Why dont Turkish Airlines fly direct to Dalaman

[Karennina]

Does anyone know why Turkish Airlines dont fly direct to Dalaman from UK airports please, im genuinely curious to know why they dont...
I hear a lot of good things about them but really do not want to have to change flights at Istanbul...
With Thomas Cook cancelling loads of their uk flights bound for Dalaman this season it would be great if another airline took their slots...
Im reading on facebook on various Turkish groups that some people who were booked with TC are now changing their destinations altogether as for various reasons the alternatives they are being offered by Tc do not suit their holiday plans...
As if things are not going to be bad enough this season for tourism in Turkey with the bookings been down a lot, some of the people who were booked to go now are not...

[KKOB]

The simple answer is because Istanbul is their main hub and it makes operational, and economic sense for them NOT to fly directly between the UK and Dalaman.

Like all transport undertakings, they employ traffic and economic analysts, and if they thought it was sensible to fly direct, I'm sure they would have persuaded the powers that be by now.

Just because an airline gives up their slots for take-off and landing they don't come free to another airline. I've no idea about current prices but it was reported in 2013 that Delta Airlines paid $47million for 2 pairs of slots at Heathrow for an unspecified period.

With the tourist industry in Turkey nosediving, it would be economic suicide for an airline to start buying extra slots to what is, to them, just a bus stop airport.

[Scunner]

The same reason BA don't fly to Southend  

[Karennina]

Ow much! Goodness Im shocked at the price re Delta paid for the Heathrow slots....i knew they were not free but never in a million did i think prices could be as high as that...
I confess i know not a great deal on the workings of the aviation industry thank you for the info KKOB