Flying Higher

Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Mehmet Ilker Aycı credits the resilience of his team as integral to the success of the airline to weather storms, writes Mariel Grazella

n front of a conference attended by corporate colleagues and partners, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Mehmet Ilker Aycı emphasised the importance of teamwork—a value that has enabled the airline to weather through turbulence in the past years.

In 2016, Turkey went through political turmoil, which sent people take to the streets. The tourism industry suffered with Turkish Airlines taking a dip in passenger and flight volumes.

“I have confidence ... in my staff and colleagues and this is very important,” said Ilker. He pointed out that as the country stabilised, the Turkish Airlines team, whom he described as “highly motivated and selfsacrificing members of a family determined for greater success in the future”, rallied in not only putting operations back to normal, but also improving what it has to offer.

“Turkish Airlines has picked up four awards this year, which are Best Airline in Southern Europe, Best Business Class Onboard Catering, World’s Best Business Class Lounge, and Best Business Class Dining Lounge, in the Skytrax World Airline Awards,” he said.

He added that the accolades won were proof of the airline’s efforts to innovate: a crucial element in providing passengers with a comfortable and reliable travel experience. “In this regard, we are proud to receive the Five- Star Global Airline prize awarded by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Official Airline Ratings and are looking forwards to leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come,” he noted.

Apart from the Turkish Airlines staff, Ilker pointed out to another critical component of the airlines’ family, and that is passengers. He says that passengers have become a rich source of input, giving the airline insights on the direction it should take. He further said that in the Turkish culture, guests are always treated with the best the house has to offer, a tradition that airline has integrated into its business.

“We have brought these cultural roots into the business world by mixing them with a highly professional and dedicated staff, allowing Turkish Airlines to post such results,” he noted. “This is the habit of Turkish people and company. We know how to bounce back.”

“We have brought these cultural roots into the business world by mixing them with a highly professional and dedicated staff, allowing Turkish Airlines to post such results,” he noted.