Spot light: with Temel Kotil

Turkish Airlines launched non-stop flights from Shanghai to Istanbul on July 1. It now has five flights a week running between the two cities. CEO Temel Kotil, who wants to promote greater access to his country and its mysteries, sat down with Shanghai Star Weekend reporter Chen Qide to explain why Istanbul, a metropolis that straddles the Bosphorus and has a foot in two continents, is worth visiting.

Q: Why have you gone to such pains to expand on the air services between China and Turkey?

A: I hope the two countries can learn more about each other and their respective age-old civilizations. Istanbul, a favorable geographical air hub close to the Mediterranean, is already proving a magnet for passengers who need to transfer to destinations in Europe and Africa. We want to turn our weekly five services to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing into daily flights in the near future. We are also looking at ways to open flights to Guangzhou.

Q: Do you have the financial clout to make this happen?

A: Our business has fared very well recently, its growth true rather than a bubble, despite the global financial crisis. We've turned a profit in the last nine months when many others suffered losses. Our profits reflect our solid management and cost cutting measures, and this has put us in a position to be able to take out $3 billion to purchase 22 aircraft within two years for new routes and flights. Our focus will now be placed on the Chinese market.

Q: How will you cater to the in-flight services Chinese passengers require?

A: We provide various kinds of food for passengers with exotic cuisines from the world's kitchens as well as meals aimed at Turkish tastes. Last year, we spent $250 million, five percent of our whole costs, on improving our food quality. We plan to employ 20 Chinese-speaking cabin crew and further improve the quality of our Chinese cuisine. Turkish cuisine has some similarities with Chinese food.

Q: Will Turkish Airlines provide special services for the 2010 Shanghai Expo?

A: The forthcoming World Expo will, no doubt, bring us more passengers from Istanbul to Shanghai and vice versa. We will provide them with the best-quality service, including more flights. Five services a week are not enough to meet the expected level of demand.

(China Daily 12/05/2009 page14)