Hundreds fired by Turkish companies after attempted coup

ISTANBUL

Turkish Airlines aircrafts are parked at the Ataturk International airport in Istanbul, Turkey December 3, 2015. REUTERS photo

A number of leading Turkish companies have fired hundreds of personnel amid ongoing investigations following the failed July 15 military coup attempt, several media outlets have reported. 

Turkey’s national flag carrier Turkish Airlines has fired 211 employees, including a vice general manager and a number of cabin crew members, Doğan News Agency reported on July 25. 

The dismissals at the company occurred late on July 24, upon suspicions that some employees had links to the movement of U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, which the ruling Justice and Government Party (AKP) says was behind the coup plot. Others were fired due to “inefficiency problems,” sources told the news agency.  

Turkish Airlines also announced to the Public Disclosure Platform that Murat Şeker had replaced Coşkun Kılıç as the new deputy CEO, responsible for financial matters. 

Meanwhile, the head of AnadoluJet, İbrahim Doğan, has also been fired along with three presidents, two vice presidents, 15 pilots, and cabin crew personnel, Doğan News Agency reported. 

Aviation news site Airporthaber.com first reported the firings early on July 25. 

Separately, landline operator Türk Telekom sacked 198 people on July 22 in “cooperation with the security forces,” saying that a number of managers had been summoned by prosecutors to testify in connection with the ongoing investigation, according to emailed statements, Reuters reported on July 25. 

Meanwhile, the two owners of a leading cooling systems company, Uğur Cooling Systems, were detained in the Aegean district of Nazilli early on July 25 within the scope of the post-coup attempt probe. 

More than 240 people were killed and 2,000 were injured during the failed coup bid on July 15.