Turkish Airlines Chairman on Soft Power, Fleet Growth, and the 2033 Vision
Leaders of Travel: Skift C-Suite Series What are the top trends impacting hotels, airlines, and online bookings? We speak to the executives shaping the future of travel.
What are the top trends impacting hotels, airlines, and online bookings? We speak to the executives shaping the future of travel.
Learn More
Turkish Airlines has long styled itself as more than just a flag carrier. As the company approaches its 100th anniversary in 2033, it is doubling down on a strategy that prioritizes cultural diplomacy as much as cash flow.
The airline, 49% owned by Turkey's sovereign wealth fund, has made no secret of its global ambitions. It already flies to more countries than any other airline, but it isn't stopping there. 'We aim to reach a fleet of over 810 aircraft by 2033,' Chairman Ahmet Bolat told Skift. If realized, this would build upon the 480 planes the company operates today.
A massive order of up to 350 aircraft from Airbus, announced in December 2023, is one of the centerpieces of this expansion.
Yet Bolat's broader message isn't growth for growth's sake. Despite its lofty 2033 goals, the airline is actually dialing down its growth trajectory.
'We are not going to grow as we did before. In the past, we grew around 13% [annually]. Now our growth rate is reduced to 7-8%. So it will not be 10 [new] cities per year. In the next decade, we're looking at maybe around 30 or 35 new cities in total.'
Bolat said expansion will also be fueled by enhanced frequencies to existing destinations to make transit times even more efficient. Its Istanbul hub — opened in 2018 and designed to eventually serve 200 million passengers annually — is key to the airline's vision.
He highlighted Asia as a particular focus, with a second bank of daily departures under development.
Last year, Turkey and China signed a new deal that more than doubles the number of flights allowed between the countries. With the agreement, scheduled passenger flights jump from 21 to 49 per week, plus Turkish Airlines secures rights to operate flights to three additional Chinese cities: Chengdu, Urumqi, and Xi'an.
While China's 49 flights are spread across its major carriers including Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern, as Turkey's only major long-haul operator, Turkish Airlines can enjoy the increase for itself.
Culture as a Catalyst
Bolat is bullish on what he terms 'cultural tourism' – part diplomatic mission, part economic bet on high-spending travelers – and there's a hit-list already lined up.
Ahmet Bolat joined Turkish Airlines in 2005. credit: turkish airlines
'We are specifically interested in 11 markets. Some of them are in Asia: Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Korea, and others are in the West: Canada, Mexico, and the United States,' he said.
The ultimate goal is to bring 15 million visitors to Turkey on cultural tourism trips. These well-heeled travelers won't just be passengers for the national airline but also boost the Turkish economy through spending on the ground.
Bolat also mentioned France, Spain, and Italy as focus markets for what he describes as 'cultural tourism exchanges.'
It forms part of a broader trend, widely adopted by Turkish Airlines' global rivals, to encourage passengers to spend time in the destination during their transit.
It's a 10-hour flight from Istanbul to New York – but distance hasn't hindered the airline's expansion in the United States. The company serves 14 destinations across the U.S., most with daily or double daily frequencies.
'We didn't see much softness like the others faced,' Bolat said when asked about a possible slowdown in demand. 'The U.S. is still our largest market. Last year 1.7 million Americans came to Turkey. Not all on aircraft, some were on cruises and so on, but our goal is to raise this to 5 million.'
2 Cities For The Price of 1: Portugal Turns Stopover Passengers into Tourists
TAP Air Portugal is one of a growing list of airlines encouraging transit passengers to explore the country during a long-haul layover. New figures show tens of thousands of travelers took the company up on its offer last year. Read More
Fleet in Focus
The Turkish Airlines group spans more than a dozen subsidiaries, including maintenance, cabin interiors, cargo, and catering businesses. Despite its pride in doing as much in-house work as possible, some areas remain outside its control.
