At the “From 5 Aircraft to 6 Continents” conference held in Erzincan, Binali Yıldırım, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), highlighted Turkish Airlines (THY) as a globally recognized brand.
The “From 5 Aircraft to 6 Continents” Conference in Erzincan
Speaking at the event organized at the Prof. Dr. Erdoğan Büyükkasap Congress and Culture Center of Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University (EBYU), Yıldırım described THY as a remarkable success story on a global scale.
Yıldırım explained how offering Turkish Airlines to public shareholders freed it from restrictive government regulations, enabling its growth and transformation into a national asset.
THY’s Liberalization Process and Global Success
Binali Yıldırım emphasized the challenges faced in making Turkish Airlines a competitive global brand and stated:
“You cannot compete globally or claim ‘the airline of the people’ while dealing with unnecessary regulations to fix minor issues. We realized that this was unsustainable for THY and took the necessary steps. Today, Turkish Airlines is a brand proudly flying our crescent-and-star flag worldwide.”
Recalling that Turkish Airlines began in 1933 with just five aircraft and a seating capacity of 19, Yıldırım also mentioned Vecihi Hürkuş’s efforts to manufacture domestic planes:
“Vecihi Hürkuş achieved local aircraft production at a time when European countries couldn’t even imagine it. Unfortunately, these projects were sabotaged under the single-party mindset, a dark chapter in our aviation history.”
Turkey’s Vision: “The Century of Türkiye”
Despite regional instability, Turkey continues to progress, Yıldırım noted, articulating Turkey’s aspirations:
“There are wars and instability to our north and south. Despite these challenges, our greatest goal is to lead Turkey into ‘The Century of Türkiye’ with peace and stability.”
Trust of the Turkic World in Turkey
Sharing his observations from visiting Turkic states as Chairman of the OTS Council of Elders, Yıldırım remarked that younger generations see Turkey as a model, which places a great responsibility on the nation:
“Our aim is not imperialistic. We seek to promote prosperity, strengthen unity, and resolve regional conflicts across the Turkic world. The Organization of Turkic States is working tirelessly toward these goals.”
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