How is the French market faring for Turkish Airlines?
In total, we carried 630,000 passengers in France in 2012, and increased our traffic by 33% in the first eight months. We have increased our capacity in the French market by 18% this year and demand is there, both for travel to Turkey and beyond to the many destinations on our network. In fact, we added a number of routes to Africa last year, and more and more French business travellers are now using Istanbul to reach African markets. We are gaining market share, and we are developing on other routes with new connections such as Colombo, Kathmandu, Ulan Bator...
What are Turkish Airlines' plans for other strategic markets, particularly Asia?
Competition is fierce for flights between Europe and Asia, whether from France, the UK or Germany. But there is market share to be won. Some travellers prefer price, others time, others quality: we have arguments to put forward on flights with stopovers. All the more so since we have launched the TourIstanbul programme, which allows passengers to visit the city free of charge with a guide for stopovers of more than six hours.
What products do you offer for business travellers?
Our business class is a very important product for us. We pay a lot of attention to it, especially on long-haul flights. In-flight Wi-Fi and gastronomy are among our strong points, and we are developing new ground products for business travellers. We have just inaugurated our first inbound business lounge in Istanbul, which offers passengers all the comfort they need during their stopover or before a business meeting in Turkey. Although I travel regularly, I've never seen a comparable arrival lounge.
How do you see the arrival of a third airport in Istanbul?
The government does indeed want to build the largest airport in Istanbul, and indeed in Turkey. Unlike Atatürk, where there was little room for manoeuvre, we will be able to expand there. It's a major investment for the country. The project concerns the north of Istanbul, and will also involve the construction of transport infrastructure to provide links to and from the city centre.
