SunExpress has launched its first flight to Antalya from London Luton Airport.
Antalya is the first of four brand new destinations which the airline is launching this month, with Bodrum, Ankara and Gaziantep also set to enjoy new connections.
SunExpress also continues to offer twice weekly flights to Izmir, as it has done for the past three years.
The flights to Ankara and Gaziantep are the only direct flights to operate to these destinations from the UK.
A launch event was attended by Taner Beyoglu, new director of the Turkish Culture & Tourism Office for the UK & Ireland.
He said: “I was very happy to be here to share this occasion with SunExpress and London Luton Airport.
“It is wonderful to see so many new Turkish destinations being launched by SunExpress, which will offer more choice to British tourists visiting Turkey and also a better holiday experience with easier access to many fascinating resorts.
“On a personal level, I am very pleased that it will now be easier for me to return to see my friends and family in Ankara, where I live when I am in Turkey.”
London Luton Airport is nearing the completion of its £160 million transformation, which will increase capacity to 18 million passengers by 2020.
The passenger experience has been improved by an expanded and upgraded terminal providing more seating and new boarding gates, as well as a greater variety of shops and restaurants.
A total of 30 new stores are due to open in the terminal by the end of the year.
It is now easier to reach LLA than ever, as the redevelopment includes major upgrades to transport links, including better road access to the M1, new car parking facilities, a remodelled bus and coach interchange and improved rail links to Luton Airport Parkway station.
Wilken Bellmann, head of network planning and scheduling for SunExpress, said: “I was delighted to be at London Luton Airport today to see the first passengers off to Antalya.
“We are extremely happy to have been able to launch so many new routes from the UK in 2018, and very pleased that Turkey is back on the map for British tourists.
“Our flights to Ankara and Gaziantep will undoubtedly make it much easier for the local Turkish community to visit family and friends.”
More Information
See a selection of images from the launch here.