Turkish strikes again

Truly Macedonian

Turkish Airlines is close to becoming the designated national carrier of Macedonia, just a year after it bought 49% of shares from Bosnia’s B&H Airlines. The news comes as Macedonia’s ministry for transportation endorsed the idea. The ministry has now left the issue up to the Macedonian government. Talks between the ministry of transportation and Turkish Airlines have been ongoing for a few months. Turkish Airlines did not wish to comment on the news.

Turkish Airlines is one of the rare European carriers which has managed to report substantial growth this year, despite the global recession and the difficult situation airlines are finding themselves in. The airline is in constant expansion and took over Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national carrier B&H Airlines last year. Turkish Airlines currently operates daily flights from Istanbul to Skopje. Last year, the Turkish airport operator TAV won the right to manage Macedonia’s airports. However, it hasn’t been a smooth ride with TAV constantly delaying investment and expansion projects for Skopje and Ohrid airports. The airport operator now promises that these projects will begin in March, 2010. Macedonia’s national carrier MAT has been grounded since early this year, although it is still to officially declare bankruptcy. There has been news of a planned relaunched under the name Mat Airways.