Sunday World Routes Special - ISG Brings Taste of Turkey to Vancouver

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (ISG) has arrived and proved it last night with a spectacular Saturday Night Reception to kick off World Routes 2010.

With 11 million passengers expected to use the gateway this year and 63 airlines operating a network of 78 routes, the "airline friendly airport", as described by chief commercial officer, Server Aydin, is a long-standing supporter of the Routes events. He was speaking exclusively with the Hub Daily yesterday.

"The Saturday Reception is going to be a fun evening full of suprises and glimpses of Turkish culture, including belly dancing, raki and local food," said Aydin.

"Routes is the main event for us to promote our brand name and it's a great way to communicate our message to airlines," he added. "Since 2008 we have attended every Routes event and these have helped us to capture many of our airlines."

With a catchment area of 18 million people and five major cities within easy reach, the airport offers airlines in the region a compelling market. Plus, the "airline-friendly approach" covers connection times, fees, payment options, marketing research and development support and dedicated staff.

Aydin believes this approach is unique and pointed to the examples of Stockholm, Copenhagen, Billund, Barcelona and Milan as just some of the new routes that have been successfully launched in the past year. He says that the medium-term goal is to establish itself as a medium-haul hub for the region, with long-haul services being a long-term goal.

Lucy Siebert
Vancouver, Canada