Turkish Airlines to increase to four weekly flights to Basra

BASRA / IraqiNews.com: Turkish Airlines launched a new air bridge between Basra and Istanbul by increasing the weekly flights to four, according to the Turkish consulate in Basra. “Today, Basra is connected to 190 destinations around the world through the city of Istanbul,” the consulate said on Monday. “The company will start the fourth air bridge between Basra and Istanbul as of March 4, 2012 on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursday,” it added. “The tickets prices for Istanbul-Basra-Istanbul flights will be $327,” the Turkish Airlines office in Basra said. “Basra is strategically important, and the fourth air bridge will underline to the Turkish and foreign investors that Iraq has changed and became much safer and better than before,” Turkish consul general to Basra, Faruk Kaymiski, said. Turkish Airlines has been the national flag carrier since its foundation in 1933.Turkish Airlines, which has established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkish Republic, had a small fleet of 5 airplanes an now it has 177 airplanes. The company launches flights to 6 Iraqi provinces; Baghdad, Sulaimaniya, Arbil, Basra, Mosul and Najaf. SH (TI)/SR 1178