Is it safe to fly on Turkish Airlines? This is a common query we often receive from passengers who consider flying with this airline. Although Turkish Airlines has a strong safety record and is regarded as a dependable and trustworthy airline across the world. But, is it really safe to fly with this flag carrier of Turkey? What does the Turkish Airlines Safety Record tell? Let’s find out the truth in this comprehensive guide.
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Turkish Airlines at a Glance
Turkish Airlines is among the top airlines in the world. It has gained numerous safety honors, excellence rewards, and recognition over the last few decades. One of the significant reasons behind it is that it follows stringent safety norms and standards strictly. Furthermore, it keeps the passengers’ safety always at the top. It provides its passengers with a safe and secure flying experience by operating a fleet of modern aircrafts and employing highly trained pilots and crew staff. As a result, passengers have a strong trust in the airline and thus they are confident and comfortable flying with it.
It would not be wrong to say that flying with Turkish Airlines is a wise decision, even though watching Turkey on the news or reading about the airline’s previous mishaps and incidents may give the impression that.
Turkish Airlines Safety Record
Turkish Airlines has a strong safety record but not an impeccable one. Many fatalities and incidents have been reported in the past. In fact, since 2000, as per Wikipedia records, 7 major incidents, including fatal crashes have been reported. Many passengers and staff lost their lives in these incidents and the fatal crashes. But, most importantly, in the past five years, Turkish Airlines has not been involved in any major incident.
Although the Turkish Airlines Safety Record is not perfect, it is still one of the safest airlines to travel with. The reasons are many like the airline has achieved numerous safety certifications and honors since it has been in operation. The certification includes IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certification, which is widely regarded as a global standard for airline and passenger safety management. Furthermore, the Airline has a modern fleet of aircrafts that comes with the best safety solutions. Also, the airline invests in regular maintenance and safety training for its employees to achieve the highest safety standards. And most importantly, Turkish Airlines Safety Record is much better than many of the big airlines in the world as it has had fewer crashes than them in the past 10 years.
Turkish Airlines Crash and Accident History
Below are the details of the Turkish Airlines crash and accident history, starting from the recent ones. Take a deep look:
21 November 2019: Turkish Airlines Flight 467
A Boeing 737-800, a Turkish Airlines flight 467 had a nose gear collapse while landing at Odesa International Airport in Ukraine. The accident was fatal, however, all crew staff and passengers were deplaned safely from the emergency slides. No injuries were reported but the aircraft turned into scrap.
16 January 2017: Turkish Airlines Flight 6491
ACT Airlines was operating Turkish Airlines Flight 6491 for Turkish Airlines on 16 January 2017. It met a fatal crash upon landing at Manas International Airport. This Turkish Airlines Crash resulted in the killing of 35 people on the ground and 4 crew members. The airline later released a statement calling this accident an ACT Airlines accident.
15 April 2015: Turkish Airlines Flight 1878
This incident happened at Istanbul Airport during the landing. However, all passengers and crew members were evacuated safely. The aircraft got severely damaged.
25 February 2009: Turkish Airlines Flight 1951
This was one of the deadliest incidents in Turkish Airlines Accident History. All 135 passengers and crew members lost their lives due to this fatal crash. Moreover, 86 people except for passengers and crew were hospitalized in local hospitals. It took place while approaching the Amsterdam Airport and happened because of a faulty radar diameter.
3 October 2006: Turkish Airlines Flight 1476
This was a hijacking case. On 3 October 2006, a Turkish Citizen hijacked the Turkish Airlines Flight 1476 but later surrendered upon landing.
What are the Weaknesses of Turkish Airlines?
Although many fatal crashes and incidents are there to point out, Turkish Airlines is still one of the world’s best airlines in terms of many aspects including safety and quality in-flight services. However, it has some flaws and weaknesses as well. Know what are the weaknesses of Turkey Airlines below:
Turkish Airlines’ customer service is variable, which can lead to passenger unhappiness. This has been a constant issue that passengers have been reporting. Another weakness of Turkish Airlines’ limited route network. This means that the airline does not operate on many destinations. You can find the Turkish Airlines flights only on selected routes.
Furthermore, Turkish Airlines has been among the talks for its aging fleet of aircraft. Although the airline keeps updating its fleet with new and modern aircrafts, still the average fleet age of the airline is older than many of the airlines’ fleets which are currently in operation. This usually has a bad impact on passengers’ overall travel experiences. Apart from this, the airline has faced punctuality concerns, causing delays and aggravation for passengers. Another big weakness of Turkish Airlines is its baggage handling policy, which might result in misplaced or damaged luggage for travelers.
How Bad is Turkish Airlines?
Many queries we got on the web. One of those is “How bad is Turkish Airlines.” To determine how bad Turkish Airlines is, we can’t just look at the Turkish Airlines Safety Records. An overall evaluation of the airline’s products and services helps in determining the current status of the airline. Turkish Airlines is a good airline. In fact, it is counted among the top airlines in the world. You can definitely bet on it.
Is It Safe to Travel With Turkish Airlines Now?
Without any doubt, it is completely safe to travel with Turkish Airlines. It may have had some accidents in the past, but the overall Turkish Airlines Safety Record is good. If you are pondering and questioning “Is it safe to travel with Turkish Airlines now,” the answer is yes. Make a trip with this amazing airline, you will surely have a pleasant and satisfying flying experience.
