Türkiye 2040: Avrupa'nın en büyük havacılık pazarı

Dünya Havalimanları Konseyi ACI - Airport Council International başkanı Angela Gittens'in, 2019 verileri baz alınarak yapılan tahminleri ve 2040 yılına dair bir projeksiyon sunduğu yazısında en ilgimi çeken nokta 20 yıl içerisinde Türkiye'nin Avrupa'nın en büyük havacılık pazarı olacağı beklentisi. Yani konu sadece Türkiye içerisinde dönen, köpürtülen siyasi bir konu değil. Buna göre okumak gerek.

Aşağıda 2040 rakamlarının görüldüğü tablonun 2010-2040 arasındaki değişimi gösteren orijinaline yazının da yer aldığı International Airport Review dergisinin sitesinden ulaşılabilir. Çin'in ulaşması beklenen rakam ise tabloya sığmamakta ;)

www.internationalairportreview.com/article/106229/world-airport-traffic-forecasts-aci-world/

Istanbul New Airport

Countdown Sign at IGA office (2014)

I joined IGA, the company behind the Istanbul New Airport Project, as one of its first employees back in 2014. Then the project land was full of mining lakes, hills, and beautiful trees. When I first heard the targeted inauguration date, 29th of October 2017, I told my colleagues that this was simply impossible.

Before IGA, I worked for Abu Dhabi Airports Co. (ADAC) and aware of tricks and possible delays in an airport/terminal construction project. I am a marketing and communication professional, not an engineer or developer, but there is /was common sense. Abu Dhabi Airport Midfield Terminal was supposed to be built in 3 years and inaugurated in 2014-15. It is still not operational.

Groundbreaking ceremony area (2015)

Back in 2015, I told my colleagues at IGA that President Erdoğan may cut the ribbon as early as 29th of October, 2018, earliest, but probably this would be a soft opening, and realistically the new airport would be fully operational by the first quarter of 2019, ideally by March, with the start of the summer timetable of Turkish Airlines. That was my prediction, and it looks that that was a pretty good one.

TK staff with their new uniforms at Istanbul Airport

Istanbul's new airport was officially inaugurated last Monday, the 29th of October. However, it won't be fully functioning till the end of the year, according to the latest plan announced by DHMI (State Airports Authority) and Turkish Airlines.

Well, one way or another, we have a new, game-changer airport. I read a lot of news and articles about it and believe that the most objective, unbiased one is from CNN with a gallery of pictures and three expert views to let you understand what it means to Turkey and to European and global aviation. Here is the link; CNN Travel.

Last but not least, there was speculation, mostly politically fueled, about its name since the project kicked-off. Finally, we ended up with an exact name; Istanbul Airport.

It has a new website too; http://istanbulhavalimani.aero/en

Good luck, IGA!

Connection Service: Details Matter

"We monitor thousands of flights a day to help you make that all-important connection"

Star Alliance promotes its new connection service at Frankfurt Airport with a focus on speed.

Ultra-long-haul flights of the world

My longest flight was about 13 hours, from Istanbul to Sao Paolo on a Turkish Airlines A340. It was not an easy one. You have roughly 10 hours of free time when you exclude meal services. If you are not lucky enough to fly in a premium cabin,  flying in the economy can be a painful experience. After the first meal service, a movie, and a book, I slept for a while, and when I woke up, I realized that I have another 7 hours to arrive. Since that journey, I promised myself to save my miles for long-haul upgrades.

Ultra Long Haul Era

This week, Qantas, the Australian carrier, launched a 14.500km direct route from Perth to London. This is the first direct air link between Australia and Europe, and it took 17 hours.

The Economist has recently published a 'daily chart' covering this hot topic. Here is the list of 10 ULR flights of the world and their approximate routes. All these flights are 15+ hours. There are already some studies going on about these flights' healthiness and possible effects on the human body. Imagine yourself in an economy cabin for a looong time... will you able to make it?

Click here to read the original 'daily chart' of The Economist based on OAG data.

Start saving either your miles or money to have a pleasant ULR flight!

SaveSave

Lufthansa - A step back in rebranding

Lufthansa to revise “new” livery after only three weeks according to the news on aviation websites. 

This is quite unusual for a German company, and it looks like the debate is going on inside the airline HDQ in Frankfurt.

