Turkish Airlines has built a huge following and reputation as being one of the best airlines in the world. It was established in 1933 and is currently based out of Istanbul Airport in Turkey. Before you set out on your next flight with Turkish Airlines, here are some interesting facts I thought you should know.
#1. Turkish Airlines Is A Huge Major Airline
Turkish Airlines currently operates 336 aircraft and flies to 304 destinations in 122 countries. This makes it the largest carrier in the world according to passenger destinations. It also operates to the most non-stop destinations than any other airline in the world.
#2. Turkish Airlines Has Won Numerous Awards
Turkish Airlines has been awarded many different awards including the Skytrax award for Europe’s best airline. Other awards include the world’s best premium economy class airline seat, the airline of the year, and the world’s 16th best airline for business travel.
#3. Incidents And Accidents
Since 1959, Turkish Airlines has been involved in 19 incidents and accidents which 15 of those were fatal.
#4. Turkish Airlines And Sponsorships
Turkish Airlines has had many sponsorships and promotions with numerous actors and celebrities including Lionel Messi, Kobe Bryant, Caroline Wozniacki, Kevin Costner, Wayne Rooney.
They are also the main sponsor of the Turkish Airlines Euro league, Turkish Airlines open golf tournament, and the FIBA world championships.
Turkish Airlines also partnered with Warner Bros. to sponsor the film Batman vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice, where a scene was filmed on board one of their aircraft.
#5. Operated The Longest Flight In The World
In 2016, Turkish Airlines operated at the time the longest flight in the world. This flight went from Istanbul, Turkey to Sydney, Australia covering 14,868 miles. They no longer hold this record but that could change in the future. Qantas Airlines is the current record holder.
#6. The Largest Airport In The World
Istanbul, Turkey is set to become the largest airport in the world where a majority of flights being operated by Turkish Airlines originate from. The new Istanbul airport will cost 12 billion dollars to build and will complete four phases of the build by 2026.
The current phase 1 can currently handle 90 million passengers per year and when complete it will handle over 200 million, putting it well ahead of the current busiest airport which is in Atlanta, USA.
Turkey’s previous largest airport, Ataturk airport, ceased operations on April 6, 2019, and at the time handled 70 million passengers per year. All flights going to this airport are now transferred to the new Istanbul Airport.
#7. Turkish Airlines Use All Jets
Currently, Turkish Airlines only fly jet aircraft. There are no propeller-driven aircraft in the fleet. A combination of Boeing and Airbus aircraft make up the 336 total aircraft in the fleet. In 1933, the airline’s first aircraft flown was a five-seat propeller driven aircraft called the Curtiss Kingbird.
The first jet to join the fleet was a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 aircraft in 1967.
#8. Turkish Airlines Has A Flight Academy
In 2004, Turkish Airlines established it’s first flight academy which consists of 14 training aircraft and 16 air cadets. Training is mostly for beginner pilots using the famous C-172 aircraft. I have personally flown and trained on this aircraft for many years!
#9. Star Alliance Member
Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance member which is great for people collecting and redeeming Mileage Plus points on the various carriers in the program. They also have their own points program called Miles and Smiles.
#10. Involved In A Hijacking False Alarm
In 2014, Turkish Airlines was involved in a bizarre incident. A pilot accidentally triggered a hijacking alert causing quite a stir in the air. The Austrian military deployed two fighter jet aircraft which escorted the aircraft to Vienna Airport. About 40 minutes after the plane landed, it was determined that it was just a false alarm and there were no safety concerns.
#11. Best In Business Class
Turkish Airlines has been selected as the best onboard business class for many years. This includes best business class onboard catering and best business class lounge dining awards. Most recently, it was awarded the world’s best business class airline lounge.
So there you have 11 facts about Turkish Airlines you may not have known. Hopefully, you enjoyed this article and found it useful.
Thanks for reading!
Some of the links on this page are Amazon Affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if purchases are made at zero cost to you.
You may also like:
- 11 American Airlines Facts You Should Know
- 13 United Airlines Facts You Need To Know
- Things You Didn’t Know About The Airlines
