Qatar Airways has continued its expansion plans with the launch of direct flights to its third destination in Turkey.

The airline’s inaugural flight to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport touched down earlier evening to mark the airline’s 140th destination from Doha.

The historic flight signalled the start of a four-times-weekly service to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, extending the airline’s reach in Turkey’s largest city.

The route, which will be operated by an Airbus A320, with 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy, will be Qatar Airways’ third route to Turkey, in addition to dedicated flights to Istanbul Ataturk Airport and Ankara.

With the addition of Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, the number of flights to Turkey rises from 14 to 18 frequencies each week.

Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul, Marwan Koleilat, Qatar Airways chief commercial officer, said: “Qatar Airways has reached yet another key milestone in Turkey, with the launch of four additional weekly flights to this fast-growing country.

“Istanbul is a magical city that is rich in history and culture so we are thrilled to be providing this new scheduled service to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, an airport that serves as a vital connecting hub between Asia and Europe.”

With the new route, Qatar Airways will be serving travellers from the eastern (Asian) side of Istanbul in addition to Ataturk Airport which currently services the population in the western (European) side of the city separated by the Bosphorus.

The Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen operation provides a non-stop link to Doha with excellent onward connections to over 100 destinations, including popular destinations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bangkok, the Maldives, Bali, Singapore, Melbourne and Hong Kong.