I think that this rebranding is not a successful one. I read and watched everything on LH's dedicated site for this rebrand; Explore the New. Have a look >>>

Still not convinced!

Removing the famous LH Yellow from the logo (and tail), and decrease its use to as low as %10 (just a small yellow area next to the front door) was not the best decision. Dark blue color and its shape on livery was another problem, which LH is tackling now.

I support rebrandings in principal as someone who has rebranded an airline 10 years ago. However, I know that this has to be done very carefully, especially if you are a global brand. Sometimes a brand refresh is better than a complete rebranding.

There are good examples, though. Etihad did a fantastic job several years ago. This one was more complicated as two languages were involved, and local cultural sensitivities were higher.

Let's give LH some time and space. I believe that they will consider all feedback and may tweak it again for a better solution.

“Emerging High Value Customers” or eHVCs

At Delta Air Lines, marketing executives have a phrase to describe customers and potential customers younger than 35 — and it’s not “millennial traveler.” They prefer to call them “Emerging High-Value Customers” or eHVCs. Click here to read the article on Skift.com.

I believe that defining a new segment among millennials is important as different parts of the travel and hospitality industries have more or less the same approach to millennials. However, this group of people may trigger changes and development of new products and services based on better segmentation and understanding of their needs.

Not all millennials want to fly low-cost, rent a room through Airbnb, and discover a city or country like the others.

Vintage Maps Rekindle the Romance of Early Air Travel

Have a look at NG story about vintage maps of airlines in the early days of the 20th century and compare it with Martin Grandjean's below work to see how the industry has developed in terms of the network. Today we have more than 3.000 airports and 60.000 routes. Don't you think that it is amazing?

Click here to read the full story of NG. If you like to buy the book Mapping the Airways, curated by Paul Jarvis, visit the Amberley Publishing website.

Have a nice flight!

Does the Airbus A380 have a future?

I had a few flights on board of Emirates A380s, both in Economy and Business. Yes, it is a huge aircraft, but there is nothing unusual except the bar for premium pax in terms of passenger comfort.

Have a look at the video news by Jeremy Howell of BBC;

Airbnb Flights

Before we get into details, please have a look at these two links;

• Skift - Airbnb Is Really Building A Flight Search Engine 
• Bloomberg - News about intentions of Airbnb

Skift Take by Dennis Schaal;
Turns out it is more than a trial balloon, after the announcement of possible flight search at Airbnb Open last month. The margins are tiny in flight search, not sure why it would be better than any other OTA, other than it has lots of traffic coming to Airbnb.

How has Airbnb changed the way we travel?

Simple. They offered a new, different, and genuine way to stay in the cities we visit. We loved this from host to guest concept. If you go for a room, it is far less expensive than a hotel room. This may not be suitable for all, but if you go for an entire apartment, it is a better option than any hotel, especially if you are traveling with more than two people.

I traveled to Amsterdam this month with my friends, and we stayed in a nice, centrally located apartment. It cost €50pp/night, which was less expensive than a 3-4 star hotel option. We had the luxury of being in a "home" with a nicely decorated living room, two bedrooms, comfy beds, a fully equipped kitchen, wi-fi, and so on.

It was like staying at a friend's place while s/he is away.

How I booked our tickets?

Like many of you, I first searched through online platforms to see all available schedules and price options. To be sure about the prices, I also checked the selected airlines' websites because sometimes you can catch a better deal. After all, I booked via an OTA, bavul.com, which was nearly 20% cheaper than the website of the airline we flew.

The decision process for many leisure travelers is more or less the same.

So the idea of offering flights, too, is fine and has potential, especially when you have such traffic, but at the end of the day, it depends on how it is going to work. Google, the most visited site globally, has Google Flights, which facilitates the purchase of tickets, but it is not the best. As written in one of the above links, Kayak.com has no worries because they know their product is superior to Google Flights.

That is why Dennis Schaal has a point.

Airbnb has been looking for some other initiatives to boost business. Last month, the company made it possible to book local experiences and tours. Again from host to guest. Such a nice idea.

When it comes to aviation, obviously, things are different. To be successful, Airbnb should find a way to change the way we book as they did before. Offering flights like an OTA will not make a difference. I would go and have a round of talks with the hosts, in this case, airlines, to explore potential opportunities, not cents.

