TORONTO — Air Transat launched its inaugural flights to Istanbul and Georgetown, Guyana yesterday, introducing two new routes from Toronto Pearson.
Flight TS164 to GEO departed in the early evening, followed later by flight TS214 to IST.
“Introducing Istanbul and Georgetown from Toronto is a strategic step in diversifying our offer while serving travellers flying to visit friends and family,” said Sebastian Ponce, Transat’s Chief Revenue Officer. “Istanbul unlocks a world of onward possibilities through our partnership with Turkish Airlines, and Georgetown strengthens ties with Canada’s Guyanese community. Together, these routes invite discovery and deliver the seamless comfort that defines Air Transat.”
The YYZ-IST route offers year-round service with flights on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and an additional Thursday flight from May 2026. Travellers gain easy access to Istanbul and, thanks to new codeshare and interline agreements with Turkish Airlines, can connect to destinations across Türkiye, Asia, and beyond.
Bernard Côté, Sr. Dir., Brand Communications, Transat; Manichand Singh and Cindy Sauers, Honorary Consul and High Commissioner for the Cooperative Republic of Guyana; GTAA’s Sean O’Donnell; Howard Liebman, Transat’s VP Government Relations, and flight TS164 crew
“This is another key milestone in our exciting journey to both enhance and maintain our position as a world-leading global aviation and transit hub. We’re delighted to welcome Air Transat to our network and believe that together we will create exciting new opportunities for exchange and growth between North America, Europe and the Middle East,” said iGA Istanbul Airport’s CCO, Server Aydın.
Meanwhile the YYZ-GEO service has already been extended to May 29, 2026, and operates twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays. Air Transat serves this route with its A321LR aircraft.
“The addition of this service reflects the deliberate, long-term approach being taken to increase Guyana’s airlift,” said Sanjeev Datadin, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
The new routes also benefit from seamless connections through Air Transat’s joint venture with Porter, making it easier for travellers from cities across Canada, including those from Western Canada, Ottawa, Montreal, and the Maritimes, to connect through Toronto and reach these new destinations for Air Transat.
Lead image caption (l-r): Andrea da Silva, Senior Director, Pricing at Transat; Tarique Anwar, Regional Corporate Sales Manager at Turkish Airlines; Howard Liebman, VP Government Relations at Transat; Sima Acan, MP, Oakville-West, Can Yoldaş, Türkiye Consul General in Toronto; Sean O’Donnell, Associate Director Air Service and Cargo Development at GTAA