'The main issue is delays from the manufacturers. Day by day they are informing us of new delays,' said Bolat.
To mitigate some of the disruption, the airline has been active in securing leased aircraft. Just last week, it confirmed 14 A321neo planes are bound for its low-cost carrier A-Jet.
Bolat said the company will continue to work with lessors to bridge the gap amid delivery delays. With post-pandemic pilot shortages easing, he also confirmed that regional jets remain under consideration, with around 30 aircraft in the pipeline.
But what about the inside of the plane? Speaking to Skift last year, Bolat ruled out the introduction of a premium economy cabin. Carriers including Emirates, Korean Air, Finnair, and KLM have all installed this mid-tier option in recent years.
The airline has also resisted the temptation to join its international peers in reintroducing first class – with Qatar Airways and Etihad among those doubling down on the concept. This leaves Turkish with a two-class configuration across its global fleet. Operationally simple yes, but is this a missed opportunity?
Focused on the two-class strategy, Bolat reported the best business class load factor – an aircraft's average occupancy – in the airline's history. 'I can tell you it is above 60 and close to 70%.'
For context, business class load factors at Turkish Airlines have increased almost 10 percentage points from the pre-pandemic levels. This matters because premium travelers typically bring in three or four times the revenue as an economy passenger.
Central to this premium ramp-up is a new business class seat called the Crystal Suite. Asked for a progress update on the project, Bolat said it should be in the air next year.
The carrier's Airbus A350s will be the first to be equipped with the next-generation offering, with late 2026 the current target. The goal is to have Crystal across all widebody aircraft within three years. This will mean the end of the unpopular 2-3-2 configuration to a more spacious 1-2-1 layout.
Narrowbody jets are also getting an upgrade. New 'Royalux' seats, designed by subsidiary Turkish Cabin Industries, should boost comfort for business class travelers on single-aisle jets. 'We're committed to quality at every level,' said Bolat.
The carrier is betting that influence and revenue can, and will, rise together.
What am I looking at? The performance of airline sector stocks within the ST200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets including network carriers, low-cost carriers, and other related companies.
The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more airlines sector financial performance.
Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Is This Is The Most Dangerous Seat On A The Plane?
Is this the most dangerous seat on a plane? getty Every time I board a flight, I think about safety. But am I worrying about the wrong thing? By "safety" I mean: Is my plane going to collide with a helicopter or flip over and burst into flames when it lands? (It hasn't exactly been a banner year for aviation safety, right?) Also, am I sitting in the right seat? Who can forget the story of Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the Air India crash that killed 241 passengers and crew. He was in seat 11A on a Boeing 787. Should I try for 11A for good luck? But that's wrong, say experts. Statistically, planes are still the safest form of mass transportation. Instead, I should be considering the safety of the individual seat and what could make it problematic for me . "Modern passenger travel can be an incredibly unpleasant experience — especially this summer," says Sebastian Camus, a customer satisfaction representative for a tour operator in Auckland, New Zealand. "Let's face it, who would like to spend up to 16 hours trapped in a tin can thousands of feet in the air?" He ought to know. Every international flight from Auckland is a long haul, unless you're visiting your cousin in Sydney. The real dangers are the ones you deal with every time you fly — getting whacked by a meal cart, inhaling lavatory fumes, or being trapped in a seat that leaves you with aching knees and a stiff back. So what are the real problem seats? Specifically, should you choose a window or aisle seat? Front or back? Are there some seats on a plane that are safer than others? Airplane interiors are small and cramped — and potentially dangerous to your health. getty It starts even before you get to your seat, according to passengers like Dave Dzurick, a retired broadcast engineer from Tucson, Ariz. "During boarding, so many folks are wearing backpacks and they really don't manage them well," he says. "I've been whacked many times as a passenger goes by and turns to see what row they are in. When they turn their bodies — whack!" He makes a fair point. You can get into trouble no matter where you decide to sit, so always be on your guard. Specifically, watch for passengers trying to stuff too much luggage into the overhead bin; that extra stuff can easily fall on your head. I once interviewed someone who got bonked by a bowling ball. Seriously. Ouch! OK, but let's talk about the seats. Passengers boarding and aircraft. Beware of falling luggage, say experts. getty No, exit row and bulkhead aren't always that great Let's start with the seats everyone thinks are a win: exit rows and bulkheads. Sure, they offer extra legroom, but they come with hidden risks. 