Turkish Airlines serves over 2.3 million passengers during Eid holiday

ISTANBUL

Turkish Airlines (THY) has served over 2.3 million passengers over the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha or the “Feast of Sacrifice” from Aug. 17 to Aug. 26. 

“In the 15,048 flights we have conducted this holiday, we have not only carried 2,340,448 passengers. We have also brought millions together along with excitement and happiness,” THY press adviser Yahya Üstün said on his Twitter account on Aug. 26.

“We are proud to work for Turkey and to carry value,” Üstün said.

In addition to air traffic, road traffic was also quite busy over the nine-day long holiday. Bus companies added more journeys to manage the high passenger traffic.

Eid al-Adha fell between Aug. 21 and Aug. 24 this year, but many Turks hit the roads on the night of Aug. 17 to utilize the extended holiday and went back to work on Aug. 27.

The terminals were overcrowded with travelers, with some visiting their hometown to spend time with their families, while others were keen on enjoying summertime on southern beaches. Inspections were particularly tightened on the roads connecting the Istanbul metropol to the capital Ankara and the resorts in the Aegean as well as the Mediterranean regions.

Many hotels across the country were reported to be fully booked during this time period. Occupancy rates in many southern resort towns hit 100 percent, as there was strong demand, officials said.

Many travelers who hit the road at the last minute without making any plans had a hard time finding accomodation, with some even having to spend the night in their cars.