Good luck, Airbnb!

Brad is single by Norwegian

Such a good example for a low-cost airline ads... just on time, savvy and funny.

Return of supersonic flights

I remember the Concorde Era and the last campaign of British Airways to experience a supersonic flight with the legendary Concorde from London to New York. I worked for Swissair and was entitled to have a discounted ticket, but not enough budget as a young marketing executive.

Since then, I have thought about the length of flight times and supersonic flights' reintroduction by using advanced technology. The introduction of new generation aircrafts such as B787 and A350 brought some improvements to the cabin and passenger comfort, significantly reducing fuel consumption and operational efficiency but time.

My latest long-haul flights from Istanbul were to Sao Paolo and Johannesburg. Each of them was more than 10 hours. Personally, I can manage flights up to 6 hours, but longer flights are a waste of time, even if you fly in Business Class.

New Era

Finally, a company called Boom announced the return of supersonic flights. In an interview, Blake Scholl, the founder and chief executive of Boom, said, “This isn’t science fiction; we are actually doing this. You will be able to fly New York to London in three-and-a-half hours for $5,000 return, [roughly] the same as [the cost] of business class.”

Sir Richard Branson says Virgin will partner with Boom to build and test plane to succeed where Concorde failed – ‘this lets you commute’ across oceans.

Boom planes will travel 2.6 times faster than any other aircraft, up to speeds of 1,451 miles per hour – Concorde's top speed was in the region of 1,350 miles per hour.

Each vessel will have 40 seats in two rows on either side of the aisle and will allow passengers to travel from London to New York in under 3hr 30min, which is almost half of the current flight time between two cities. I believe that this new initiative will pave the way to more affordable supersonic flights in a decade. Good luck, gentlemen!

Please click here to read the full story published in The Guardian or visit the project's official website; boom.aero

The people behind SWISS

I was one of them for almost 7 years... first 5 years with the legendary Swissair, which was a unique and priceless experience. The below video is such a nice one that brings you on a journey through the successor SWISS.

Why Boeing airplane models start with number 7?

I was wondering about the real reason for a long time. Why they name them as 7X7?

Forget all stories and conspiracy theories you heard about the model numbering of Boeing airplanes. There is a logical reason which makes sense, at least at the organizational level...

After World War II, Boeing President William Allen set about an ambitious restructuring of the company, dividing each new department by three-digit numbers. The 300 and 400 departments continued to focus on the company’s propeller aircraft offerings, while 500 came to denote the company's part focused on turbine engine development. The 600s were reserved for rocket and missile products. And finally, the burgeoning jet aircraft division of the company was assigned the number 700.

As the company prepared its Model 700 jet for commercial sales, Boeing’s marketing department swept in and rightfully suggested that the name didn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Instead, the 700 was renamed as the alliterative 707. The 717 followed the pattern, with subsequent decades, bringing the 727, 737, 747, and so on up to today’s 787 Dreamliner.

Click here to read the full story and visit the official pages of Boeing about their commercial airplanes.

The World's Longest Flights

Here is a nice work that shows the world's longest flights as of January 2016. Nowadays, MEB3 airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad, compete for another title, the world's longest route.



Qatar Airways is planning to launch the Doha - Auckland route (9.034miles/18,5hrs), while Emirates announced Dubai - Panama City link (8.588miles/17,5hrs). On the other hand, Singapore is planning to reinstate its legendary Singapore - New York flight (9.500miles/19hrs) with Airbus A350-900ULR aircraft.

You may visit the following links to read a bit more about this new battle; Yahoo Finance, Skift, and Statista. I also heard that Turkish Airlines is searching for an aircraft to establish an air link between Istanbul and Australia, the only continent that TK doesn't serve.

My personal limit for a comfortable and healthy flight in economy class is around 6-7hrs. In premium cabins, this is around 12hrs. The idea of spending 18-19hrs or even more in a flight where you have limited space makes me nervous.

Have a nice and short flight!

Qantas Safety Video + Destination Marketing

One of the best videos combining flight safety and destination marketing. Congratulations Qantas! I believe Turkish Airlines should do one, in a better way, and focus on genuine Turkish Hospitality.

