Turkish Airlines - Definition and Overview

Turkish Airlines (Turkish Türk Hava Yolları) is an airline operated as a "state economic enterprise" owned by the government of Turkey. It was founded on May 20, 1933 as the State Airlines Administration.

Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800

Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300

On 3 March 1974, Turkish Airlines Flight 981 crashed in France, killing all 346 passengers aboard. Before the Tenerife Airport Disaster, it was the worst aircraft disaster.

On March 28, 2003, an Airbus A310 of the airline, flying from Istanbul to Ankara, was hijacked during the flight, and diverted to Greece. The hijacker said he wanted to fly to Germany, alleging that his mother and sister were hostages there. At the Athens's Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, the aircraft was surrounded by Greek security forces and after 3 hours of negotiations the 20 year-old hijacker, Ozgur Gencarslan, finally gave up. It is said that Gencarslan was not affiliated with any terrorist organisation and was acting on his own.

External link

• Company website (http://www.turkishairlines.com/)