Turkish Airlines is making significant strides in expanding its operations in Australia, marking a major development for the airline and aviation in the region. Since March 2024, Turkish Airlines has been offering flights from Melbourne to Istanbul three times a week. In December, the airline will launch a new service from Sydney to Istanbul via Kuala Lumpur. Looking ahead, Turkish Airlines plans to introduce non-stop flights from Istanbul to Sydney by 2026 using its new Airbus A350-1000 jets, a first for Australia. In a bid to attract frequent flyers, Turkish Airlines is offering an instant status match to Qantas Platinum and Platinum One members. Once accepted, these travelers will enjoy four months of Elite tier membership in Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles loyalty program. This includes perks like airport lounge access for members and their family or one guest, free inflight Wi-Fi, seat selection, increased baggage allowance, a complimentary ‘hold the price’ service, and the ability to request special meals.<br/>
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Three international flights to the US and the Middle East from India were diverted or grounded on Monday after Mumbai International Airport received bomb threats. An Air India flight carrying 239 passengers from Mumbai to New York was diverted to the capital, New Delhi, the airline said. Two IndiGo flights were the subjects of similar threats. The aircraft were taken to an isolated area for security checks, IndiGo airlines said. Flight AI 119 from Mumbai to John F Kennedy International Airport made an emergency landing at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport, where all passengers and 19 crew members were safe. The aircraft was parked at an isolated runway where security agencies, including a bomb squad, carried out checks. The passengers were moved to hotels and the flight was rescheduled for October 15, an Air India representative told The National. The Mumbai airport had received a message on X regarding a bomb threat. One of the IndiGo flights was bound to Muscat in Oman and the other to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. “As per protocol, the aircraft was taken to an isolated bay and following the standard operating procedure, mandatory security checks were conducted,” IndiGo said.<br/>
Air New Zealand’s fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will soon look different on the inside. The national carrier has sent the first of its 14 787-9s to Singapore to receive a head-to-tail revamp, which will see them retrofitted with new cabin interiors in what it describes as a “world-first”. Similar to a home renovation, the revamp will involve replacing everything inside the cabin, from the carpet, curtains and wallpaper to the seats and entertainment systems. New seats will be installed in every cabin and include new ultra-exclusive Business Premier Luxe seats with sliding doors for privacy in the redesigned Business Premier cabin. A new ‘Sky Pantry’, a free snack station where passengers can help themselves to refreshments and stretch their legs, will be installed in Economy. Air NZ was the launch customer for the 787-9 in 2014, so the airline’s general manager of strategy, networks and fleet, Baden Smith, said it feels fitting that it is the first airline in the world to retrofit the aircraft from nose to tail. “The aircraft will then come back to New Zealand where our team will spend a few weeks working through various checks and training before it officially enters the flying schedule in the next year.” The airline will send all 14 787-9s to Singapore to be retrofitted, one at a time over the next two years in order to minimise disruption to schedules. “We’re retrofitting them one at a time to ensure we have enough aircraft to fly our schedule, and we aren’t disrupting customers’ travel plans,” Smith said.<br/>