Turkey's national carrier still posting profits, sales

ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News

Turkish Airlines records 18.5 mln Turkish Liras in net profits and a 40 percent rise in sales in 2011 and an 18.9 percent increase in passengers in three months. Hürriyet photo

Turkey’s national carrier, Turkish Airlines, made 18.5 million Turkish Liras in 2011 net profits, according to a statement by the company to the Istanbul Stock Exchange (İMKB) on April 12.

The airline also increased its number of passengers by 18.9 percent to reach 8 million in the January-March 2012 period.

The airline posted 286.4 million liras in profits in 2010.

Turkish Airlines’ sales also increased by 40 percent in 2011 to 11.8 billion liras. On a year-over-year basis, the airline increased its number of passengers by 12 percent to 32.7 million.

By the end of 2011, the Turkish Airlines fleet was composed of 139 narrow/middle body planes, 35 wide-body planes and six cargo planes, equaling a total fleet of 180 aircraft.

In the first three months of 2012, the airline’s international Business Comfort Class and International Transfer passenger figures increased by 43.5 and 42.1 percent, respectively, compared to the January-March 2011 period. The airline’s fullness rate also rose by 5.5 percent to 72.7 percent in the same period.