LA LAKERS basketball star Kobe Bryant, otherwise known as the king of LA, turned out to welcome the inaugural Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Los Angeles, US.
Bryant, who is the airline’s brand ambassador joined airline staff and chairman Hamdi Topcu for a reception at Paramount Studios to mark the new service which touched down at LAX for the first time on March 7 to a water salute and emergency vehicles flashing their lights in welcome.
The airline’s fourth destination in the United States will be served by non-stop flights four times per week on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday operated on a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
To celebrate the new route, Turkish Airlines is offering a discounted rate on all flights from Los Angeles to Istanbul purchased on or before April 30, 2011, with round-trip tickets available for $752 including all taxes and fees.
The first flight was welcomed by Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director, Los Angeles World Airports (LAX), who told gathered press that the opening of a new direct route from Istanbul would support up to 1,700 jobs in the US.
In fact LA Airport Authority estimates the four direct flights per week could generate up to $350 million per year in additional income for the city with Lindsey adding that international flights have a much greater economic impact than domestic ones bringing in people who stay longer and spend across the economy on items such as car rental, hotels, restaurants and retail.
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Ribbon cutting (L to R) Fatma Yuceler, general manager, Western US, Turkish Airlines; Lindsey and Topcu with flight attendants and airline staff |
Hajan Tejin, Turkish Consul General to Los Angeles congratulated the airline on its investment in launching a fourth US destination, alongside New York, Chicago and Washington, and the only direct flight from Istanbul to the US west coast.
Cutting the ribbon on the inaugural flight, Topcu said he was proud that the airline is now serving the west coast and also of its efforts to come up with new innovations to attract additional passengers such as the comfort class which provides the affordability of economy with the luxury of business class boasting a 46-inch seat pitch and a seating area of 19.5 inches.
In the same week as the LAX launch Turkish Airlines also ordered three new Airbus A330-200 freighters to bring its total order book for the type to five.
From its launch in 1933 with a fleet of only five planes, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines is today a four-star airline company with a fleet of 155 aircraft flying to 173 destinations around the world, comprising 41 domestic and 132 international routes. And Topcu said there is plenty of room to grow estimating that the carrier has captured only half its potential market.
He said capacity will increase 144 per cent on last year within the next six months and the carrier is expected to reach its target of 50 million passengers a year by 2015 rather than 2020 as originally planned.
Turkish Airways currently has 91 aircraft on order and will expand its fleet to 172 by the end of 2011. Topcu also said he is considering placing further orders with Boeing with a decision to be made this month.
The airline is also considering further expanding its American routes, Atlanta is already in the pipeline and it is looking at Boston, Miami, Detroit, Huston, Mexico, Buenos Aires and Montreal.