THY aims to exceed $5 bln in annual revenue

Turkish Airlines (THY) CEO Temel Kotil said yesterday that the airline has carried 10 percent more passengers over the past 6 months despite the global economic crisis, adding that this year THY could exceed $5 billion in annual turnover. Kotil said THY carried 5.6 million people abroad in January-June, a 17 percent rise year-on-year. "THY has also seen a 5 percent increase in the number of passengers on domestic flights. The rise in the number of passengers in domestic and international flights was around 10 percent," he said. "The number of international transit passengers was the key element of THY's growth. It is a significant indication that Istanbul has become a transit line." THY is one of the world's fastest-growing and most prosperous airlines. It carries some 20 million passengers a year, with direct flights to 108 international and 33 domestic destinations. In terms of passenger numbers, THY is number four in Europe, and is also the number four airline globally in terms of performance. Kotil also said a sharp rise in the use of Shop&Miles credit cards by THY passengers has helped boost the airline's performance.