One of the Largest Aviation Investments in the History of the Republic by THY
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, announced that the groundbreaking ceremony for the ₺100 billion construction investment they announced at the beginning of the year will be held on 8 January 2026.
In a post he shared after attending an event on 31 December 2025, Bolat emphasised that the Construction and Real Estate Directorate plays a critical role in the planning, tendering and implementation processes of the investments that will shape the future of Turkish Airlines.
SMARTIST Cargo Centre Capacity to Increase to 4.5 Million Tonnes
One of THY’s most important investments is the SMARTIST Cargo Centre located at Istanbul Airport. Currently operating with an annual capacity of 2.2 million tonnes, the centre will reach an annual capacity of 4.5 million tonnes with the Phase-2 investment.
The existing terminal area of 250,000 square metres will be expanded to 500,000 square metres with the new investments. Phase-2 construction, whose foundation will be laid shortly, is planned to be completed in 2027.
THY Cargo Fleet to Reach 44 Aircraft by 2033
In parallel with growth in cargo operations, THY is also expanding its cargo aircraft fleet.
The number of cargo aircraft, which stood at 25 in 2023, will be increased to 44 by 2033.
Turkish Do&Co Kitchen to Be Moved to Istanbul Airport
The in-flight catering services operated in partnership between THY and Do&CO are being moved to Istanbul Airport. With the new facility, daily kitchen capacity will reach 500,000 trays. Thus, catering operations will be consolidated into a single centre, increasing efficiency.
Next-Generation Simulators for Pilot Training
Turkish Airlines is expanding its training centre in Istanbul Florya in order to strengthen its pilot training infrastructure. The next-generation simulators to be procured from HAVELSAN include:
- Boeing 787
- Airbus A350
- Boeing 737 MAX
- Airbus A321neo
The first simulators are planned to be delivered in 2026, with deliveries to be completed by 2030.
With fixed-base and full-motion simulators, pilots will be offered more comprehensive and flexible training opportunities.
Over 36,000 Employees at THY, from 140 Different Nationalities
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat drew attention to the importance THY places on human resources and shared the following information:
- Employees with more than 10 years of service: 11,794
- Employees with more than 20 years of seniority: 2,142
- New personnel hired in 2025: 2,915
Total number of employees: 36,571
- Domestic: 32,766
- International: 3,805
At Turkish Airlines, employees from 140 different nationalities work within a multicultural structure.
