Charter flights aboard small commercial aircraft, known in Turkey as jitney planes or air taxis, kick off today in the Black Sea province of Tokat, Borajet, the first company to have received an operating permit for the air taxi project, announced on Thursday. This, observers argued, is a major development in the country’s civil air transport system.
Releasing a written statement on Thursday, the carrier said they will initially fly between Tokat, Zonguldak, Selçuk, Nevşehir, Alanya and Edremit. Borajet said they expected to provide a swift mode of transportation to passengers traveling from these centers, where there are limited or no airport facilities, to the nearest airport.
Having been on the Turkish civil aviation industry’s agenda for some time, the charter flights project is expected to provide the efficient operation of some of the country’s vacant airports. With the project, the government expects to boost business in certain tourism and trade hubs by offering a fast air transport option. Meanwhile, two other Turkish aviation firms are reportedly preparing to start their air taxi services, a critical step to creating a widespread air taxi net across Turkey.
The state has spent a great deal of money to maintain airports that were built without due planning and are not used today for lack of sufficient demand. İstanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, for instance, was one such airport until recently.
