AtlasGlobal
Defunct Turkish airline that operated scheduled domestic, international, and charter passenger services.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
AtlasGlobal was a Turkish passenger airline established in 2001 as Atlasjet International Airlines, a subsidiary of Öger Holdings. It began flying on 1 June 2001 and developed a mixed business model combining scheduled domestic services, international routes, and charter operations. Its principal base was in Istanbul, and the airline served destinations in Turkey and overseas markets, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. The carrier initially operated under the Atlasjet name. In February 2006, a 45 percent Öger stake was transferred and Ali Murat Ersoy became chairman of the board. The company later repositioned and adopted the AtlasGlobal name on 31 March 2015. The rebranding was intended to support a broader international identity while retaining the airline's Turkish operating base and established Atlasjet recognition. AtlasGlobal was not purely a low-cost carrier. Although it competed in price-sensitive markets and offered scheduled passenger services, it also relied substantially on charter flying. Charter work included tourism-related services and pilgrimage operations. In August 2012, the airline contracted the United States-based Ryan International Airlines to operate pilgrimage flights to destinations including Medina and Tel Aviv. That arrangement ended after a payment dispute in January 2013. The dispute had wider consequences for Ryan International, which was already under financial pressure and undergoing bankruptcy reorganization. The airline's later years were marked by increasing financial and operational strain. On 26 November 2019, AtlasGlobal announced a temporary suspension of flights while it undertook restructuring. Ticket sales were paused and the company initially indicated that scheduled services would resume on 21 December. The airline maintained some charter flying during the suspension and resumed scheduled operations on 16 December, earlier than planned. Management stated that a revised plan would place greater emphasis on charter operations, although it did not publish a complete list of routes to be removed. A second suspension was announced in January 2020. AtlasGlobal subsequently returned its two Airbus A330-200 aircraft to their lessors, reducing its long-haul capacity. On 12 February 2020, the airline filed for bankruptcy and stopped operating. It did not resume service, making AtlasGlobal one of the Turkish carriers to exit the market amid difficult financial conditions in the country's aviation sector. Its history also included two serious safety-related events in 2007: the hijacking of Flight 1011, which ended without fatalities, and the crash of Flight 4203 near Isparta, which killed everyone aboard. These incidents were separate from the financial and restructuring events that ultimately ended the brand.
History
AtlasGlobal was established on 14 March 2001 as Atlasjet International Airlines and began commercial operations on 1 June of the same year. It was created as a subsidiary of the Turkish conglomerate Öger Holdings and entered a market that included both scheduled carriers and extensive tourism-related charter flying. From its Istanbul base, the airline developed domestic Turkish services alongside international passenger routes and charter programs. A significant ownership change occurred on 1 February 2006, when a 45 percent shareholding previously associated with Öger was taken over and Ali Murat Ersoy became president of the board. The airline continued operating under the Atlasjet identity for many years. Its activities included scheduled flying as well as seasonal and contract charter services, giving it exposure to tourism, pilgrimage, and other group-travel markets. In August 2012, AtlasGlobal contracted Ryan International Airlines to operate pilgrimage flights to cities including Medina and Tel Aviv. The cooperation ended in January 2013 after Ryan International said AtlasGlobal had not fulfilled required payments. Ryan International was already in bankruptcy reorganization and subsequently faced liquidation. The airline adopted the AtlasGlobal name on 31 March 2015. The rebrand reflected an effort to present the company as an international carrier rather than only a Turkish leisure airline. During the following years it maintained a combination of domestic, European, Middle Eastern, and charter operations. The company had 730 employees in 2017, according to the cited reference material, and was led by chief executive Sermed Temizkan. AtlasGlobal's history also included two major events in 2007. On 18 August, an MD-83 operating Flight 1011 from Ercan to Istanbul was hijacked by two passengers shortly after takeoff. The pilots landed at Antalya Airport, where negotiations took place. Women and children were released first, and the hijackers surrendered during an attempt by other passengers and crew to leave the aircraft. The event ended without reported fatalities or notable injuries. On 30 November, Flight 4203 crashed while approaching Isparta. The aircraft, wet-leased from World Focus Airlines, was destroyed and all 57 people aboard died. Financial and operational pressures became particularly visible in late 2019. AtlasGlobal announced a temporary suspension on 26 November while it restructured. Ticket sales were stopped and management initially expected scheduled flights to resume on 21 December. Some charter services continued, including flights operated with two Airbus A321 aircraft to Turkish destinations and to Tehran and Baghdad. Scheduled operations restarted on 16 December, but the company said its revised plan would emphasize charter work over scheduled routes. The improvement was short-lived. On 7 January 2020, AtlasGlobal announced another suspension, planned to last until 9 February. On 29 January, it was reported that the airline had returned its two Airbus A330-200 aircraft to their lessors. On 12 February 2020, AtlasGlobal filed for bankruptcy and immediately stopped operating. The airline did not return to service, leaving AtlasGlobal as a defunct Turkish airline.
