New daily flights to Istanbul from London Gatwick launch with Pegasus Airlines this summer
- Daily flights now connect London Gatwick with Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen
- Latest route marks the arrival of sixth new airline at London Gatwick this year
- Passengers will have the choice of 230 destinations this summer
London Gatwick has welcomed the return of Pegasus Airlines with new daily flights to Istanbul, offering passengers more choice and connectivity to Türkiye’s largest city.
The inaugural flight on 16 June marked the beginning of a direct connection between London Gatwick and Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport, further strengthening the airport’s growing European and short-haul network.
Operating daily from the airport’s South Terminal, the service gives passengers access to Istanbul’s growing commercial hub while also providing onward connections to 160 destinations across Pegasus’ wider network, across 56 countries.
Bridging both Europe and Asia, Istanbul remains one of the world’s most dynamic and culturally rich destinations – from historic landmarks such as the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque to its bustling districts, the city attracts millions of visitors each year.
Jonny Macneal, Head of Aviation Development, London Gatwick said: “We’re delighted to welcome Pegasus Airlines to London Gatwick and celebrate the launch of this new daily service to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen.
“Pegasus’ arrival highlights the continued strong demand from carriers to operate from London Gatwick as we expand our network and enhance connectivity across Europe and beyond.”
Pegasus Airlines joins a growing number of new carriers operating from London Gatwick as the airport continues to expand its impressive network. This year, the airport has already announced nine new airlines, including AirAsia X and Air Arabia – bolstering its strong long-haul offering.
With around 43m annual passengers, London Gatwick is the UK’s second largest and one of Europe’s top airports. It is a vital piece of national infrastructure that drives both the national and regional economies by generating £5.5bn GVA and supporting over 76,000 jobs (2023). More than 60 airlines fly from the airport to over 160 short-haul and more than 50 long-haul destinations. With a declared maximum capacity of 57 movements an hour, London Gatwick is the most efficient single runway airport in the world.
The airport is located 28 miles south of the UK capital and is extremely well-connected, with more than a quarter of England’s population (15m people) – including all of London – less than one hour away by road or rail. A six-year, £2bn sustainable growth programme includes an ambitious plan to be a net zero airport by 2030 and to increase capacity by bringing the airport’s existing Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway. VINCI Airports owns a 50.01% stake in the airport, with Global Infrastructure Partners managing the remaining 49.99%.
VINCI Airports, as the leading private airport operator in the world, manages the development and operation of more than 70 airports located in 14 countries. VINCI Airports draws on its expertise as a comprehensive integrator to develop, finance, build and operate airports, leveraging its investment capability and know-how to optimise operational performance and modernise infrastructure while bringing about their environmental transition. In 2016, VINCI Airports became the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy, setting itself the aim of reaching zero net emissions (scope 1 and 2) across the network by 2050 while supporting the territories’ local climate transition.
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GIP’s scaled platform has over $170bn in assets under management. We believe that our focus on real infrastructure assets, combined with our deep proprietary origination network and comprehensive operational expertise, enables us to be responsible stewards of our clients’ capital and to create positive economic impact for communities. For more information, visit www.global-infra.com .
