BOGAZICI UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF APPLIED DISCIPLINES TOURISM ADMINISTRATION

TURKISH AIRLINES

NEŞE ROMAN2006104603

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CONTENTS

PREFACE…………………………………………………………………………………………1

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………...4

PASSENGER SERVICES DEPARTMENT…………………………………………………….6

1.CHECK IN COUNTERS……………………………………………………….........................6

1.1 Expectant Mother……………………………………………………………………………..6

1.2 (U)naccompanied (M)inors…………………………………………………………………...7

1.3 Handicapped Passengers……………………………………………………………………...7

2. BOARDING……………………………………………………………………......................... 8

3. ARRIVAL……………………………………………………………………………………… 8

3.1 INADMISSIBLE PASSENGER (INAD)…………………………………………………….9

3.2 DEPORTEE PASSENGER…………………………………………………………………..9

3.2.1 ACCOMPANIED DEPORTEE PASSENGER (DEPA)………………………………….9

3.2.2 UNACCOMPANIED DEPORTEE PASSENGER (DEPU)…………………………….. 10

EVALUATION ………………………………………………………………………………….. 11

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………13

APPENDIX

CHART 1…………………………………………………………………………………………..14

CHART 2…………………………………………………………………………………………..15

CHART 3…………………………………………………………………………………………. 15

GRAPH 1…………………………………………………………………………………………. 16

GRAPH 2…………………………………………………………………………………………. 17

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PREFACE

This thesis is written to provide information about Turkish Airlines and

its passenger services department.It offers closer look into the Turkey’s first

official airlines. The author, who interned at the passenger services

department of the airlines, aims to give a detailed count of passenger service

operations and improvements made in this field over the years.

Thanks to FİLİZ BERK(Passenger Services Director), DİLVİN NAYIR

(Passenger Services Supervisor), EBRU YILMAZ(internship advisor),

DENİZ KAT(Passenger Servises Officer) and AHMET OK(Training

Academy) for their support.

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INTRODUCTION

Turkish Airlines was founded under Law No. 2186 in Ankara on May 20,

1933 as "STATE AIRLINES ADMINISTRATION" within the Ministry of

Defense. The administration was turned over to Ministry of Public Works in

1935 and three years later it was renamed as “General Directorate of State

Airlines. In 1939 the administration was turned over, this time, to Ministry of

Transportation.

In 1955, the State Airlines was restructured as a corporation by the

provision of private law and continued its operation under the name of “Turk

Hava Yolları Anonim Ortaklıgı (THY)”. In 1994, the company was reclassified

as a State Economic Enterprise under the Ministry of the Privatization

Administration and Privatization Administration. The government’s share in

ownership fell below 50% as a result of public offering in May 2006, and thus it

ended Turkish Airlines’ legal status as that of a state corporation.

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In late 1980’s THY was a loss-making state-run company and its

passengers had infamously nicknamed it (T)hey (H)ate (Y)ou Airlines.

Unfortunately the airline was very poor in quality and services. There was no

seat number system in place for flights. The lack of this basic system was a

major source for customer dissatisfaction and operational confusion. According

to the 1983 statistics of Association of European Airlines, THY was the worst

airline with the most delays: out (every) 100 flights, 47 of them were delayed

(Graph 1). The company often canceled flights or made connections between the

two flights without giving any prior information to its passengers.

But today Turkish Airlines, with a fleet of 102 aircraft and 141 flight

destinations is ranked among the highly respected airlines. (Graph 2) As a

result of great improvements in service it became a four-star airline and a Star

Alliance member in April 2008.

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PASSENGER SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Passenger Services Department works under the control of Ground Operations

Department (Chart 1). The services provided by this department fall into three

different categories (Chart 2).

1.CHECK-IN COUNTERS

At each check-in counter, THY officers control passenger passports and

tickets, weigh their luggage, issue boarding passes and luggage stickers.

Expectant mothers, unaccompanied minors and handicapped passengers

receive special treatment at the counters.

1.4 EXPECTANT MOTHER

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Expectant mothers fit to fly only between the 28th to 38th weeks of their

pregnancy. However, they need a doctor’s note stating that there is no health

danger if the mother chooses to fly. This note should not be dated more than 7

days prior to the actual day of flight. Otherwise, the expectant mother would be

denied from the flight.

1.5 (U)NACCOMPANIED (M)INORS

Children between the ages of 7 and 12 can fly on Turkish Airlines flights

without being accompanied. However, parents and guardians should fill and

sign Unaccompanied Minors (UM) Declaration Forms prior to the flight at the

check-in counters. Unaccompanied minors are taken to the aircraft by the

boarding staff at the departure time. Then cabin crew will be responsible from

UM passenger during the flight. At the destination, UM passengers are handed

over to their receiving party by the Turkish Airlines Arrivals Officer.