'Exit row seats are great until you realize you've lost all your under-seat storage,' says Charlie Neville, marketing director at JayWay Travel. 'And if you're not prepared to handle the responsibility of an emergency exit, you're better off skipping them.' Not to put too fine a point on what he's saying, but if you're in an exit row and something goes wrong, you may need to open the door, and you could get trampled by other passengers trying to get out. Bulkhead seats, meanwhile, might seem like a luxury — until you realize you're in prime baby bassinet territory. Camus learned this the hard way on a recent long-haul flight to Europe. 'I thought I'd scored with the extra legroom,' he recalls. 'But then a baby started crying, and didn't stop for hours. Add in the constant foot traffic from the lavatory line, and I didn't sleep a wink.' And don't even get me started on middle seats. Being sandwiched between two other passengers can be dangerous to your mental health. Aisle seats are desirable, but they could also be dangerous in some cases, according to travel experts. getty The aisle seat: a magnet for mishaps If you think the aisle seat is your safe haven, think again. For some air travelers, it could be the most dangerous seat on the plane. It's the meal carts. As a guy with long legs, I often have no choice but to lean into the aisle a little. And for some reason — I'm not sure why — flight attendants always seem to say "excuse me" after they've slammed into my knees with the meal cart. Aren't you supposed to say that before you plow into someone? "And don't even get me started on the people who use my headrest to steady themselves on their way back from the lavatory,' says Marelle Kuo, an author from Detroit. OK, I won't. But that's yet another hazard of the aisle seat. The worst part is that everyone wants your seat. Your travel companion asks if you want to trade (no). The guy in the middle seat across the airline wants to know if he can sit next to his wife because they're on their honeymoon (no). The nervous mom says she has to sit next to her teenage daughter (sorry, no). But really, you don't have the opportunity to explain that the aisle seat is kinda dangerous when you think about it. The meal cart seems to be aiming for your knees. It's a magnet for mishaps. How about the back of the plane? Statistically, the back of the plane is the safest place to be during an accident. But is it the best place for you otherwise? It is for someone like Brandon Barron, a communications consultant for a timeshare exit company who recently flew from Atlanta to Orlando with his four young children. 'With four small bladders, being close to the restroom is a must,' Barron says. 'Plus, it puts us in the back of the plane, which statistically has a higher survival rate in crashes.' But for solo travelers, the back of the plane can feel like purgatory. The overhead bins will be full by the time you reach your seat, you'll feel every bump of turbulence, and you'll wait the longest to deplane. Also, it's noisy, because that's where the families often go. So you have to ask yourself, just who is the back of the plane safe for? Is there a better seat on the plane? I checked in with Frank Harrison, regional security director for the Americas at World Travel Protection, to find out where to sit on a plane. "I always prefer an aisle seat within three rows of an exit because being close significantly increases the chances of a swift evacuation in an emergency," he told me. "In a crisis, every second counts, and I want to be in a position where I can move quickly if needed." The aisle seat is a compromise. You have to mind your arms and legs — it's those meal carts — and you have to tolerate people using your headrest as support. But you also have quick access to the aisle in case of an emergency, or if you just need to use the restroom. The type of aircraft also plays a role in his decision. On low-wing jets, he aims for seats near the wing root, mid-cabin, because that's typically the strongest part of the fuselage. On high-wing turboprops, he prefers sitting toward the front. "These aircraft often have fewer mid-cabin emergency exits, with most located at the front or rear," he says. Can you avoid a dangerous seat on a plane? So, what's a traveler to do? In the end, there's no such thing as a "safe" airline seat, and it really depends on what you prefer. Families might feel more comfortable in the back. A business traveler might go for an exit row seat. Here are a few guiding principles: Check the seat map Some seats have practically zero legroom or are next to the lavatory, and they're objectively bad. Seats directly behind exit rows do not recline. Exit rows and bulkhead seats have immovable armrests. Know before you fly. Stay away from high-traffic areas Steer clear of the seats near the galley or bathrooms if you want a little peace and quiet. Move if you're in a bad seat You're allowed to move within your class of service the moment the cabin doors close. Just make sure you follow the instructions of the crew. The most dangerous seat on the plane isn't the one with the lowest survival rate in a crash. It's the one that turns your flight into an endurance test. Whether it's a cramped middle seat, a noisy bulkhead, or an aisle seat in the line of fire, the real risks are the ones you deal with every time you fly. Next time you book a flight, take a closer look at that seat map. Your knees — and your sanity — will thank you.
