Freebird Airlines (Turkish: Hürkuş Havayolu Taşımacılık ve Ticaret A.Ş.) is a Turkish charter airline based in Florya, Bakirköy, Istanbul.[1] Its main base is Antalya Airport.[2]
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Founded | 2000 | ||||||
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Hubs | Antalya Airport | ||||||
Subsidiaries | Freebird Airlines Europe | ||||||
Fleet size | 14 | ||||||
Destinations | 80 | ||||||
Parent company | Gözen Holding | ||||||
Headquarters | Istanbul, Turkey | ||||||
Key people | Selim Tükenmez, CEO | ||||||
Website | freebirdairlines |
History edit
The airline was established in June 2000 and started operations on 5 April 2001 with a service between Istanbul and Lyon using a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft.[3] In November 2003 the airline received its first Airbus A320-200 aircraft, and today the fleet is made up entirely of this type.
A subsidiary company, Freebird Airlines Europe, was established in Malta in 2018. Operations started with a single Airbus A320 on 20 February 2019.[4]
Destinations edit
As of March 2023, Freebird Airlines operates regularly to the following destinations:[citation needed]
Country | City | Airport | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Belgium | Brussels | Brussels Airport | Seasonal Charter |
Egypt | Hurghada | Hurghada Airport | Seasonal Charter |
Sharm El Sheikh | Sharm El Sheikh Airport | Seasonal | |
Germany | Cologne | Cologne-Bonn Airport | |
Dusseldorf | Dusseldorf Airport | Seasonal | |
Hamburg | Hamburg Airport | Seasonal | |
Hannover | Hannover Airport | Seasonal | |
Leipzig | Leipzig/Halle Airport | Seasonal Charter | |
Munich | Munich Airport | Seasonal | |
Nuremberg | Nuremberg Airport | Seasonal | |
Paderborn | Paderborn Lippstadt Airport | Seasonal Charter | |
Stuttgart | Stuttgart Airport | Seasonal | |
Spain | Fuerteventura | Fuerteventura Airport | Seasonal Charter |
Turkey | Antalya | Antalya Airport | Hub |
United Kingdom | London | Gatwick Airport | Seasonal |
Manchester | Manchester Airport | Terminated | |
Leeds Bradford | Leeds Bradford Airport | Seasonal Charter | |
Newcastle upon Tyne | Newcastle International Airport | Seasonal Charter |
Fleet edit
As of April 2024, the Freebird Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:[5]
Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers |
---|---|---|---|
Airbus A320-200 | 14 | — | 180 |
Total | 14 | — |
Retired fleet edit
Freebird Airlines had additionally previously operated the following aircraft:
Aircraft | Fleet | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A321-200 | 4 | 2006 | 2023 | Two Leased from BBN Airlines |
Airbus A320-200 | 6 | 2003 | 2022 | |
Boeing 737-800 | 1 | 2005 | 2005 | Leased from Oman Air |
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 4 | 2001 | 2005 |
Controversies edit
Since September 2023, Freebird Airlines has been contracted by the German government for monthly mass-deportation charterflights from Germany to Iraq. Therefor the airline is regularly critisized by anti-racist activists in Germany.[6]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Contact Us Archived 2014-07-16 at the Wayback Machine." Freebird Airlines. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
- ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 3 April 2007. p. 84.
- ^ "About Us". Freebird Airlines. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
- ^ "Freebird Europe Started Operations within EU". FreebirdAirlines. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ "Freebird Airlines Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "Freebird Airlines commonly deports from Germany to Iraq". Retrieved 21 April 2024.
External links edit
Media related to Freebird Airlines at Wikimedia Commons