Turkey's flag carrier stretches its wings for nature

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Besides successfully operating for air travel, Turkish Airlines is also taking care of the environment with eco-friendly steps.

Turkey's national flag carrier, leader of its region in aircraft maintenance and repair sector, saved soil as large as 63 football fields by recycling its hazardous waste and stemmed the cutting of 3,648 trees by recycling its non-hazardous waste in 2019, the airlines said in a press release on July 5.

Along with this, the airlines provided training for nearly 60,000 staff members on environmental awareness as part of its efforts to protect the environment and nature.

"As the airline with the largest number of countries in its flight network, we want future generations to be able to visit and experience the natural and historical wonders of our planet," İlker Aycı, the chairman of Turkish Airlines, said in the statement, adding: "As we witnessed during this pandemic, we are not happy when we are separated from nature."

Touching on the airlines' strategy to protect the environment while tackling climate change by reducing carbon footprints, Aycı mentioned that they invest in new technology that provides high fuel efficiencies.

"In future, we will continue to provide a comfortable and healthy travel atmosphere and focus on conducting all of our operations in a sustainable way,” he added.

Turkish Cargo, the air cargo brand of Turkish Airlines, also played role in preserving nature and wildlife by carrying wild animal species to their nature in 2019, according to the statement.

"Turkish Cargo transported four depressed circus lions from [the Ukrainian capital] Kiev to South Africa, operating their flight to freedom and carried endangered griffon vulture Dobrila to Serbia, its natural habitat."

"In 2019, flag carrier airline saved 55,492 tonnes of fuel and 174,800 tonnes of carbon emissions were avoided," as it was able to achieve almost 20% fuel saving per seat.

Turkish Airlines is also operating cargo flights to maintain the global supply chain of food and medical products as the company suspended international and domestic flights in line with the decisions taken by authorities to protect the public health during the coronavirus pandemic.

Turkish Airlines, established in 1933, has a fleet of 361 passengers and cargo aircraft.