CNBC
2 hours ago
- CNBC
JFK airport's $9.5 billion international terminal is taking shape. See what's inside
It's far from finished but the new, $9.5 billion Terminal 1 at John F. Kennedy International Airport is taking shape. Its first phase is slated to open in mid-2026. It will replace the current terminal, which opened in 1998. The terminal, which will be JFK's largest, is now weathertight. Winding baggage conveyor belt structures have been installed, and you can make out future ticket counters, where customers flying carriers like Turkish Airlines, Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Air China, Taiwan's China Airlines and others will set down their luggage and show their passports to ticket agents. The terminal — set to be roughly twice the size of the two LaGuardia Airport terminals that opened in the past decade combined — will be dedicated solely to international travelers, which the developers said is key to the design. "From the very first pen to paper … we had the international customer in mind," Jennifer Aument, CEO of the New Terminal One, the company developing the project, said at a press conference at the airport last month. CNBC and other media got a look at the construction progress, led by Aument, in early July as part of what the company said will likely be among the last hardhat tours of the facility before opening day. The project is part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's $19 billion overhaul of JFK. In addition to Terminal 1, the current Terminal 7, currently home to Alaska Airlines and Ireland's Aer Lingus, will be knocked down for a new Terminal 6, whose first gates are set to open next year. LaGuardia Airport's revamp, in comparison, was about $8 billion. As air traffic grows, airports around the country are racing to replace aging infrastructure. U.S. airports need at least $173.9 billion for infrastructure upgrades from this year through 2029, according to a report earlier this year by the Airport Council International-North America. "These investments – averaging nearly $35 billion annually – are essential to accommodate airlines and passengers, improve operational efficiency, elevate service quality and customer experience, and fulfill airport resiliency needs," it said. The new JFK Terminal 1 is set to open around the start of the 2026 World Cup, when some games will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, about 30 miles away. More than half of the airlines at JFK are changing terminals in the coming years because of the construction, Aument said. One thing she pointed to with the new design: "a terminal flooded with light." That means no basement customs lines. The departures hall, security lanes and customs will be on the same level of the three-floor terminal, which features a wall of slanted windows. Its design, led by architecture firm Gensler, is supposed to conjure the image of a butterfly, with the body splitting the terminal down the middle. The AirTrain, which connects the airport's terminals and parking lots with train stations in Queens, is already running through the construction site and will stop at the terminal when the facility opens. JFK's overhaul also includes roadway improvements around the airport, where traffic has crawled around the biggest hub in the region for years. Terminal 1's mid-2026 open will include the departure and arrival areas and the first 14 gates, all capable of receiving wide-body aircraft that are used for long-haul flights, and will have a capacity for 14 million passengers a year. There will be 23 gates — 22 wide-body gates and one narrow-body gate — for planes like an Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737s — when the rest of the project is complete, currently scheduled for 2030. The final version of Terminal 1 will also have more than 300,000 square feet of dining, retail, lounge and recreational space, with more than half, 180,000 square feet, just for retail and dining. Aument said the airport will be the only one in the U.S. with a cash-and-carry duty-free shopping. Generally, customers will make duty-free purchases that are then returned to them before they board their flights, but in this format, they can take them right away. The new terminal will also have its own microgrid, with solar panels on the roof, that the developer said will enable the facility to have "full resiliency and maintenance of 100% [of the terminal's] operations in the event of power disruptions."
