Any time an airline sets a Guinness World Record, it’s kind of a big deal. And there have been several of these “big deals” over the years:
- The largest airline of all time had been Russian carrier Aeroflot, when it was the official state airline of the former USSR. In 1990, the last year of the USSR’s formal existence, it employed roughly 600,000.
- The largest current airline is Delta Air Lines, with a staff of about 81,000.
- The busiest airline for domestic passengers in the course of a year was Southwest Airlines – they carried 110.587 million passengers in the year ending May 14, 2012.
- Bette Nash was the world’s longest-serving flight attendant (as well as the world’s oldest flight attendant), until her death earlier this year, at the age of 88.
- The record for longest career as an airline mechanic was set by Azriel “Al” Blackman, who began work as an American Airlines mechanic in 1942. He got the “longest career” in that profession in 2017, after 75 years (but continued to work after that – last mention, in July 2022, was 80 years).
And in continuing that tradition of “big deals,” Turkish Airlines just set their own Guinness World Record – the most countries flown by an airline.
How many countries? 120.
The record certificate for “Most Countries Flown to by an Airline” was presented at Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport after Turkish Airlines’ inaugural flight to Chile.
Most countries flown to by an airline ✈️ Congratulations Turkish Airlines 🇹🇷
Posted by Guinness World Records on Thursday, December 19, 2024
Based on Guinness World Records’ evaluation criteria, Turkish Airlines operates flights to a record 120 countries. That reflects the carrier’s active routes for the past 12 months. Meanwhile, as an unofficial record, when you include temporarily suspended routes and the inaugural flight to Chile, Turkish Airlines’ flight network now includes 131 countries.
Turkish Airlines’ CEO Bilal Eksi appeared to be very happy with the accomplishment. “It’s an honor to receive this recognition here in Santiago, a testament to our mission of connecting people, cultures, and destinations worldwide,” he said.
Founded in 1933 with a modest fleet, Turkish Airlines now operates 491 aircraft serving 352 destinations. As a member of Star Alliance, the airline continues to expand its network, reaffirming its commitment to uniting the world through Türkiye.
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