Turkish Airlines is betting big on what would be its longest route ever served. The carrier, telling Simple Flying exclusively, that it plans to launch nonstop flights between Istanbul and Sydney with specially equipped aircraft next year.

It comes as its equipment of choice to make such a route possible – the Airbus A350-1000ULR – faces a new delay. Qantas, the launch customer of the jet, has since pushed back the start of Project Sunrise – its ultra-long-haul service from Sydney to both New York and London.

Istanbul-Sydney Thanks To New Long-Range A350s

Credit: Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines’ Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Murat Şeker, sat down with Simple Flying for a wide-ranging interview during the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting in Rio De Janeiro on Saturday. The flight between the carrier’s hub at Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) would span nearly 9,300 miles and take up to 19 hours.

The airline, which already operates the smaller A350-900 variant, placed an order for 15 examples of the larger -1000 in 2023. According to Şeker, eight airframes will be ULR jets; however, details have not yet been finalized. The chairman admitted that an IST-SYD launch faces “a challenge on the business side,” but the airline’s ambitions remain unchanged.

“Operational side, we don’t have a challenge. We have a challenge on the business side with the A350-1000s, which are going to be specially designed for that ultra-long distance. We have agreed with Airbus on the design, but the economics of the aircraft in the long-haul…pax, plus the cargo… there are some still discussions going on with Airbus on that regard – the weight of the aircraft and the fuel necessary…whether it needs to make a stop or not. But we want this nonstop right? So there is still work in progress.”

Ultra-Long-Haul Comes With New Premium Seats

Credit: Turkish Airlines

The first -1000 is expected to arrive in July of next year, with the third airframe delivered by the end of 2027. The timeline, however, depends on certification of the aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) increase, which is currently ongoing. The airline expects to launch Istanbul-Sydney service by the end of next year, following certification.

“By the end of ‘27, we will start direct flights with this spatially designed A350-1000 aircraft,” Şeker said.

Emphasizing spatial design, the -1000ULRs will have more business class seats compared to the “regular ones.” Şeker explained that the ULRs will be equipped with 66 business class suites, while the non-ULRs will comprise 48 suites. The increase in premium seats is part of a broader initiative that also addresses premium economy seats. Following passenger feedback and given that the carrier is flying “longer hours,” Şeker confirmed that an in-house business class seat, developed by its subsidiary TCI Aircraft Interiors, is in the works.

Notably, the new suites will be enclosed with a door, offering “a complete privacy experience.” Although the product’s approval and authorization are taking some time, Şeker said the airline will “very likely” receive its first aircraft with the new seat by next year, with the plan for all future widebodies to be delivered with the product starting in 2028. Retrofits are also planned for the airline’s older Boeing 777-300ERs.

Eyeing New Destinations: A US Expansion Is On The Way

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The Istanbul-Sydney plan underscores a key constraint in Turkish Airlines’ desire to expand its network. The carrier has simply been unable to add more markets due to aircraft availability, according to Şeker. With new planes on the way, Şeker mentioned that US markets are being actively looked at – whether by boosting frequencies or starting service to an all-new destination.

“Our bigger priority will be to increase the depth of the market in our existing destinations to put more frequencies in Miami, LA, Chicago, but we’re also looking into new cities like Orlando, Minneapolis,” he explained. “For a while, we look into it, so there might be a few more destinations, new cities that we might get engaged. Philadelphia – another one that we have been looking into.”

Amid the focus on expanding its long-haul and international footprint, Şeker also shared that the airline has been hard at work on an internal transformation. At the beginning of the year, the carrier revised its catering offerings and introduced a new cabin program for crew members to enhance passenger experience and engagement. The move has resulted in an improved Net Promoter Score (NPS).

“Our NPS score has improved significantly since the beginning of the year, so our customers, especially new customers attending this year due to the conflict in the region, are being welcomed with our new crew experience,” he explained.

In the meantime, the airline will also focus on improving its lounge experience, inflight WiFi, and continued growth in Istanbul before the new aircraft arrive.

Credit: Turkish Airlines