Turkish Airlines has been named the best airline in Europe for the third year in a row.
The airline also took the gongs for best business class catering and best airline in southern Europe at the 2013 Skytrax World Airline Awards, announced at the Paris Air Show in late June.
As in previous years, the 2013 awards were based on customer survey conducted by Skytrax over a 10-month period, with over 100 nationalities from more than 160 countries around the world participating.
Turkish Airlines chief executive Temel Kotil was presented with the awards by Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted in London recently.
Meanwhile, the airline’s Ireland director Murat Balandi credits his company’s extra luxuries and tight timetables as key factors contributing to the high customer satisfaction that led to the airline’s third straight ‘best in Europe’ award.
He cites business class-style seats in premium economy, on-board chefs for long haul flights, and no layovers over three and a half hours as some of the reasons that flyers keep coming back.
“We provide an experience that is better, higher quality,” says Balandi, “especially compared to other airlines where you have to pay for everything: baggage, water, seat selection, even on some to use the restroom! What kind of service quality is that?”
Balandi believes that while the casual flyer may be tempted by lower cost airlines, more experienced travellers “fly with us once and they can tell the quality”.
“People in Spain say, because the service is so good, the entertainment is so good, the price is so good, we fly Turkish airlines even if it is inconvenient. They say, ‘They make us a feel like a star.’”
Yet despite the award recognition, Balandi feels that Turkish Airlines doesn’t have as many Irish passengers as it should, compared for example to its thriving Spanish business.
“Ireland is a small market, but the traffic is huge. And such a quality airline with such a huge network should get more market share,” he adds.
The airline, which opened its Irish office in 2006, currently has 236 destinations worldwide. The airline opened 34 new routes in 2012, and plans to open another 30 to 40 this year, including a potential direct route from Dublin to San Francisco.
