Flights from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to London Begin with British Airways
Flights from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to London Heathrow have officially commenced. In honor of Sabiha Gökçen, the first flight’s entire crew was composed of women.
The inaugural flight from London Heathrow to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (ISG) took place on Thursday, June 1, operated by one of the UK’s leading airlines, British Airways. The SAW-LHR route will operate four times a week—on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays—using Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.
All-Female Flight Crew
In tribute to the world’s first female combat pilot, Sabiha Gökçen, British Airways assigned an all-female crew for the first flight, including Captain Jessica Telford and First Officer Kerry Bennett. Berk Albayrak, CEO of Sabiha Gökçen Airport, described this gesture as highly meaningful, emphasizing that the flight highlights women’s presence in the aviation sector. “Our first LHR-SAW flight has set an inspiring example for greater female participation in aviation,” said Albayrak, stressing the airport’s efforts to employ more women in the sector.
Significant Contribution to Tourism
Berk Albayrak noted that the collaboration allows Sabiha Gökçen passengers to benefit from British Airways’ extensive global route network. “Sabiha Gökçen serves 154 destinations in total, including 115 international and 39 domestic. Through this partnership, passengers can now connect via London Heathrow to over 200 destinations in 65 countries. Combined with British Airways’ high service standards and wide fleet, the SAW-LHR route is expected to make a substantial contribution to the tourism sector,” he added.
Albayrak also highlighted the airport’s recent performance: “In 2019, we set a record with 35.5 million passengers. Post-pandemic, our 2023 numbers are excellent. We served approximately 14 million passengers in the first five months of 2023, and in March, we ranked among Europe’s 10 busiest airports. As Turkey’s second-busiest airport, we continue to maintain our domestic position.”
British Airways’ Statement
Elisabeth Ruff, Head of European Corporate Sales at British Airways, commented on the collaboration: “As we continue to invest in products, services, and technology, we are delighted to strengthen the connection between two major cities, Istanbul and London.”
Three New Routes Expand ISG’s Network
Recently, Sabiha Gökçen Airport added three new routes. In addition to British Airways’ London Heathrow service, Pegasus Airlines now operates flights to Rhodes and Mytilene in Greece. With these additions, ISG connects to 154 destinations across 51 countries via 45 airlines.
As Turkey’s second-busiest and Europe’s ninth-busiest airport, Sabiha Gökçen is also recognized among the world’s eight most earthquake-resistant buildings. Its 320,000-square-meter integrated terminal and 41-million passenger capacity make it the world’s busiest single-runway, single-terminal airport.