THY starts direct flights to Washington

Turkey's flagship carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) was honored with applause for its quality of service and comfort after its first direct flight from Washington, DC, landed in Istanbul on Sunday. Among the flight's 200-plus passengers were Turkey's Ambassador in Washington Namik Tan, several US congressmen, including William Delahunt and Jean Schmidt, and some 20 American Indian tribal chiefs, who are heading to Turkey for a series of official visits. Speaking at a reception at Washington Dulles International Airport before the flight's departure, THY CEO Temel Kotil said direct flights between Istanbul and Washington would facilitate transportation for businessmen, politicians and anyone wanting to travel between two major cities of these friendly nations. Tan also underscored the potential of the direct flights for boosting contacts between the two countries' cultures and dispelling misconceptions and ignorance. The flights to Washington will also make Istanbul a transit hub for passengers traveling to the US from Asia, the Middle East and Africa.