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
The EU nearly triples entry fee for visitors, before it even starts
Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. In our travel roundup this week: the luxury death trap that was the world's first passenger plane, a forgotten but beautiful Bauhaus airport, and the rising cost of travel entry fees. The must-have travel accessory du jour is a big fat wallet. You likely have heard about the United States introducing a new $250 'visa integrity fee' for international visitors. The European Union has also been busy on the travel fee front, recently raising its upcoming European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) fee from 7 to 20 euros (about $23). The fee will apply to non-EU nationals from visa-free countries — so that means the US, the UK, Canada, Japan and more — and the plan is for it to be up and running by late 2026. The European Commission attributes this hefty increase to rising inflation, additional operational costs — and also to bringing it in line with other travel authorization programs, such as ESTAs in the US (with a price tag of $21) and ETAs in the UK. The UK hiked up the cost of its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in April, going from £10 to £16 (also around $21). Making a permanent move to another country proved just the change these Americans needed. Retired US veteran Christopher Boris was struggling to cope with the rising cost of living, so in 2024 he and his wife Maria Jesus moved from Maryland to Brazil. 'I could not afford the American Dream,' Boris tells CNN. 'But here, it's not about making money. It's establishing other factors, like friendships.' Janet Blaser, originally from New York, relocated from California to Mexico nearly two decades ago. As a single mother of three 'living paycheck to paycheck,' she says she always felt like she 'didn't have enough.' She started a magazine business and got herself a permanent resident visa. 'I feel like I succeeded here,' she tells CNN. 'I've given myself a wonderful life.' Nashville woman Linda Leaming was blown away by the beauty of the Kingdom of Bhutan when she visited in 1994. 'I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life here,' she tells CNN. Three years later, she made the move, and has since found love and happiness in the Himalayas. 'Moving to Bhutan taught me to live mindfully,' she says. The de Havilland DH106 1A Comet was the world's first passenger jet. It was the height of 1950s luxury — but it was also a death trap with a fatal design flaw. Now it's been brought back to life. Read its incredible story here. Not long before the Comet took to the skies, a 20-minute flight between Hong Kong and Macao became a record-breaker in a different way. The world's first airplane hijacking took place on the Miss Macao seaplane in 1948. The goal? Rob the passengers and then hold them for ransom. Finally, aviation fans passing through Budapest would do well to squeeze in a visit to Budaörs, a beautiful but forgotten Bauhaus airport that's an aviation time capsule. It's been operating continuously since 1937, with its grassy airfield now used by hobby pilots, private planes and helicopters. China is telling its 1.4 billion people to abandon the nearly universal practice of 'stand right, walk left' on escalators. Instead, authorities are offering what they say is a safer and better alternative. Might the experiment catch on elsewhere? Watch the video and see what you think. If you're hitting the city streets, comfortable walking shoes are always a necessity. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have a guide to the best, according to podiatrists and shoe experts. It's not just countries imposing new fees for entry. Fed-up Italian farmers have set up mountain turnstiles to charge access to Instagram hot spots. This former Soviet state is one of the world's most isolated countries. Now it's showing signs it's ready for more tourists. The new nudity. Read our 21st-century guide to taking off your clothes. Swim to work? See how Swiss residents switch up their commute.
