We had such an amazing time in Montreal last week with Turkish Airlines Canada in celebration of the inaugural flights between Montreal and Istanbul. In addition to an official press conference held on June 3rd, nearly 300 people join us at the Sheraton for an exquisite gala to commemorate this momentous occasion on the 4th!

A plane cake!

The beautiful Turkish Airlines Canada team!

With TK’s impressive flying chefs available to offer guests decadent and traditional Turkish Delight and an evening of stunning entertainment and exquisite cuisine and fabulous speeches, the gala was truly a night to remember!

Official Release:

MONTREAL, June 5, 2014 /CNW/ – On Tuesday, June 03, 2014, Aéroports de Montréal proudly welcomed the inaugural non-stop Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, at an evening press conference held at the Montreal Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel.

The flight carried distinguished guests, including Mr. Ismail Gerçek and Mr. Naci Ağbal, members of the board of Turkish Airlines, along with key members of the Turkish media. Remarks were made at the press conference by James C. Cherry, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal; Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan; Turkish Airlines Board Member, Ismail Gerçek; Çağatay Erciyes, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations (UN) International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); and Mr. Tuncay Babali, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Canada.

Montreal has the distinction of being the two hundred and fifty-third destination to which Turkish Airlines now flies. The flight is the first of what will be a regular, non-stop and year-round service, three times weekly, connecting Montreal to the international destinations in 106 countries served by Turkish Airlines, with the intention of expanding the service to daily direct flights.

The new flight further solidifies the developing relationship between Canada and Turkey, continuing to improve trade links between the countries and opening new economic opportunities, with emphasis on the education, information technology, aerospace and transportation sectors.

About Turkish Airlines:

Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines is a 4-star airline today with a fleet of 249 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 257 destinations worldwide with 211 international and 46 domestic. According to Skytrax survey of 2013, Turkish Airlines was chosen “Europe’s Best Airline” for the third and “Best Airline in Southern Europe” for the fourth consecutive time. Having won in 2010 the world’s “Best Economy Catering Service” award, Turkish Airlines was this year awarded the world’s “Best Business Catering Service” prize in the Skytrax survey. More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on their website: www.turkishairlines.com.