Turkish Airlines celebrates its Top Performers at YYZ appreciation event

It was a double celebration as Turkish Airlines welcomed 210 of its travel trade partners to the Design Exchange in Toronto last night.

To begin with, Turkish Airlines was hosting its annual Travel Agency Appreciation Awards event, but the carrier was also marking its 15th anniversary of its Toronto service.

Actually, it was probably a triple celebration, considering the fact that Fatih Durmaz, Vice President Sales, Americas for Turkish Airlines made it clear that the carrier’s Canadian business continued to grow in leaps and bounds, with the Toronto operation posting a load factor of over 90%.

Durmaz told the crowd of travel advisors and trade partners that the carriers business has continued to grow as Turkiye has become an in-demand destination in the Canadian market, and around the globe.

In fact, Durmaz indicated that Turkish Airlines is looking to expand its Toronto service for the summer of 2025, and in doing so, telling the crowd that Turkish Airlines is “more than an airline,” and strives to “deliver more than a journey,” and in the process “create an unforgettable experience” for travellers.

And Durmaz recognized the role that its partners have played in its success and thanked them for that support, before telling them that Turkish Airlines will continue to dream bigger, connect further and to raise the bar higher.

The presentation of the 2025 Agency Appreciation Awards was the high point of the evening’s program which included a musical performance by Canan Sezgin Geylan (Vokal & Violin); Artun Miskciyan (Piano); and Yahya Geylan (Vokal & Tanbur & Baglama & Guitar) that was enjoyed by one and all.

Durmaz and Fatih Temel, General Manager Canada for Turkish Airlines to present the  Appreciation Awards and Top Performer Awards.

Appreciation Awards were presented to Skybird Travel, Riya Travel, Maureen K Travel, Westend Travel, Atlas Travel, TravelBrands and Air Booking Centre.

In the Top Performer Awards, there were 10 categories that included:

• Top Performer – TourIstanbul – Cedar Travel
• Top Performer – Stopover – Gala Travels
• Top Performer – Highest Increase in Sales – Voyzant Travel
• Top Performer – Leisure – Uniglobe Travel
• Top Performer – Corporate – Flight Centre
• Top Performer – Group – International Travel
• Top Performer – Istanbul – Voyages a La Carte
• Top Performer – Economy Class – Royal Scenic Holidays
• Top Performer – Business Class – Voyzant Travel
• Top Performer of the Year – Voyages a La Carte

Congratulations to one and all … and stay tuned there will definitely be more to come from Turkish Airlines … in fact, just below the photo gallery, you’ll find some fast facts about the carrier, so check it out …

Turkish Airlines Fast Facts:

• Operates to 353 destinations in 131 countries across 6 continents
• Holds the Guinness World Record for “Most Countries Flown to by an Airline”

2024 Performance Highlights:

• Daily flights (7x weekly) operated June–October 2024 from Toronto to Istanbul — a first for the airline in Canada.
• Passenger traffic between Canada and Türkiye increased by 15% compared to 2023.
• Turkish Airlines carried approximately 41% of passengers on this route, outperforming all other carriers.
• 302,728 Canadians entered Türkiye in 2024 with Canadian passports — a 22% increase from the year before.

Load factor on the additional Toronto flights (June–Oct 2024):

• 92% average on added frequencies.
• 88% seasonal average overall — among the highest utilization rates in the global network