istanbul”s main airport called Atat”rk, after modern Turkey”s founder. Atat”rk is about 20 miles from the downtown area of the city but also has a metro service. Both British Airways and Turkish Airlines serve Atat”rk from Heathrow, with the Turkish carrier also operating out of Stansted.
Istanbul is the only city in the world that embraces two continents ” Europe and Asia ” and is a spellbinding combination of past and present. Once the capital of three successive empires ” the East Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman ” the city has unique historical and cultural traditions, with a captivating array of attractions including bazaars, palaces, sights of natural beauty and the world-famous Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque.
For more information, visit www.easyjet.com.
Malcolm Ginsberg
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