Turkish Airlines: The Istanbul Superconnector

Turkish Airlines' origins go back to 1933, when the Turkish government established the State Airlines Administration with a fleet of just five aircraft and a staff of 24 people. Initially, the route network only included domestic destinations, but it was soon followed by flights to Nicosia (which has a large Turkish population), Beirut (the financial heart of the Middle East) and Cairo (the political epicenter of the region). In 1956, the airline was restructured and transformed into the current Turkish Airlines. From that moment, the airline started a rapid international expansion. At first, many destinations in Germany were served because of the large number of Turkish workers in that country, but other major European cities were soon added to the network. Of course, the airline has faced many challenges, such as the deregulation of air transport in Turkey, the devaluations of the Turkish currency and domestic political unrest. Geopolitical factors such as the tensions with Russia and the war in Syria may also have caused some issues for the airline's management. With 150 images, this book charts Turkish Airlines' history, showing how it has become one of the largest airlines in the world.