Turkish Airlines has opened a direct service between Guangzhou and Istanbul on Jan 31st. The first flight to Guangzhou was greeted by a dragon dance and delegations from both countries.
Guangzhou is Turkish Airlines' fourth destination in China, following Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. The route is served by one of Turkish Airlines' newest Boeing 777 aircraft, and offers economy class, business class and the airlines' latest "Comfort Class" cabins. In addition, the flight also features Turkish Airlines' in-flight service like the Flying Chef.
Turkish Airlines plans to offer Guangzhou to Istanbul service three times a week. Scheduled flights to Guangzhou leave at 23:05 and arrive at 14:50 the following day. Flights to Istanbul set off at 23:05 and land at local time 05:05 the following day.
Melih Topuz, the newly appointed director of the Turkish Airlines Guangzhou office said that it was always exciting to open a new destination, and Guangzhou is a perfect choice to Turkish Airlines’ network. He noted that for centuries, Guangzhou has been the eastern end of the maritime Silk Road, with Turkey being the western end. The ancient route taken by ships, which took weeks, is now replaced by a few hours trip on Turkish Airlines jet. The director hopes more and more travelers from Guangzhou will come to visit Turkey and Europe through Turkish Airlines.