Business travellers across the East of England have gained a direct link to one of the world’s largest airline hubs after Turkish Airlines began flying between London Stansted and Istanbul.
The Turkish flag carrier will operate up to 15 flights a week on the twice-daily route, giving passengers in London, Essex, Hertfordshire and the wider East of England direct access to Turkey’s largest city and, through the airline’s hub, connections to more than 350 onward destinations across Asia, Africa and beyond.
A full house on day one
The inaugural flight touched down on Wednesday 18 March, and demand was immediate. Both inaugural services operated at full capacity, an encouraging signal for a route pitched squarely at travellers who want long-haul connectivity without crossing London to reach Heathrow or Gatwick.
The airport marked the occasion with celebrations at check-in and the boarding gate, including a ribbon and cake cutting ceremony, while the arriving aircraft was greeted with a traditional water arch salute from Stansted’s fire service. Full details of the launch are available from the London Stansted media centre.
Ciaran Brannigan, Commercial Director at London Stansted, said the new service is a significant step forward for the airport and the region it serves. He said: “We’re delighted to welcome Turkish Airlines to London Stansted. This route gives passengers from the region a fantastic new option for travelling to Istanbul and, thanks to the airline’s world-leading network, offers convenient connections to more than 350 destinations worldwide. This launch strengthens our growing network and supports the long-term vision for London Stansted as a major international gateway for the East of England.”
What it means for SME travellers
For smaller firms based north and east of the capital, the practical gain is time and cost. A twice-daily frequency supports flexible itineraries, giving travellers more scope to shorten trips to Istanbul without extra hotel nights. For longer journeys, Turkish Airlines offers one-stop routings to markets across Asia, the Middle East and Africa that would otherwise require a transfer through Heathrow, often at a premium.
The carrier has also been building out ground services for corporate passengers at the airport, including a partnership with Uber at London Stansted offering business class customers a £100 voucher towards their journey to the terminal. The route arrives as the airline carries record traffic through its Istanbul hub, having reported its busiest May on record with 7.9 million passengers.
Stansted’s growing network
The Istanbul service is the latest in a series of network gains for the Essex airport, which has also welcomed easyJet’s new Stansted to Paris Charles de Gaulle route aimed at cross-Channel business demand.
For business travellers in the East of England, the direction of travel is clear. Stansted is steadily adding the kind of hub connections that once required a trek around the M25, and with two departures a day to Istanbul, the region now has a credible eastern gateway on its doorstep.
