Turkey's TAV Airports reports passenger dip as Turkish Airlines wins food award

TAV Airports released its 2026 passenger figures, showing a 2% drop in total passengers and a 1% decrease in international traffic compared with 2025. Despite the overall slowdown, Ankara Esenboğa Airport recorded a 12% rise in outbound passenger numbers, helped by AJet's deployment of two new aircraft in the third quarter of 2025. The carrier noted that Georgia’s traffic fell due to reduced Middle‑East demand, while Almaty in Kazakhstan saw a 10% increase in international passengers, driven by strong interest in routes to China, Thailand and Vietnam. Internal‑flight issues were attributed to technical problems with Pratt & Whitney engines, and North Macedonia’s market benefited from a fleet upgrade from Airbus A320 to A321, raising average seat capacity from 183 to 239.

Turkish Airlines (THY) was honoured with the 2026 APEX “Best Airline Food Service” award for the fifth time, presented on 10 June in Dublin during the Future Travel Experience EMEA event. The award, based on anonymous passenger feedback collected via TripIt from over one million flights across more than 600 airlines, recognises excellence in cabin catering, seat comfort, entertainment, Wi‑Fi and overall service. THY General Manager Ahmet Olmuşur thanked the airline’s team, while APEX CEO Joe Leader highlighted the airline’s gastronomic showcase of Turkish culture. THY’s "Flying Chef" program now spans six continents and over 130 countries, offering a rotating menu of in‑flight meals.