The Turkish budget airline Pegasus has started operating direct flights between western Georgia’s Kutaisi Airport to İstanbul, the United Airports of Georgia said on Tuesday.

The airports body said the company’s first flight from the Turkish city had brought 142 passengers to the western Georgian location, noting the flights would be carried out three times a week.

In her comments, Ketevan Mchedlishvili, the head of the commercial department of the airports body, said İstanbul was a “new destination” for the airport and would also serve transit passengers.

She added the first flight had shown “busy” passenger capacity and said she hoped the trend would continue.

Mchedlishvili also noted the “historic mark” of the airport receiving one million passengers, and added the body planned to serve up to 1,700,000 customers by the end of the year.

agenda.ge