Press release

More family visits and holidays in Turkey
SunExpress presents 2024 summer flight schedule and record figures at BER Airport

A successful summer in the capital: SunExpress, a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, has set a capacity record at BER Airport in summer 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Furthermore, Turkey was the second most important destination from the German airport after Spain in summer 2023. Aletta von Massenbach, Chief Executive Officer Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and Max Kownatzki, CEO SunExpress Airlines, provide insights into the 2024 summer flight schedule and the positive development of the partnership.

“As the leading holiday airline from Berlin to the Turkish Riviera and Anatolia, the airport is undoubtedly one of our most important gateways in Germany,” emphasises SunExpress CEO Max Kownatzki. “One reason for this is certainly that Berlin is home to many Turkish citizens who regularly fly to their home country. VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) traffic has not dwindled, even during the pandemic, and currently accounts for 50 percent of our customer base. We are passionate about uniting our guests with their families, friends and relatives. We predict increased demand for holidays in Turkey next summer. With this in mind, we are looking forward to providing even more capacity than before the pandemic for our Berlin-based passengers next summer. This is why we are not only planning seven percent more seat capacity for the Turkish Riviera and Anatolia, but are also adding two new destinations. Guests from the capital can also travel with us to Diyarbakır and Kayseri from next summer. This underlines the relevance of our long-standing partnership with Berlin Airport and the growing demand for travel to a country that has so much to offer in terms of culture, history, cuisine and nature.” 

“I am delighted with our strong partnership with SunExpress. By expanding capacities and frequencies, and adding new destinations, the airline is underlining its commitment to Berlin Brandenburg Airport and the capital region,” reiterates Aletta von Massenbach, CEO of Berlin Airport. “In summer 2024, SunExpress will connect BER with ten destinations in Turkey. This means that passengers visiting family will reach their desired destination even more often using a direct route. SunExpress’ flight schedule offers an attractive mix of classic beach resorts, fascinating metropolises and culture for a holiday in Turkey. Direct flights are the best condition for positive economic development, meaning the connections encourage growth in Berlin and Brandenburg as well as at the destinations in Turkey.”

The airline, which was recently named “Best Leisure Airline in Europe” by Skytrax, is catering for an extended summer in the capital again this year due to high demand with more than 50 additional flights from September to November. For next summer, the airline expects demand to continue to grow and is increasing the route to ten destinations with a total of 56 departures per week.

About SunExpress

SunExpress was founded in 1989 as a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines and is one of the leading providers of holiday flights to Turkey. The airline currently serves a route network of around 60 international destinations on a total of 175 routes with its modern fleet of Boeing 737.  The airline has combined Turkish hospitality with German precision for more than 30 years and welcomes more than 10 million passengers on board its aircraft each year. SunExpress is a strong partner of tourism in Turkey and has received several awards for service and comfort on board its flights. The carrier, which was named “Best Leisure Airline in Europe” by Skytrax, scored points thanks to its good price-performance ratio and a wide range of innovations and digital services. Further information at www.sunexpress.com.

Appendix

Connections from Berlin 

Press contact

Julia Knobe | Seraphine Prietl
Wilde & Partner Communications GmbH
Tel.: +49 89 - 17 91 90 55
Email: sunexpress@wilde.de