Originally Posted by
cheltzel
Why don't you read what I posted. I never said that the distances to SYD or AKL from IST were 5100nm. I said that the only way for TK to fly to SYD or AKL would be to append flight segments on to an existing route (like IST-CGK or IST-BKK). The resulting trips would have a maximum segment length of 5100nm. Easily doable with TKs existing equipment.
Ah, well if this is the case, I can give you more than one answer where all may be wrong, or right! At the moment (I mean, before the Covid-19 pandemic era), Australian passengers could easily buy a ticket from SQ or from TK (which are code-sharing, anyway) and could fly SYD/MEL - SIN - IST. (both legs with SQ or SIN-IST leg also with TK). Alternatively they could again fly SYD/MEL - DXB/DOH - IST flying EK/QR. So, what you suggest as a solution has been available since many years and TK has been benefiting from Aussie pax that end up their journey in Turkey. So why create an alternative, esp. where TK cannot likely obtain 5th Freedom Rights between e.g. CGK/BKK - SYD/MEL? TK's actual and global strategy is to carry those Aussie pax who travel to those many secondary locations in Europe where QF/SQ/CX/EK/QR/LH don't fly. e.g. TK sees an opportunity to fly those Aussie pax (via IST) to European airports starting from Athens or Sofia in the east ending with DUB/LIS, plus North African & Middle East destinations and in the meanwhile also serve Turkey pax. Therefore TK need direct flights between IST and SYD/MEL. And currently, there is no equipment to fly non-stop between IST - SYD/MEL, maybe except for a re-worked version of the Airbus A350-941ULR.