A. O.): Firuzkoy Yolu No. 26, Avcilar, Istanbul, 34850, Turkey;
Phone 90 (212) 509-2100; Fax 90 (212) 593-8742; Code IL; Year Founded 1985. IA is established at its namesake city in December 1985 to operate passenger charter flights on behalf of its owner, a tour group with holdings in both Turkey and Germany. General Manager Safi Er-gin assembles a fleet comprising 4 Sud-Est SE-210 Caravelle XRs and 2 Boeing 727-200s.
Revenue operations commence on March 14, 1986 from Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Adana, Dalaman, and Izmir to Barcelona, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Hanover, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Bologna, Madrid, Tel Aviv, and Rome.
Between 1987-1988, scheduled services are inaugurated to Amsterdam and Munich and authority is obtained to commence flights to Hamburg and Cologne. Two BAC 1-11 s are chartered from TAROM (Transporturile Aeriene Romane, S. A.) during the former year and a leased B-737-4Y0 is delivered in November of the latter. Airline employment is increased by 5% in 1989 to 410 and the B-727-200s are withdrawn and replaced in service by a second leased B-737-4Y0. Orders are placed for three B-737-300s. Enplanements ascend 35.4% over the previous year to 355,987.
In 1990, General Manager Ergin’s fleet comprises 4 Caravelle XRs and 2 Boeing 737-4Y0s. It is decided not to retain the B-737s; those on hand are returned and those on order are cancelled. Instead, two B-727-228s are leased in 1991 from Noble Air, A. O. and five B-727-230As are ordered from Deutsche Lufthansa, A. G., of which one is delivered this year and the remainder in 1992. Also in 1992, the Caravelles are all withdrawn and are replaced with another leased B-737-4Y0.
In 1993, General Manager Ergin oversees a workforce of 1,650 and the fleet now includes 5 each B-737-230As and B-737-4Y0s (leased) and 2 each B-727-228s and B-737-4S3s (leased). Charter flights continue across Europe.
Through September, passenger boardings increase to 1,075,071, a spectacular 161.3% over boost the same period the previous year.
In 1994, scheduled flights are undertaken from Istanbul to Munich, Amsterdam, and domestic stops while charters continue to be flown to the German cities of Cologne, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Saarbrucken, and Stuttgart, plus London, Zurich, Vienna, Graz, Linz, and Salzburg. A B-737-291A subleased from Air Atlanta Icelandic, H. F. helps to operate the inclusive-tour flights for a year.
Services continue in 1995-1998, during which years the owned fleet comprises 5 B-737-230As and 1 B-737-230AF while the company also charters 4 B-737-4YOs and 2 each B-727-228s, B-737-4S3s, and 3 B-757-236s.
On August 26 of the latter year, the carrier leases the Salamis Bay Hotel, in the area of Famagusta, for 49 years at an annual fee of $613,000 plus 10% of any profits.
During the fall, orders are placed for 12 B-737-800s. Arrangements are completed with General Electric Capital Aviation Services to lease three of the type during the following spring.
A B-737-4Y0 must make an emergency landing at Istanbul on March 25, 1999, when its landing gear fails to properly deploy. There are no injuries reported.
The three GECAS B-737-86Ns arrive during the spring and enter service on scheduled Turkish services, as well as on regional charters started with the opening of the spring schedule.
Airline employment totals 2,500 at the beginning of 2000.
While en route from Izmir to Dusseldorf on April 29, a B-727-230A is forced to make an emergency landing at Istanbul when one of its three engines fails. An A300B4 begins a two-month lease on June 15.
A Lockheed L-1011-385 TriStar 1 is wet-leased from Air Atlanta Icelandic, H. F. on June 17.
Just after takeoff from Trabzon for Frankfurt on August 23, a B-737-3Y0 is forced to return to its point of origin after colliding with a flock of birds. Although both engines are damaged, the jetliner is able to complete a safe emergency landing.
With his airline in deep financial difficulty, Chairman Safi Ergin attempts to obtain government assistance during July, aid that will help him pay off some of the company’s approximately $113-million debt. Without aid, Istanbul Airlines attempts to save costs by reducing its fleet and selling assets, including hotel properties. The two B-737-4Y0s owned by GECAS are returned on July 10.
In the end, the savings and aid pleas are not sufficient. The carrier cancels all flights on August 24 and ceases operations. Hundreds of passengers are stranded at Turkish airports as all 900 employees are sent home.
World History
