An air taxi project recently introduced by the Ministry of Transportation in an effort to improve the civil aviation industry in Turkey is expected to kick off in the next two weeks, after the first operation permit was granted to Turkish firm Borajet.
The project is known as “DolmuşPlane” in Turkish. Dolmuş means shared taxi in Turkish, reflecting the project’s aim to provide shared small plane transport service between provinces with limited or no airport facilities.
With the project, the government expects to boost business in certain tourism and trade hubs by offering a fast air transport option.
Now that it has received certification from the Transportation Ministry, Borajet will begin flights between the provinces of Tokat, Siirt and Zonguldak along with the Central Anatolian tourism hub of Cappadocia. Borajet will begin with three ATR72-500-type jets, which have the ability to land on flat ground in addition to asphalt landing fields. The project envisages the rapid transportation of passengers from provinces where an airport does not exist to the nearest airport by using these small planes. The company expects to better connect these provinces with the outside world.
Meanwhile, two other Turkish aviation firms, Palmali Havacılık and Rec Havacılık, have received operating permits from the Transportation Ministry’s Civil Aviation General Directorate (SHGM) but have not yet announced when they plan to start flights. With these two companies involved, the initiative could eventually create a widespread air taxi net across Turkey, a major development in the country’s civil air transport system. Borajet is expected to finalize its arrangements within 15 days after April 22, when they received their certification from the SHGM. The company is expected to add another jet to its fleet in September.
The number of airlines serving in Turkey has risen to 20 over the last five years, with the average passenger plane being nine years old. Having surpassed many European airlines with respect to quality of service and age of aircraft, Turkish airline companies also offer competitive prices compared to their European counterparts.
