Turkish Airlines weathers 2016 turbulence

“Only… Aliens have not attacked this year, and yet we managed to keep on flying high and offer the best services to our passengers”

The statement belongs to Turkish Airlines (THY) Chairman İlker Aycı and was delivered to foreign journalists from Southern Europe, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Malta and Greece, who were recently invited to Istanbul to witness how Turkey’s national carrier manages to weather impressively the undeniable “2016 turbulence”.

THY has already invited 311 foreign media representatives to Istanbul so far in an attempt to eliminate the impacts of disinformation campaigns and manipulation of perception about Turkey, which has begun to fester abroad since the July 15 coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).

Inside Turkish Airlines' catering facilities

The airline’s Chairman İlker Aycı met personally with all of them to help clarify the situation for them regarding the attempt and its aftermath. Aycı addressed FETÖ's smear campaigns against Turkey abroad, saying the games they are playing as well as their insult campaigns will fail. He stated the steps of these putschists threaten Turkey's leading projects such as the Istanbul New Airport which, once completed, will make the country a transportation hub in the world.

As he put it:

"We are facing the wave of a new generation of terror in the world… The company is determined to continue its double-digit growth… Turkish Airlines will continue to be an engine of growth… This year is a hiccup, a very challenging year, but 2017 will be a much better year.”

Inside the cockpit of  one of ultra modern Turkish Airlines Flight Simulators

Indeed, 2016 has been a very adverse year for Turkish Airlines.

THY’s main hub Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul was hit by Levant (ISIL) militants in June, and, only a few weeks later, on July 15, coup troops tried to take control of the airport.

The impressive Turkish Airlines VIP Lounge at the Istanbul Airport

On both occasions, Turkey’s biggest airport was temporarily shut down, yet Turkey’s national carrier managed to continue operating just six hours after the attack and resume flights the subsequent day, delivering a crucial message of “business as usual” and proving its critical contribution to the country’s international prestige and financial development prospects. 

Inside the impressive Turkish Airlines VIP Lounge at the Istanbul Airport

Chairman Aycı reassured journalists that THY is “financially very solid” and clarified that even though the company was suspending some routes in southern Europe for the winter to better use capacity -- including Bordeaux, Pisa and Genoa -- the destinations were not being closed and the airline would return eventually.

What is most remarkable though is the intense effort Turkey’s national carrier exercised in reversing the negative effects of this year’s mishaps.

Impeccable service at the Turkish Airlines Business Class

THY stood up against the July 15 coup instantly, putting messages on its websites and in-flight screens and circulating among passengers color brochures celebrating the defeat of the conspirators - along with the usual in-flight magazine in the back air seat pockets - and unconditionally changed tickets worth €50 million within a few days.

Soon after, it resumed the offensive with plans to open new routes to Havana, the Seychelles, Zanzibar and Mexico City and continued work on the new Istanbul airport by the Black Sea, a key infrastructure project that is set to open in the second quarter of 2018, with an eventual capacity for 150 million passengers, overtaking Paris Charles de Gaulle and London Heathrow as Europe’s largest airport.

 Flying Chef by Turkish Airlines' Do & Co

The carrier will also host the THY Euroleague 2017 Final Four in Istanbul from May 19 to 21, the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 countries, members of FIBA Europe, a zone within International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

The national flag carrier of Turkey signed a 15 million euros worth agreement on 26 July 2010 to sponsor the top European basketball competition across the globe. According to the agreement, starting with 2010-11 season, the top European basketball competition was named Turkish Airlines Euroleague Basketball, and Euroleague Final Four was named Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four. The aforementioned five-year partnership agreement had an option of extending it to an additional five. Turkish Airlines and Euroleague Basketball agreed to extend their partnership up until 2020 on October 2013.

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

Furthermore, Turkish Airlines Open gears up to host golf stars once more as Europe’s finest golfers and many of the world’s greatest will be back in Antalya’s famous golf resort Belek next month for one of the most exciting tournaments in Europe. Turkish Airlines Open 2014, which will be held at the Maxx Royal Montgomerie course between Nov.13-16, will bring together 78 professional golfers who will vie for prize money, totaling $7 million. The star-studded lineup for the event includes U.S. Open winner Martin Kaymer, former World number one Lee Westwood, 2013 FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai winner Henrik Stenson,  Victor Dubuisson, last year’s winner in Belek, and world number four Sergio Garcia.

As its Chairman İlker Aycı reassured:

“We run one of the most rewarded airlines in the world… We have defended our home and now we have to clean the house…Never forget, Turkey hosts the kings of comeback.”