A Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with a higher occupancy than the 85%, landed at noon this morning at Istanbul Airport, inaugurating the new route that, as of today, connects Madrid with the Turkish city with four frequencies a week.
The flight took off from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport shortly after 9:30 a.m. after the ribbon cutting ceremony performed by the CEO of Air EuropaJesús Nuño de la Rosa, accompanied by the First Counselor of the Turkish Embassy in Spain, Nur Alkis, and Ana Paniagua, Aena's Director of Customer Experience. Upon arrival in Istanbul, a welcome ceremony took place in which Nuño de la Rosa expressed the company's satisfaction at flying to one of the most charming cities on the planet and a bridge between Europe and the Middle East.
"Connecting Madrid with Turkey is much more than opening a new route. For us, it means taking even further our desire to connect America not only with Europe, but also with the entire Mediterranean arc. We continue to expand the options for our customers with a destination, such as Istanbul, of the utmost cultural and economic importance," said the airline's CEO. Nuño de la Rosa also expressed the company's full confidence in this new destination, saying: "We are sure that it will be a success and that it will soon become an essential part of Air Europa's offer".
Highlighting the importance of the start of Air Europa's operations, Selahattin Bilgen, CEO of Istanbul iGA Airport, said: "We are very pleased about the start of Air Europa flights. This new route is an important step in strengthening tourism, trade and cultural relations between the two countries. We recognize not only Istanbul's strong position in international tourism, but also its unique potential for connectivity between Asia, Africa and Europe, highlighting our role as a vital strategic hub for global business and intercontinental collaboration. We firmly believe that Air Europa, one of Spain's leading airlines, will bring significant added value to Istanbul."
The welcome ceremony was also attended by the Spanish Ambassador to Turkey, Cristina Latorre, who highlighted Air Europa's commitment to a destination with as much growth as Istanbul.
Globalia's airline division has launched the new route with an operation of four weekly frequencies that will be progressively increased to a daily flight starting next July. Flights from Madrid take off at 9:30 a.m., while from Istanbul they take off at 4:00 p.m., which guarantees the connection with the night transoceanic routes from Madrid to the different Air Europa destinations in America. This new connection, emphasizes Air Europa's CEO, implies "opening a new door of enormous possibilities both to the rest of the European continent and to America".
The new route is operated by the Dreamliner fleet, the company's flagship aircraft. The high capacity of this model, the most efficient and advanced in its category, allows it to offer more than 247,000 seats per year with an estimated average occupancy of more than 80% and a cargo capacity of up to 7,500 tons per year.
The Dreamliner represents a total change in the customer experience. In addition to its performance, which helps reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to 25%, it is designed to provide maximum comfort and relaxation for the user. Contributing to this is the low noise impact of its engines, the higher cab ceilings, the ample natural light provided by its windows (30% larger than usual) and its ventilation system that facilitates rest and reduces fatigue. In addition, it has a complete in-flight entertainment system and a unique Business Class, with fully reclining seats that can be converted into two-meter long beds.
On the occasion of the inauguration of the new route to Istanbul, Air Europa SUMA has activated a promotion, valid until next June, consisting of obtaining double Miles on flights to Istanbul, as well as a 25% discount on Miles when redeeming them for flights to the Turkish city.
With the addition to Air Europa's network of this new destination in a privileged location, the airline continues with its international expansion plan, reaching more cities and increasing its seating capacity. To this end, the airline has added two more Dreamliners to its fleet this month, and will add a third next June. The arrival of its first Boeing 737 MAX is scheduled for the end of May. In this way, it will expand its capacity while continuing its commitment to the most sustainable and environmentally friendly fleet on the market.
