Istanbul, August 2026
As Europe’s leading network
carrier by number of flights, Turkish Airlines continued to expand its fleet in
line with its sustainable growth targets despite uncertainties resulting from
the war in the Middle East and bottlenecks in aircraft production. Expanding
its fleet by 14% year-on-year to 552 aircraft as of the end of June 2026,
Turkish Airlines increased its Total Revenues by 20.5% year-on-year to USD 7.2
billion in the second quarter of 2026, supported by capacity planning adapted
to rapidly changing operating environment. Although geopolitical developments
in the Middle East placed significant pressure on global air cargo capacity
during the second quarter of 2026, Turkish Cargo responded effectively to
demand through its strong infrastructure and strategic geographical position.
As a result, cargo volume increased by 11.3%, while cargo revenues rose by 58%
to nearly USD 1.3 billion.
The impact of the war in the
Middle East was reflected noticeably in the second-quarter financial results
due to the delayed effect of the sharp increase in jet fuel prices on costs.
Nevertheless, higher passenger and cargo unit revenues served as an important
balancing factor, driven by the Company’s selective growth strategy with a continued
focus on profitability. Reflecting this performance, EBITDAR exceeded the
Company’s publicly announced guidance, surpassing USD 900 million, while
EBITDAR margin was recorded at 12.6%. During the same period, a Net Profit of
USD 197 million was recorded with the positive contribution of the investment
portfolio.
Commenting on the second
quarter 2026 results, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the
Executive Committee, Prof. Murat Şeker, stated: “Despite the uncertainty
caused by geopolitical developments in the Middle East and the sharp increase
in fuel prices, we have successfully managed this challenging period, as we
have in previous crises. This was made possible by our extensive flight
network, diversified business model and agile operational capabilities. At the
same time, we continued to implement end-to-end efficiency initiatives across
all units of our Company while maintaining our disciplined cost management
approach. As Turkish Airlines, we will continue to bring continents, cultures
and people together through our products and services while keeping flight
safety and customer satisfaction at the center of our focus. Capitalizing on
strength from our operational scale, sound financial structure and highly
qualified human capital, we will continue to progress toward our Centennial
targets amid challenging operating environment.”
Having successfully
completed the second quarter of 2026, Turkish Airlines proudly represents
Türkiye’s flag in all corners of the world through its unique flight network,
modern fleet and superior service. In the periods ahead, our contribution to
the sustainable growth of the aviation sector both in Türkiye and abroad will
continue to increase in line with our country’s development objectives and our
Centennial Strategy.