Turkish Airlines has been named Airline of the Year by Air Transport News, the airline said Wednesday.
In a statement, the flag-carrier said the award had been voted for by “experts and readers” of the magazine “assessed on service quality, innovation, new products, corporate responsibility and social contribution.”
The airline's freight division, Turkish Cargo, was named Cargo Airline of the Year while Turkish Technic, the maintenance division of Turkish Airlines, was named the maintenance, repair and operations company of the year at the 2016 Air Transport News Awards.
Ataturk International Airport, operated by TAV Airports, won Airport of the Year.
Turkish Airlines' number of destinations rose from 264 to 284 in the last quarter of 2014, including 49 domestic and 235 international destinations in 113 countries.
Last year, the airline's capacity increased by 13.6 percent to 61.2 million passengers carried over the year.
“As the Turkish Airlines network grows every day, by offering more and more services, the satisfaction of our guests is still our first priority,” Chairman Ilker Ayci said in a statement.
“In 2023, we aim to increase our number of passengers from nearly 60 million to 120 million, and our number of aircrafts from 300 to more than 450. With the completion of the new airport in Istanbul, Turkish Airlines will achieve a much different momentum.”
Turkish Cargo had achieved 18 percent yearly average growth over the past decade, he added.
TAV Airports President and CEO Sani Sener said Ataturk had become the third busiest airport in Europe.
“During this process there have been comprehensive developments at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport in order to provide an enhanced passenger experience,” he said.
