FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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We treat our passengers as guests : Turkish Airlines chairman

We treat our passengers as guests : Turkish Airlines chairman

ISTANBUL - FIRST TIME visitors to Turkey may be worried for their safety after a failed coup attempt in July. The bloody rebellion, led by a faction within the Turkish armed forces, took place on July 15 in the capital Ankara and Istanbul in a bid to oust

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had said 76,597 people were suspended from work and 4,897 dismissed for having been involved in the coup. 
The country was placed under martial law and curfew, prompting many countries including Thailand to issue travel warnings for their nationals to either be cautious or avoid travelling to Turkey.
For Thais, the coup attempt only added to their concerns about Turkey after an incident in which a group of Turkish citizens attacked the Thai honorary consul general’s office in Istanbul in July last year. Gathering in front of the office reportedly to protest against the Thai government sending some 100 Muslim Uighurs back to China, they turned violent, raiding the premises, smashing the windows and even lowering the Thai flag. No one was injured.
The attack caused worry and fear, and resulted in Bangkok issuing travel warnings for Thais living or travelling to Turkey. The Thai embassy in Ankara warned around 1,300 Thais living in Turkey to “be on alert” following the attack. Thais travelling and living there were even advised to hide their identity.
However, Turkey, which straddles Eastern Europe and western Asia, now seems to have returned to peace. Police and soldiers still provide protection to residents at almost every corner, but visitors to Istanbul will find it difficult to notice their presence. In Istanbul, there were still signs and billboards that condemned the coup.
The coup bid hit many quarters of the country hard, particularly its business community, which has been struggling amidst a global economic slowdown. Turkish Airlines, which has offices worldwide, hasn’t been spared. It was reported that more than 200 employees of the Turkish carrier were dismissed for allegedly being involved in the failed coup. Airline chairman Ilker Ayci said the coup also affected Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport, its main hub, forcing it to cancel at least 43 flights out of 1,459 on July 22. “Some 91 per cent of these flights reached their destinations on time, as 88 per cent of them departed on time,” he said.
Ayci recently hosted a press conference that was attended by international journalists in what was seen as a bid to inform the world that Turkey had returned to normal. From his opening speech, the attendees came to realise the hardship the coup caused to his business. He took about half an hour to also explain and condemn the rebellion.
“I want to make it clear that people are safe here,” Ayci said. “Our foreign exchange, capital markets and the economy are making great progress. We are continuing all our operations despite all the things that had happened.” It was important to allay fears so that “brotherhood and solidarity” can be rebuilt, which would lead to commercial investments and tourism, he added.
The airline even changed the password in its arrival lounge at Ataturk to “July15” – the day the coup took place. 
Turkish Airlines flies to around 116 countries and 294 destinations, 243 of which are international. The airline operates in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Most of its traffic is in the Asia-Pacific.
“The Asian market is very important for us. All of us have relatives in Asia. Keeping that in mind, we are introducing new cabin crews who can speak languages such as Korean, Chinese and Japanese,” Ayci revealed.
He emphasised in the press conference that his airline staff treat travellers as “guests”, not “passengers”.
 “When you treat somebody as a guest, you invite them to your house and give them the best treatment you can. They are like your family,” he said.
He described Turkey as being a “centre of living together”.
- MARISA CHIMPRABHA
THE NATION
 
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