- 2020
Bankruptcy and permanent closure
[1]AtlasGlobal filed for bankruptcy on 12 February and ceased operations.
- 2019
First operational suspension
[1]The carrier temporarily suspended flights in November during a restructuring process and resumed scheduled services in December.
- 2015
Atlasjet becomes AtlasGlobal
[1]The airline changed its public name from Atlasjet to AtlasGlobal on 31 March.
- 2007
Flight 1011 hijacking
[1]An Atlasjet MD-83 was hijacked after leaving Ercan for Istanbul and later landed safely at Antalya.
- 2007
Flight 4203 crash
[1]Flight 4203 crashed near Isparta on 30 November, killing all 57 people aboard.
- 2006
Board leadership and ownership change
[1]A 45 percent share was transferred on 1 February, and Ali Murat Ersoy became president of the board.
- 2001
Atlasjet is established
[1]Atlasjet International Airlines was established on 14 March 2001 under Öger Holdings.
- 2001
Commercial operations begin
[1]The airline began operating flights on 1 June 2001.
Products and positioning
A privately owned Turkish airline with a hybrid scheduled-and-charter model, serving price-sensitive domestic and international passengers while using charter flying as an important source of business.
Passenger aviation · 2001
Scheduled domestic passenger services
AtlasGlobal operated scheduled routes within Turkey from its Istanbul base. These services formed part of the airline's core network and connected major Turkish markets before the carrier entered its final period of repeated suspensions.
Passenger aviation · 2001
Scheduled international passenger services
The airline served international destinations, especially in European and Middle Eastern markets. International scheduled flying complemented its domestic network and supported the AtlasGlobal name adopted in 2015.
Charter aviation · 2001
Charter flights
Charter operations were an important part of the business, covering tourism, pilgrimage, and contracted group travel. During its 2019 restructuring, AtlasGlobal indicated that it intended to rely more heavily on charter flying than on scheduled services.
Brand decisions
2020
Return of Airbus A330 aircraftOtherBackground
AtlasGlobal was experiencing continuing financial and operational difficulties during its second suspension.
Action taken
The airline returned its two Airbus A330-200 aircraft to their lessors on 29 January 2020.
Aftermath
The fleet reduction preceded the airline's bankruptcy filing and immediate cessation of operations on 12 February.
2019
Shift toward charter operationsStrategyBackground
AtlasGlobal temporarily suspended flights in November 2019 as part of a restructuring process.
Action taken
Management said the revised business plan would place greater emphasis on charter flights rather than scheduled services.
Aftermath
The carrier resumed scheduled operations briefly in December but announced another suspension in January 2020 and later filed for bankruptcy.
2015
Rebrand from Atlasjet to AtlasGlobalStrategyBackground
The airline had operated under the Atlasjet name since its establishment and sought a more internationally oriented identity.
Action taken
It changed its public brand name to AtlasGlobal on 31 March 2015.
Aftermath
The company continued providing domestic, international, and charter services under the new identity until its 2020 closure.
Recent events
Sources2 sources
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