Türkiye’s new low-cost airline AJet, a subsidiary of the country's flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY), aims to carry over 20 million passengers as of next year, its CEO said recently, pointing to the expansion plans.
The airline company has carried 12 million passengers since launching in March this year and now expects to reach 16 million by the end of the year, AJet CEO Kerem Sarp said.
The carrier recently added the Bosnian city of Tuzla to its network, alongside the capital Sarajevo, marking the airline’s latest expansion.
Speaking at a news conference marking the inaugural flight to Tuzla, Sarp emphasized that the new route will strengthen economic and cultural ties between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Türkiye. The route also fills a void left by a European low-cost carrier’s exit from Tuzla, a city with 600,000 diasporic residents who frequently travel back to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"We will be receiving this substantial traffic at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport," said Sarp, noting AJet’s strategic approach to capturing unmet travel demand.
This month alone, AJet launched nine new international destinations and although its current fleet is sufficient for operations, Sarp confirmed plans to expand and modernize the roster next year.
New destinations on horizon
Sarp also revealed that AJet is working to meet high demand from Europe, with new destinations planned. There is especially strong interest in Spain, a market AJet has yet to serve, and additional flights are being planned from Germany and Italy to Türkiye for the summer season.
"We fly to 54 international destinations, with an aim to bring this number to 104 over the next decade," Sarp added. The airline’s expansion is bringing down prices, making international travel from Türkiye increasingly accessible.
Sarp addressed challenges such as Türkiye’s pilot shortage, noting AJet’s commitment to training its own pilots to meet growing demand. He highlighted plans to boost flights from Türkiye’s capital, Ankara and other central Anatolian provinces to enhance tourism in the region.