Seabird sea planes to take off on June 1

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet

A seabird sea plane prepares to land in the sea at Alaçatı, a windsurfing destination in the Aegean town of Çeşme.

Seabird, a Turkish aviation company recently granted authorization to fly sea planes, is gearing up to launch relatively affordable air-taxi services from Istanbul to major tourist destinations.

The airline’s least expensive flight is aboard a Twin Otter 19-seat plane to Bozcaada, for 147 to 377 Turkish Liras, easing access to the northwwestern island which hosts thousands of tourists every year.
Seabird planes will take off from Istanbul’s Golden Horn and will operate to Alaçatı and Bodrum routes, two international tourism destinations on Turkey’s Aegean coast.

Seabird Airways was granted

a license to fly by the Transportation Ministry in February. Ticket sales will commence in May and flights will begin on June 1, according to the company.

Seabird Airways’ General Manager Kürşad Arusan had previously announced the company will begin operations with a fleet of two sea planes, and will purchase six more planes by 2014.