interview


Abdullah Soner Akkurt, senior vice president cargo at fast- growing Turkish Airlines, explains to Ian Martin Jones that the air freight business is important to the carrier’s future expansion plans


How well did your freight business do last year at Turkish Cargo?


“We flew 313,000 tonnes of cargo on our Turkish Arlines passenger and freighter services in 2010 and this year we have budgeted for a 24 percent year-on-year increase in tonnage compared to 2010. That will provide a 42 percent boost in revenue.”


Turkish Airlines is described as an expanding airline. How fast are you growing?


“Expansion is the watchword at Turkish Airlines. In 2003, we had just 65 aircraft and we will have reached 175 aircraft by the end of this year. As Turkish Airlines grows, so does its Turkish Cargo division.”


18 AIR LOGISTICSCHINA


What are the plans to grow your freighter fleet?


“The airline has ordered new freighters. We already have four A310Fs in the fleet and one brand new A330-200F. A second A330F is due this month (June) and one more is expected to join the fleet every year up until 2014, making a total of five of the 70-tonne payload aircraft.”


How much of your fleet comprises widebody aircraft with a substantial freight-carrying capacity?


“The upper management at Turkish Airlines is well aware of the value of cargo and more and more is being invested in its growth. “Twenty percent of the passenger fleet is widebody capacity, with a number of B777s providing a substantial


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