An Essex airport has received a new boost to its European route network after welcoming a new leisure airline.

Turkish carrier SunExpress, alongside Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, will offer three flights a week from London Stansted to Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city.

The flights are coming from October 2023 until March 2024.

The service will increase to five weekly flights in summer 2024.

In a further boost, from summer next year, the airline will launch flights to the major cities of Antalya, Adana and Gaziantep.

Stansted already flies to to Antalya, Ankara, Bodrum, Dalaman, Izmir, and Istanbul.

Stansted aviation director Simon Gorrighan said: “The Turkish market is already one of London Stansted's most popular destinations, with more than 70 weekly flights to the region.

“With the new SunExpress services starting to Izmir and Antalya, Adana and Gaziantep from next summer, passengers from London and the East of England will have even more options to explore this wonderful country."

Flights can be booked at sunexpress.com.