GlobeTrotter Travel Guidebook - Japan

A few months ago, I got an email from the Turkish Embassy Office of The Cultural and Information Counselor in Tokyo, Japan. They asked me to send them the latest visuals of the Istanbul New Airport project to share with a travel publication in Japan.

Yesterday, I received the printed copy of the GlobeTrotter Travel Guidebook. Still, I have no idea what is written above or next to the visual of IGA, but it was nice to see it there. I can only read 2018, which is the opening year of the airport.

Thank you, our friends!

The Art of the Airport Tower & Istanbul New Airport

Carolyn Russo, a photographer at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum (Washington, DC), spent the last decade training her lens on 100 towers in 23 countries. "Airport towers are symbolic," she says. "They are cultural greeters... they are choreographers." You may watch the video about her exhibition filmed by Allen McGreevy, edited by Bill McKenna at bbc.com

When I was working for Abu Dhabi Airports Company, we were using the Arabian Dhow inspired ATC Tower of AUH, as a symbol of the airport. So I agree that the ATC Tower of an airport is more than a control tower.

Meanwhile, results announced for Istanbul New Airport’s “Air Traffic Control Tower Design Competition” 

Tower inspired by tulips 

World-renowned figures competed to design Istanbul New Airport’s “Air Traffic Control Unit”. AECOM and Pininfarina won the competition with a design inspired by tulips, one of Turkey and Istanbul's symbols.

Results are announced for Istanbul New Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower concept design competition organized by İGA to address leading global designers; Grimshaw-Nordic, Zaha Hadid, Moshe Safdie,  Massimiliano Fuksas, Pininfarina-Aecom, and RMJM Architects.
 
AECOM and Pininfarina, a prominent company on a global scale, will design the new Air Traffic Control Tower.

You may read more about the selection and details at İGA’s website, the company behind the Istanbul New Airport project.

Qatar Airways vs Turkish Airlines - Safety Videos

Well... I believe that Turkish Airlines would never let Barcelona sign with Qatar Airways. Along with that, what Qatar Airways did is far much better than the Turkish Airlines to utilize their sponsorship for a major European team.

Qatar Airways + Barcelona

Turkish Airlines + Manchester United (2011)

Your vote? QR or TK?

10 Trends That Will Make Flying Better in 2016

Skift.com has found ten innovative trends that reveal a better future for the industry and are set to make air travel more pleasant for passengers in 2016 and beyond.

Here is the list with my comments on each trend;

1. Launch of A350 Aircraft and 787-9 Dreamliners – I definitely agree on this. I had a chance to experience 787 of Qatar Airways back in 2013 and looking forward to flying with the A350.
2. Rise of Biometric Kiosks and Passport Apps at Airports – E-Gates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi were my favorite time savers while I was living in the UAE. This trend has to be supported by all parties. There is one issue to tackle; visas.
3. Improved Onboard Wi-Fi and Streaming Entertainment – As a sit back-relax-enjoy type of pax, I rarely watch a movie. I like the time spent on board, which gives you a break to think about anything. Therefore, I don’t care an improved Wi-Fi.
4. Apple Watch and Apps – Again, as someone who doesn’t wear a watch, I am not fond of Apple Watch. Apps are a different story.
5. Bag Tracking Technology – A nice to have technology
6. The Rise of Premium Economy – My favorite one! I will be flying to the US soon and experience either LH or TK. Afterward, I am planning to write about this trend.
7. Expansion of CBP Pre-Clearance Program – Well, Istanbul New Airport will have too.
8. Beacons and Internet of Things – Don’t you think that we talk about beacons too much?
9. Mobile and Personalization – The key to many things.
10. Even Better In-flight Entertainment – Same as Improved Onboard Wi-Fi and Streaming Entertainment.

To read the original article, click here >>>

ACI Airport Exchange 2015 - Istanbul

Next week IGA, the company behind the Istanbul New Airport Project, is going to host the Airport Council International - ACI Airport Exchange event in Istanbul.

In addition to the 6 regular specialist ACI Airport Exchange conferences, this year there is a special dedicated 'Istanbul New Airport Development Conference' which is entirely dedicated to the €10.2 billion Istanbul New Airport project, featuring key figures from the leadership, design, and procurement teams delivering this game-changing mega-hub.

Have a look at the official event website and join us if you're interested.