Turkish Airlines' origins go back to 1933, when the Turkish government
established the State Airlines Administration with a fleet of just five
aircraft and a staff of 24 people. Initially, the route network only
included domestic destinations, but it was soon followed by flights to
Nicosia (which has a large Turkish population), Beirut (the financial
heart of the Middle East) and Cairo (the political epicenter of the
region). In 1956, the airline was restructured and transformed into the
current Turkish Airlines. From that moment, the airline started a rapid
international expansion. At first, many destinations in Germany were
served because of the large number of Turkish workers in that country,
but other major European cities were soon added to the network.
Of course, the airline has faced many challenges, such as the
deregulation of air transport in Turkey, the devaluations of the Turkish
currency and domestic political unrest. Geopolitical factors such as the
tensions with Russia and the war in Syria may also have caused some
issues for the airline's management. With 150 images, this book charts
Turkish Airlines' history, showing how it has become one of the largest
airlines in the world.
