Cyprus Turkish Airlines facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cyprus Turkish Airlines
Kıbrıs Türk Hava Yolları

Founded	1974
Commenced operations	1975
Ceased operations	21 June 2010
Hubs	Ercan International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Miles&Smiles (Turkish Airlines)
Alliance	Star Alliance (affiliate; 2008-2010)
Fleet size	7
Destinations	18
Headquarters	North Nicosia, Northern Cyprus
Key people	Bilal Ekşi
Website	(archived 23 July 2011)

A KTHY Boeing 737-800 at Antalya Airport, Turkey, wearing 2000–2009 livery. (2005)

Cyprus Turkish Airlines (also known as KTHY) was an airline from Northern Cyprus. It was the main airline for flying people to and from Northern Cyprus.

KTHY flew regularly from Ercan Airport in Northern Cyprus. Its flights went to many cities in Turkey, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe. Ercan Airport was its main base. All flights going to Europe had to stop in Turkey first.

The airline was officially registered as a Turkish company in Istanbul. But its daily operations were managed from Ercan.

History of the Airline

Cyprus Turkish Airlines started on December 4, 1974, in Nicosia. It was owned equally by Turkish Airlines and a fund from the Turkish Cypriot community. The very first scheduled flight took off on February 3, 1975.

In 2010, the airline faced big financial problems. To try and avoid going out of business, the company decided to sell itself.

However, on June 21, 2010, Cyprus Turkish Airlines announced that it had stopped all flights. A few days later, on June 29, 2010, it was officially announced that the airline had closed down.

Important Dates

Here are some key moments in the airline's history:

• 1975 — The first scheduled flight happened on February 3.
• 1976 — The airline started renting planes like the DC-9 and Boeing 727-200.
• 1977 — The company was officially registered in Istanbul, Turkey.
• 1981 — Regular flights to London began.
• 1990 — The airline bought two Boeing 727-200 planes.
• 1991 — KTHY started directly employing its own ground staff and flight crews.
• 2000 — The airline began renting two Boeing 737-800 planes for a long time.
• 2002 — All four of the older Boeing 727-200 planes were stopped from flying and sold.
• 2004 — The airline started renting three Airbus A321-200 planes for a long time.
  • Its in-flight magazine, Caretta, was brought back.
• 2006 — KTHY received a special quality control certificate in April.
  • A new system for checking passengers in started at Ercan International Airport.
• 2007 — A new company, Cyprus Airport Services, was formed to help with ground services.
• 2008 — Male flight attendants were added to the crew for the first time.
  • Agreements were made for flights to Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
• 2009 — The first regular flight to Scandinavia (to Helsinki) took place on February 7.
  • The airline received a new Airbus A320-200 plane.
• 2010 — All flights stopped on June 21.
  • The airline officially went out of business on September 19.

Where They Flew

Cyprus Turkish Airlines flew to many different places. Most of its flights were to cities in Turkey and Europe.

The Airline's Planes

"Iskele", a Cyprus Turkish Airlines Airbus A321, named after the Cypriot city of İskele, taking off from Manchester Airport, England (2009)

As of March 13, 2010, Cyprus Turkish Airlines had a fleet (collection of planes) that included:

The average age of these planes was about 6.5 years. Most of the planes stayed at Ercan Airport overnight.

Planes They Used to Have

Over the years, Cyprus Turkish Airlines also used other types of planes, including:

• 4 Boeing 727-200s
• 1 Boeing 737-200
• 1 Airbus A300B4
• 2 Airbus A310s
• 3 Airbus A321-211s
• 3 McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and McDonnell Douglas MD-90 planes

Services Offered

Travel Classes

Cyprus Turkish Airlines offered two main types of seating:

• Economy Class: This was available on all newer planes. Passengers received a free meal or snack. There was no in-flight entertainment like movies or music.
• Economy Plus: This class was introduced after the airline stopped offering Business and First Class.

Quick Check-in

In 2008, the airline started a quick check-in service at Ercan Airport. This was for passengers who did not have any bags to check. There were special counters for those with only carry-on bags and for those with no bags at all.

Frequent Flyer Program

The airline had a "Special Passenger Programme" for people who flew with them often. Members of this program got benefits like:

• Priority for booking seats.
• Extra baggage allowance.
• Faster check-in.
• Earning points that could be used for future flights.

Airline Staff

For many years, all flight attendants at Cyprus Turkish Airlines were women. But starting in July 2008, the airline also began hiring male flight attendants.

In-flight Magazine

The airline had its own monthly magazine called Caretta. It was available on flights and also on the airline's website. The magazine usually shared information about Northern Cyprus, like its culture, places to visit, and upcoming events.

See also

In Spanish: Cyprus Turkish Airlines para niños

• List of airlines of Northern Cyprus

Images for kids

• 

  A KTHY Boeing 737-800 takes off from London Heathrow Airport, England. (2007)

• 

  A KTHY Airbus A321 at Manchester Airport, England. (2006)