Turkish Airlines partners up with rental car companies

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Turkish Airlines (THY) joined forces with Turkey’s Otokoç and Avis Budget Group. AA photo

Turkish Airlines (THY) joined forces with Turkey’s Otokoç and Avis Budget Group to launch a new project called “Fly & Drive” aiming to combine flight services with rental car bookings. 

The press conference on March 21 brought together high-ranking names including the CEO of Turkish Airlines, Temel Kotil, and Avis Budget Chairman of the Board and CEO, Ron Nelson, as well as Koç Automotive Group head Cenk Çimen. 

Çimen said the partnership, set to combine flight bookings with rental car services in a single move, was important and would benefit both sectors. He also stated that he “personally appreciated” Turkish Airlines’ recent growth, and the company’s representation of the country abroad. 

Kotil told members of the press that THY aimed to improve customer satisfaction and ensured growth through successful partnerships. 

“There will be countless advantages that will come from the combination of an airline company that flies to the highest number of destinations, and a rental car company that operates in over 173 countries,” Kotil said. 

Avis Budget, a leading force in the car rental business that operates in over 10,000 locations, saw 7.5 billion dollars in revenue last year, Nelson said, adding that the potential growth in regions like the Middle East and India fueled the company’s search for new projects. 

The company’s Europe Middle East and Africa president, Larry de Shon, also said the massive growth THY had experienced over the years was a motive behind the company’s choice to get together with the airline. 

THY’s Kotil also mentioned Istanbul’s growing tourism potential, which saw a 16.7 percent increase over the last year, and the need to improve services in accordance with the increasing number of customers. 

“Eurasia’s cultural capital is Istanbul,” Kotil told the press. “People who once went to London, to Paris now come to Turkey. We have carried over 46 million passengers so far, and as that increases, we will need even further vehicles.”