TURKISH AIRLINES MANAGEMENT SUMMIT CONCLUDES
Turkish Airlines Management Summit was held with the theme “Our Game in Our Field” in reference to Istanbul Airport. The summit, which hosted opening speeches by Republic of Turkey Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak and Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan, offered important messages regarding the moving operation of Istanbul Airport planned to take place between March 1 and 3.
Held as a tradition every year in Antalya and attended by all senior executives, Turkish Airlines Management Summit took place between January 16 and 18. The summit was attended by Republic of Turkey Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee M. İlker Aycı, and all the company’s senior executives.
“Turkey Is Turkish Airlines”
During his speech at the summit, Republic of Turkey Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak stated that he believed the company would continue to make the Turkish people proud and added, “Turkey is Turkish Airlines. We can truly feel it at this event. Turkish Airlines has become the pioneering ambassador of Turkey in times of change and transformation. Turkish Airlines is not only carrying people or products. You make an impression on a perception, Turkey’s spirit and potential on other people. It’s a wonderful success on your behalf when people who had a negative perception about Turkey return to their
countries happily thanks to Turkish Airlines. With your diligence, friendliness and smiles, you make the greatest contribution to our goal of a strong Turkey. As a parent and as an individual, I believe this establishment will be the most precious heritage you will leave for the next generations.”
The Growth of Turkish Aviation
Republic of Turkey Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan also gave a speech at the summit and said he was very happy to attend the Management Summit held by the Turkish Airlines family. Emphasizing the fast growth in passenger and cargo transport, Turhan said, “According to the ICAO data, the number of global flights increased to 38 million and the number of passengers to 4.3 billion in 2017. Thirty-five percent of global commerce prefers aviation. This indicates that aviation operations have become one of the essential elements of national and global development.”
“Our Game in Our Field”
Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee M. İlker Aycı explained the reasoning behind the motto “Our Game in Our Field.” “We will become a player in such a great field thanks to Istanbul Airport that it’s
hard not to get excited. We want to be bigger. We’re very close to being number one. All we needed was a good field. And Istanbul Airport gave us that. It’s our land, our sky, and our flag.”
Having presented very clear and important messages regarding Istanbul Airport, Aycı also emphasized the importance of change. “We will have moved to Istanbul Airport by March 3. It’s the beginning of a brandnew era for us. Thanks to its opportunities and the increasing competition, Istanbul Airport also means a new and challenging time for us. In order to be successful, we need to change the way we do business and be ready for the incoming change.”
After Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee M. İlker Aycı, Turkish Airlines Deputy Chairman and CEO Bilal Ekşi also gave a speech about the achievements of 2018. “Last year, we proved what we can achieve when we’re one. The recordbreaking 1 billion-dollar operating margin is the greatest proof. I believe we will raise this bar to even further heights.”
Another speaker at the summit was the notable brand expert Ali Saydam. In his speech, Saydam talked about Turkish Airlines’ brand journey in terms of the fundamentals of communication sciences. He said that Turkish Airlines is the most valuable brand in Turkey based on the value of its product, its sense of
responsibility to the times and environment, and the trust it instills in its target audience.
Insight and innovation leader Rickie Khosla (Nielsen Emea), one of the speakers at the Management Summit, informed the audience about research regarding the brand awareness of Turkish Airlines. Nielsen General Manager of Turkey Didem Şekerel Erdoğan also shared the results of the research about the distribution of passenger profiles in aviation.
The executives attending the Management Summit, organized under the motto “Our Game in Our Field,” stated that they were ready for the change and transformations in 2019 and shared their insights and goals, in addition to elaborating on the contribution of Istanbul Airport, planned to be opened completely on March 3, to the growth of Turkish Airlines.
Another highlight of the summit was the project “SesVer” which was conducted by Turkish Airlines for its disabled employees and aims to eliminate the problems of accessibility and social integrity encountered by people with disabilities. Turkish Airlines’ employees read the airline’s corporate communication magazine Empathy in a recording studio, installed for this project by volunteers.
This year’s Management Summit ended with successful performances by Ata Demirer and MFÖ.