Turkish Fly Airlines will start operating next week a new flight from Turkish Istanbul to Yerevan and back by a Boeing-727 aircraft, Armenpress reported. The idea to start the new flight was conceived by an Istanbul-based Tower Travel and the Yerevan Bagrat Tour. The first plane will arrive in Yerevan October 16.
Tigran Altoun, a Turkish Armenian businessman and head of Tower Travel, described the flight as “a revolution, the first step towards opening Turkish-Armenian borders, sealed for more than a decade, that will certainly add to the efforts aimed to normalize relations between the two neighbor nations.”
Altoun said the work for starting the new flight took almost a year. The Turkish authorities gave their permission only in September. Altoun said the new flight became possible also due to the meetings between Armenian and Turkish foreign ministers.
“I am happy to see that Turkey has somewhat softened its policy towards Armenia. I think that the regular operation of the flight will prompt some other positive changes,” he said. He added that more and more Turkish businessmen arrive in Armenia, an indication of Turkey’s softened policy. The first flight will bring to Armenia a team of Istanbul-based Armenian and Turkish businessmen, who will meet with counterparts here in Yerevan.
Altoun said there is a growing demand for flights to Yerevan, mainly among big and small businessmen. “Istanbul may become a convenient stop-over for Armenian passengers bound to other destinations,” he said. Two way tickets price will range from $230 to $270. The flights will be operated on Monday and Thursday by Turk pilots, but air hostesses will be Armenians.
Altoun said the competition with Armenian commercial carrier Armavia that operates two flights a week to Istanbul and back will induce higher quality services.
Yorumlar kapatıldı.