The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Turkish Airlines

  • Turkish Airlines to increase flights, routes

    Turkish Airlines to increase flights, routes

    Turkish Airlines plans to increase the number of routes and flights it offers in Nigeria.

    The  airline’s  Vice President, Mr. Said Samil Karakas,  at a briefing at the weekend in  Istanbul,  said: “We currently offer the largest number of origin and destination  pairs in Africa – a total of 11,472 origin-to-destination pairs on the African continent.

    “Within Africa, we do 2,448 Origin and destination; Africa to Europe 5,184; Africa to the Middle East 1,632; Africa to the Far East 1,632; and Africa to America 576, which brings our total to 11,472 Origin and destinations.

    ‘’No other airline in the world covers Africa like we do nor are they as well-priced as we are.”

    Karakas added that Turkish Airlines  currently fly from three locations in Nigeria,including, Lagos, Abuja and Kano.

    He said the airline would like to also fly from Port Harcourt and a few other locations.

    He said: ”In addition to that, the airline also wants to double its daily flights in and out of the three current locations. These requests, Karakas said, have since been tabled before the presidency as well as the aviation ministry.”

  • Maltreatment: Turkish Airlines compensates passengers

    Maltreatment: Turkish Airlines compensates passengers

    Turkish Airlines has compensated all the passengers whose luggages were delayed in Flight TK 624 scheduled service from Istanbul to Abuja.

    The decision to compensate the affected passengers was sequel to the intervention of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the matter.

    The General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye,  said Turkish Airlines has paid the prescribed compensation to all the passengers whose luggages were delayed in the  flight.

    He said the airline under the supervision of the Consumer Protection Officers (CPO) of the regulatory authority ensured that the passengers were paid full monetary compensation as contained in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).

    He said in addition to the compensation, a cargo flight and an Airbus were arranged to freight all the backlog of baggage that were earlier short landed to Abuja, adding that the affected passengers have since collected their luggages.

    Adurogboye said the compensation and ferrying of the backlog of luggages to the affected passengers were contained in a report of the investigation carried out by NCAA over the tarmac invasion by Turkish Airlines passengers submitted to the Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman.

  • ‘Turkish Airlines allegedly ships arms to Nigeria’

    ‘Turkish Airlines allegedly ships arms to Nigeria’

    Turkish Airlines allegedly shipped weapons to unknown groups in Nigeria, a new incriminating phone call showed on Tuesday.

    These groups have been implicated in the violence between the army and Boko Haram insurgents.

    The leaked conversation is the latest blow to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been hit by a corruption probe ensnaring his key allies and a widening phone-tapping scandal.

    In a tape posted on YouTube, Mehmet Karatas, an assistant executive of the airline, allegedly tells Mustafa Varank, an advisor to Erdogan he feels guilty over the national flag carrier’s arms shipment to Nigeria.

    “I do not know whether these (weapons) will kill Muslims or Christians. I feel sinful,” Karatas was allegedly heard saying.

    The leaked call has the potential to harm the airline’s image — which is 49 per cent state-owned and is in an aggressive push to become a global player.

    It is the latest in a series of recordings implicating Erdogan and his aides in corruption and other abuses of power ahead of crucial local polls on March 30.

    The Turkish strongman has dismissed most of the tapes as “vile” fakes put together by rivals.

    Turkish Airlines has denied reports linking it with the shipment of arms to unknown groups in Nigeria.

    A statement issued and signed by the airline’s General Manager in Kano, Mr. Ahmet Can Akbuga, said the carriage of arms and military supplies by Turkish Airlines were carried out in line with global practices.

    The statement reads : “The carriage of arms are being made on cargo in the framework of the relevant international law and International Air Transport Association (IATA) transportation rules, in strict conformity with the official procedures.

    “On the carriage of arms, the forwarders and addressees can send their cargo with Turkish Airlines Cargo through the representative they have designated, after accomplishing the necessary official approval procedure from the relevant state authorities.

    “Turkish Airlines Cargo effectuates such shipment again in strict conformity with the law and rules of the forwarders’ and addressees’ countries and by taking necessary security measures as are done by the other air carriers.

    “According its corporate policy, Turkish Airlines is not effectuating the carriage of arms to/from the countries that United Nations Security Council has imposed an arms ban, lacking authority and/or under conflict.

    “This is also the case for the country mentioned on the news. Turkish Airlines has not effectuated any carriage of arms to that country from Turkey nor from any country,” said Akbuga.

    A foreign news agency quoted a tape posted on YouTube in which one of the airline’s executives, Mr. Mehmet Karatas, was heard as telling Mr. Mustafa Varank, an adviser to Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he (Karatas) ‘feels guilty over the national flag carrier’s arms shipments to Nigeria.”

    “I do not know whether these (weapons) will kill Muslims or Christians. I feel sinful,” Karatas was alleged to have said.

  • IRS, Turkish Airlines sign pact

    As part of its expansion program and to ensure professionalism and quality service are woven deeper into the service offerings from IRS Airlines, especially at this crucial expansion phase, the company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkish Airlines.

    The MoU, which has the support of the government of both countries agrees bilateral relationships between IRS Airlines and Turkish Airlines that will see Turkish airlines sharing its experience and cooperating with IRS Airlines in the following areas; training and personnel development, maintenance and repair, Cabin interior, bilateral interline traffic agreement and special proration agreement.

    Both companies agreed to promote economic relations between Nigeria and Turkey using Civil Aviation means.

    The MoU was signed at Istanbul Turkey by Alhaji Rabiu I. Rabiu, Chairman/CEO for IRS Airlines and by Dr Temel Kotil, President/Chief Executive Officer for Turkish Airlines.

    IRS Airlines is a Nigerian licensed domestic and regional airline with eight major destinations and hubs in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria.

    Turkish Airlines is a major European Carrier and the world’s fifth largest airline with a worldwide network including 205 cities in 90 countries and over 200 aircraft in its fleet. Turkish Airline has been voted best airline in Europe for two consecutive years.