Turkish Airlines to continue investments in 2012

ANKARA (A.A) -December 19, 2011 – Turkish Airlines (THY), national air carrier of Turkey, will continue its investments in 2012. THY Director General Temel Kotil told AA on Monday that 18 more planes would be added to THY's fleet next year. It would not be a surprise for us to begin to fly to 10-14 new destinations in 2012, added Kotil. He stressed that it was important to approach the targets in 2011 when tsunami in Japan, economic crisis in Euro zone, change of regimes in North Africa and Middle East and rising foreign exchange and oil prices were taken into consideration. Kotil said that the number of THY's passengers increased 11.7 percent to 30 million in the first 11 months of 2011 when compared to the same period of 2010. The number of passengers in Business/Comfort Class in international lines rose 28.4 percent, and transfer passengers increased 20.2 percent in the first 11 months of 2011 when compared to the same period of 2010, he added. Kotil said that THY carried 351.504 tons of cargo with an increase of 24.1 percent in the first 11 months of 2011 when compared to the same period of 2010. Kotil said that while shrinkage in aviation sector in the world had been continuing since 2008, THY increased its number of passengers 11.7 percent. He noted that THY increased its number of planes from 153 to 177, and number of destinations from 174 to 190 within 2011.