1.6 HANDICAPPED PASSENGERS

Turkish Airlines provides special services to the handicapped passengers.

At the airports, there are designated counters and the staffs working at these

counters help disabled passengers to check in to go through customs, passport

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control and to the gate. Also THY offers free wheelchair service to its disabled

passengers. THY employees take the passenger to the gate; help her/him to get

on board. At the destination point same services are provided to take the

passenger to the airport from the gate.

2.BOARDING

Boarding starts 45 minutes before the departure time ( 30 min for

domestic flights). Boarding staff and visa controller works together to check the

passports, boarding passes and visas. First they allow special passengers (UM,

Pregnant, Handicapped Passengers), then they continue with economy class

passengers and end boarding with business class passengers. They count the

boarding passes and passengers in the plane. If the number of passengers and

the number of boarding passes are equal, then they ask the cabin crew

supervisor to count passengers again. When the all counts are the same, the

plane will be ready to take off.

3.ARRIVAL

When the plane arrives at airport, a passenger service officer has to meet the

aircraft. He/She should ask the cabin crew whether any special services are

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needed or not. The officer would respond immediately if special services are

requested.

3.1 INADMISSIBLE PASSENGER(INAD)

An inadmissible passenger (INAD) is a person who is denied admission to

a country by its authorities or who is refused onward carriage by an airline or

government authority at a point of transfer due to lack of visa and/or expired

passport. INAD passengers’ documents are carried by the airline staff. When

the plane arrives at airport, airlines officer takes the INAD passenger to airport

police.

3.2 DEPORTEE (DEPA/DEPU)

A deportee is a passenger who entered a country but who, at a later stage,

is formally ordered by the authorities to leave that country.The responsibility

for deportees lies fully with the local authorities.

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3.2.1 DEPA(Accompanied Deportee)

DEPA means, a deportee who has to be accompanied with escorts during travel.

3.2.2 DEPU(Unaccompanied Deportee)

DEPU means, a deportee who can travel without escorts. (DEPU).

The deporting authorities decide whether a security escort is required and

if it is the case, the number of escorts. If there is no escort with deportee

passenger, he will be under the control of arrival staff and will be taken to

deportee room. In this room he will be questioned by airport police.

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EVALUATION

As an intern, I have worked for the ground operations passenger services

department. During my internship, I analyzed company’s organizational

structure and its corporate culture.

In Turkish Airlines, we see a hierarchical organizational structure.

Power, responsibility and authority are concentrated at the top of the pyramid.

There is a downward flow and it is not easy to create new ideas or reject the

decisions (Chart 3) For instance, there is a luggage weight limit per person. If

the luggage is heavier than 20kg, the passenger should pay for the excess

amount. But if a passenger goes and talks to the supervisor of the check-in

counters he/she would be able to get away with the excess money. The

supervisor may ask his/her staff not to charge for the excess. This may seem

rather a supervisor’s fair judgment and discretion to improve customer

satisfaction. But it also sets an example for other passengers as they ask for the

same special treatment. The problem here is that the check-in counter staff does

not have any authority to do so, and when they refuse other passengers’

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requests this creates customer dissatisfaction and friction between the staff and

the passengers.

THY has a strong organizational culture. One can observe strong shared

values and behaviors. Most of the workers are relatives or they have affiliation

with the politicians. As some employees call it “THY is a family” company.

Managers prefer to hire relatives instead of the qualified candidates. THY at

this point, might seem to be a successful airlines company, but if the managers

continue hiring unqualified persons this would endanger company’s

competitiveness and sabotage its future.

It was a good experience and opportunity for me to work within the

ground operations of THY.

Turkish Airlines workers have a lot of social benefits and advantages.

Private health insurance, free passes, special discounts in hotels to name a few.

At airports, they work in three different shifts (06:30-14:30; 14:30-22:30 and

22:30-06:30.)

Despite these benefits, the top-down approach in decision making and, political

approach in hiring and promotions demoralize outsiders and innovative young

employees. They are offered limited opportunities to bring in their new ideas

and to take initiatives. As a result, they can’t get promotions and they can’t

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grow in their career. For those who crave for individual success and

independent thinking THY does not offer many venues.

REFERENCES

Climbing Above the Clouds written by Cem Kozlu

The Year book of THY 2007

www.aea.be

www.aita.com

www.flightstats.com

www.thy.com

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ORGANIZATIONAL CHART (CHART 1)

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MANAGER

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR

COUNTER STAFF

CHART 3

STATION MANAGER

PASSENGER SERVICES

DEPARTMENT

COUNTER BOARDING ARRIVAL

CHART 2

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