Tailwind Airlines

Tailwind Airlines is a Turkish charter airline headquartered in Istanbul. The carrier was established in 2006 as a joint Turkish-British aviation project by Kadri Muhiddin, Safi Ergin and Mehmet Demir Uz. Although founded as a low-cost airline, its principal identity in published reference material is that of a charter operator serving holiday, leisure and other contracted international traffic. Its first commercial flight took place in May 2009. The airline's operational network has been centered on Turkey, particularly Antalya Airport, one of the country's main gateways for international tourism. It has also used Istanbul Airport as a base or hub. Published destination information from 2013 shows a broad network linking Turkish airports with points across Europe, the Middle East and nearby parts of Asia. European destinations included Brussels, Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zagreb, Prague, Brno, numerous German airports, Budapest, Debrecen, Bologna, Milan, Rome, Verona, Chișinău, Oslo, Stavanger, Ålesund, Bratislava, Piešťany, Kristianstad and Zürich. Services also extended to destinations such as Erbil, Tel Aviv, Tehran, Amman and Ercan in Northern Cyprus. Within Turkey, the airline served or was listed as serving airports including Antalya, Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Dalaman, Bodrum, Adana, Eskişehir and Alanya/Gazipaşa. Some Russian destinations, including Astrakhan, Grozny, Krasnodar and Saratov, were identified as seasonal charter routes. Tailwind's fleet has included Boeing 737 aircraft. In August 2013, the airline was reported to operate five Boeing 737-400s. Later fleet information identifies Boeing 737-800 operations, including an aircraft registered TC-TLH. The available reference material does not provide a complete current fleet list or a verified fleet-size figure for the present day. The airline's business model is based on transporting passengers on international charter and leisure routes rather than presenting itself primarily as a large scheduled network carrier. This model places its operations close to Turkey's tourism economy and to European markets with established holiday traffic to the country's Mediterranean coast. Its operating pattern has included seasonal services, contracted charter flying and routes connecting regional European airports with Turkish resorts and cities. Tailwind also attracted regulatory and media attention in September 2016 when a Boeing 737-800 registered TC-TLH was barred from operating in Lebanon after landing at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The aircraft had previously been leased to Wings of Lebanon and retained that operator's livery when it was temporarily operated by Tailwind after a technical inspection. The incident illustrates the geopolitical and regulatory sensitivities that can affect aircraft deployment and international airline operations. No verified information in the supplied material establishes a broader corporate scandal or financial impact from the episode. The available sources continue to describe Tailwind Airlines as an active Turkish airline operating from Istanbul and Antalya. However, detailed current information about ownership, management, financial performance, route frequency, fleet composition and official corporate structure is not established by the supplied references.

Tailwind Airlines was founded in 2006 as a joint Turkish-British aviation project. The founders identified in published reference material are Kadri Muhiddin, Safi Ergin and Mehmet Demir Uz. The company was conceived as a low-cost airline, but its subsequent public profile has primarily been associated with charter and leisure flying from Turkey to international destinations. The first commercial flight took place in May 2009. From its Istanbul base and its operational focus at Antalya Airport, Tailwind developed services connecting Turkish airports with holiday and regional markets in Europe, the Middle East and nearby parts of Asia. Antalya was particularly important because it is a major entry point for international tourism in Turkey. Istanbul also appeared in the airline's operating structure and destination information. A destination listing published for August 2013 indicates the breadth of Tailwind's network at that time. The airline served or was listed as serving Brussels; Sarajevo and Tuzla; Zagreb; Prague and Brno; a substantial group of German airports; Budapest and Debrecen; Bologna, Milan, Rome and Verona; Chișinău; Oslo, Stavanger and Ålesund; Bratislava and Piešťany; Kristianstad; and Zürich. Its network also included Erbil, Tel Aviv, Tehran, Amman and Ercan. Turkish destinations included Antalya, Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Dalaman, Bodrum, Adana, Eskişehir and Alanya/Gazipaşa. Several Russian cities, including Astrakhan, Grozny, Krasnodar and Saratov, were described as seasonal charter destinations. The fleet has been based on Boeing 737 narrow-body aircraft. In August 2013, Tailwind was reported to operate five Boeing 737-400 aircraft. The airline later operated Boeing 737-800 aircraft, including the aircraft registered TC-TLH. The supplied sources do not establish a complete historical fleet chronology or a verified current fleet size. One notable operational and regulatory episode occurred in early September 2016. A Boeing 737-800 carrying registration TC-TLH was barred from Lebanon after landing at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. Before being used by Tailwind, the aircraft had been leased to Wings of Lebanon and painted in that airline's colors. Following a technical inspection, Tailwind briefly operated the aircraft on its own routes. The incident demonstrates how an aircraft's prior operator, livery and recent operating history can intersect with regional political and regulatory restrictions. The available material does not document a wider scandal, prosecution or financial consequence arising from the event. Tailwind's documented business remains centered on international charter passenger transport, with a strong connection to Antalya and Turkey's tourism markets. The available references do not provide reliable details on the airline's current ownership, corporate group, management team, financial results, official website or present route schedule. They also do not establish whether every destination listed in 2013 remains active. Accordingly, the airline's long-term historical outline is clearer than its current corporate and operational detail.

• 2016

  Aircraft restricted in Lebanon

  [1]Tailwind Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  A Boeing 737-800 registered TC-TLH was barred from Lebanon after operating to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel; Tailwind had briefly operated the aircraft after a technical check.

• 2013

  Five Boeing 737-400 aircraft reported in operation

  [1]Tailwind Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material for August 2013 described Tailwind as operating five Boeing 737-400 aircraft and listed a broad international destination network.

• 2009

  First commercial flight

  [1]Tailwind Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The airline operated its first commercial flight in May 2009.

• 2006

  Airline founded

  [1]Tailwind Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Tailwind Airlines was established as a joint Turkish-British project by Kadri Muhiddin, Safi Ergin and Mehmet Demir Uz.

A Turkey-based charter and leisure airline focused on international passenger services, especially traffic connected with Antalya and other Turkish tourism destinations.

• Passenger air transport

  International charter passenger flights

  Tailwind Airlines' principal documented business is charter passenger flying from Turkey to international destinations. Its network has been particularly associated with Antalya, a major Turkish tourism gateway, and with European leisure markets. Charter operations may be seasonal or arranged through travel and tour operators, but the supplied sources do not specify individual contracting partners or current schedules.

• Seasonal passenger services

  Seasonal international routes

  Published route information includes seasonal charter services to selected Russian airports as well as connections to European, Middle Eastern and nearby Asian destinations. These services complement Tailwind's Turkey-based leisure network. The historical route list should not be treated as a confirmed current timetable.

• Aircraft-based passenger service

  Boeing 737 passenger operations

  Tailwind has operated Boeing 737 narrow-body aircraft, including five Boeing 737-400s reported in August 2013 and later Boeing 737-800 aircraft. These aircraft support the airline's short- and medium-haul international charter and leisure missions. The available material does not establish the complete current fleet.

• 2016

  Temporary operation of aircraft previously leased to Wings of LebanonOther

  Background

  A Boeing 737-800 registered TC-TLH had previously been leased to Wings of Lebanon and was painted in that operator's colors. The aircraft became subject to restrictions in Lebanon after landing at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.

  Action taken

  After a technical inspection, Tailwind Airlines briefly operated the aircraft on its own routes.

  Aftermath

  The aircraft was banned from Lebanon in early September 2016. The supplied sources do not report a broader corporate consequence.

  Source

1. 1Tailwind Airlinesen.wikipedia.org