Turkish Airlines to fly to Duban, South Africa

Turkish Airlines will be launching its third South African route between Durban and Istanbul before 15 November this year.

Flights to the destination will take-off four times a week via Johannesburg with plans to implement a daily flight in the near future, the airline announced on Monday, 21 September.  

From 26 October 2015, the airline will also start flying directly to Cape Town from Istanbul. There is already a direct flight operating between Johannesburg and Istanbul. 

Turkish Airlines General Manager in Johannesburg,  Muhammed Mehdi Tunc, say the direct flight will address a growing need among international travellers to fly to Durban. 

He points to tourism statistics eThekwini Municipality in February, which indicated that 2014 saw an increase of 12.8% from 2013 in the tourism sector in Durban. The statistics indicate that 7.4 million visitors travelled to the destination, with a total direct spend of R19.2 billion resulting from the visits. 

Turkish Airlines currently has the fourth largest flight network with 276 destinations in 110 countries. The airline’s Africa network includes 43 destinations.

Traveller24 reported in August that Durban will also be the host of a new cruise terminal to be built over a 20-year period. 

The Transnet National Ports Authority issued an open tender for the new port on its website requesting proposals for the “design, development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and transfer of a cruise terminal facility at the Port of Durban at A and  B Berths".

There is no visa charge for South Africans citizens wanting to travel to Turkey. South Africans can attain a free e-visa online.