Airline Passenger Experience Association awarded the CEO Lifetime Achievement Award to Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee M. Ilker Ayci at this year’s 2021 APEX/IFSA Expo. This marks the first time in the history of the awards an achievement has been awarded to a European aviation leader. APEX CEO Joe Leader awarded Ayci with this distinguished honor, recognizing Ayci’s more than 25 years of dedication to the industry with his energetic spirit and contributions.
“Turkish Airlines has advanced so incredibly under the leadership of Chairman M. Ilker Ayci,” APEX CEO Dr. Joe Leader stated. “Reaching the pinnacle of our industry with APEX World Class tops off a string of non-stop wins for Turkish Airlines. The airline’s advancements in health safety, service, and sustainability with one of the youngest fleets in the world underline the best of the best.”
© Turkish Airlines
This award wasn’t the only one recognizing the achievements of Turkish Airlines. The airline was also awarded the first-ever APEX World Class Award, the Five Star Global Official Airline Ratings for the fifth consecutive year and the hospital-grade Diamond APEX Health Safety Award powered by SimpliFlying. The World Class Award recognizes airlines with outstanding health safety, sustainability and guest experience. After reviewing more than 600 airlines in the APEX Official Airline Ratings, Turkish Airlines ranked as one of the best airlines in the world.
Ayci also gave a keynote address during an interview with BBC World News Talking Business presenter Aaron Heslehurst. In his response to receiving the acclaimed award, he remarked, “It is a tremendous honor for Turkish Airlines to be recognized at this year’s APEX/IFSA Expo, with our health and safety initiatives highlighted by our Diamond APEX Health Safety Awards and our five-year streak of being named a Five Star Global Official Airline. The newest accolade, the 2022 World Class Award, is an incredible feather in our cap and the audited flight program Dr. Joe Leader has created will be crucial for our growth as an industry. Lastly, I am incredibly honored to accept the APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award and must give appreciation to our entire team for joining me on this journey. I thank our amazing employees, valued stakeholders and partners for their dedication to Turkish Airlines and inspiring us all to constantly innovate.”
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