Guran Korkmaz, director of Turkish Airlines for Saudi Arabia, pointed out that Turkish Airlines had signed a three-year sponsorship deal with FC Barcelona football club. Temel Kotil, CEO of Turkish Airlines, the Europe's fourth-biggest carrier in passenger numbers and Joan Laporta, chairman of Barcelona, have together signed the contract during a ceremony held recently.
"On the way toward becoming a global brand Turkish Airlines, one of the fastest growing carriers in the world, has achieved another worldwide success with this sponsorship deal," said Korkmaz. According to the terms of this sponsorship contract, all the advertising materials and logos of Turkish Airlines will be displayed on the internal screens of the Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona and all other locations of the team. Turkish Airlines will make commercial films with the players of the Barcelona Club and carry out the promotion, he added.
With the title of "the official sponsor" Turkish Airlines will also have the title of "the 3rd international official sponsor" of Barcelona, the football giant that made history by winning six trophies in one single season (2008-2009), outside Spain. This signing follows a major announcement by the airline to buy 30 Airbus 320 family planes and 30 other jets. The THY board of directors has announced that the airline will buy the plane as part of its fleet-expansion plan of 105 new aircraft. The new aircraft will be delivered to Turkish Airlines in 2011 and 2012.
Korkmaz said that the number of single aisle jets in the fleet of Turkish Airlines will increase to 126 and the number of twin aisle aircraft will rise to 36 between 2010 and 2012 with the procurement of these new jets. The total number of aircraft in the fleet of Turkish Airlines will reach the total of 168 aircraft, six of them freight airplane, by the end of 2012.
Referring to the signing of other agreements, Korkmaz said that the Turkish Airlines and Manchester United Football Club have also concluded an agreement on a sponsorship deal. "A global player in the civil aviation Turkish Airlines has achieved another worldwide success with this sponsorship deal on the way toward becoming a global brand," said the Turkish executive, adding that Turkish Airlines will also make commercial films with the players of Manchester United Club and carry out the promotion of this sponsorship deal in all the tools advertising and mass media outlets.
According to the three and a half-year sponsorship contract, all the advertising materials and logos of Turkish Airlines will be displayed on the internal screens of the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester and all other locations of the team. With title of "the official sponsor of Manchester United" Turkish Airlines will transport the players of the club to the tournaments and training camps as the team's official carrier, said Korkmaz. He said that Manchester United was the most valuable European Football Club brand.
