Turkish Airlines plans to grow in China, India through new partnerships: Chair

Turkish Airlines Chair İlker Aycı said expansion in markets east of Turkey would be possible through new partnerships.
"Europe-based growth will not be enough for us in the future. We are now rediscovering Asia and Africa, which will be quite key,” Aycı said in a speech at an Independent Industrialist and Businessmen Association (MÜSİAD) summit in Istanbul, state-run Anadolu Agecy reported.
“India and China – both closed markets with certain obstacles such as obtaining flight rights - are expected to dominate half the global markets in the next decade, so we must have a presence there if we wish to be a global company in the future,” he added.
Aycı also said Turkish Airlines is looking for ways to create new partnerships with companies that are not signed with Star Alliance, Reuters reported.
Referring to the under-construction third airport in Istanbul, he said the airline’s undercapacity problem would be resolved soon.
“With the third airport we will overcome our capacity problem. With the third runway, we will add more flight lines and expand our flight map,” Aycı said.