iGA Istanbul Airport, Hosted “Regional Airports”
An event called “Istanbul Regional Airport Workshop” was held under the leadership of iGA Istanbul Airport. The event welcomed 24 regional airports from Europe, as well as the officials from Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier brand of Turkiye, and Turkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (the TGA), in Istanbul.
“Istanbul Regional Airport Workshop” started with the opening speech of Majid Khan, iGA Istanbul Airport Airline and Cargo Marketing Director. Majid Khan noted that most airports responded to the Covid-19 pandemics by downsizing their operations and laying off employees, and underlined that iGA Istanbul Airport took an action to the contrary, and continued to invest in the future.
It was further highlighted that iGA Istanbul Airport, currently hosting 71 carriers, and offering flights to 300 destinations, started hosting 11 new carriers and offering flights to 26 new destinations in 2021. Istanbul Regional Airport Workshop event also addressed the post-pandemics recovery period, noting that all stakeholders of the airline industry must extend collaboration and avoid unrealistic goals in consideration of the market conditions, and suggested cooperation between global hubs and regional airports, instead of regional airports aiming at long-distance routes.
At the event, the airline industry was called for new cooperations and collaborations to support financial sustainability, and it was highlighted that route development is much more important than it has ever been.
At the event, the officials from Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier brand of Turkiye, had individual meetings with the officials of the 24 regional airports of Europe, and the presentations by Turkish Airlines and Turkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (the TGA) addressed the importance of Turkiye and Istanbul for the tourism industry. In the event, it was stated that Turkish Airlines would evaluate exercises concerning new points that are likely to start direct flights in the upcoming periods.
It was emphasized that Turkish Airlines have more than 100 destinations, though, for departures from new destinations in Europe, it should expand its long-distance network through connecting flights at iGA Istanbul Airport, and therefore, all decision-makers should meet on common grounds, and such achievement is highly important for the analysis of the relevant markets for the prospective network of Turkish Airlines.
The event also pointed out that the airline industry will always have the potential, thus it should be closer to the market and the stakeholders, and the fact that routing tourist activity to Istanbul and to the European destinations, which attract fewer tourists, is of great importance for Turkiye.
In conclusion, it was underlined that Turkish Airlines, in cooperation with iGA, would contribute to the opening of new destinations in Europe, which would result in a competitive advantage for Turkish Airlines, against its competitors.
At Istanbul Regional Airport Workshop event, the need for the major destination-airline and major destination-airport collaboration when offering customized services and products, and that such collaborations will offer more options and flexibility for the passengers, and increase customer satisfaction, were reiterated.