MEHMET ALI SÖYET, Turkish Airlines General manager for Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen, takes the club! questionnaire and shows his love for Hamburg as an attractive destination.
THE COMMUNICATOR
For MEHMET ALI SÖYET, General Manager in Hamburg, Bremen and Hanover, consultation with colleagues is an important prerequisite for decision-making.
- How was 2025 for your company and what do you expect for the future?
Despite the political turmoil around the world and intensified regional unrest in markets, 2025 continues to be a successful year so far. It is a year in which we will achieve our goals and continue to grow. Our 500th aircraft will join our fleet before the end of the year. It is particularly important for us to continue our growth towards our 2033 targets. We are progressing towards our goals of increasing our passenger numbers from around 86 million to 170 million by 2033, increasing our fleet to 813 aircraft, and becoming one of the world’s top five airlines. - What do you appreciate in having Hamburg as one location for your company?
Hamburg is the most important city in northern Germany and one of Europe’s major trade hubs. With its port and trading culture, it has been the economic heart of the region for centuries. It is also a culturally and geographically rich and beautiful place. Furthermore, because it has always been a city connected to the world, it has attracted people from all over the world to live and work there. Therefore, in Hamburg, we transport corporate clients, tourists, and passengers who wish to visit their countries of origin. On each flight, we have groups of passengers whose travel purposes, routes and expectations are completely different. For this reason, Hamburg is an important point from which we fly passengers throughout our entire network. - Do you expect growth for your company and what does this mean for the Hamburg site?
As a company, we have a balanced employment growth policy based on needs, which sometimes develops on the part of the flight crews and sometimes on the part of the administrative departments. Hamburg is one of our growing routes. We have a competent team and hire based on specific needs. - What did you want to become as a child?
Since my father was a good surgeon and academic, I also thought about becoming a medical doctor when I was a child. In fact, I had the opportunity to continue on that path until my university years. However, I later decided that the profession was not for me. I’ve always worked in sales and business development in different industries, and I continue because I find myself successful in those areas. - Did you have a mentor who helped you in your business life?
I consult my father on many matters; his experience and insights benefit me. For this reason, I can say that I am also happy to share my experience with those who want my help, because you can learn everything, but experience can only be learned by living and known by those who live it; the most important part of mentoring is sharing experience. - What was the last business achievement that still makes you proud?
2024 the Euro was held in Germany, and the Turkish national team was also in the tournament. We had a very busy period, both as the carrier of the national team and as one of the most preferred carriers among those who come to watch. We managed to get through this period without any mistakes. - Any advice for people embarking on a career while in their twenties?
They should definitely choose a path for themselves and patiently strive to develop themselves along that path. Quick and easy success is just luck, and that luck comes to very few people. Otherwise, they will become aimless when they reach a certain age. - How do you recruit for your company?
We have a highly professional HR department that keeps up with all developments, applications are submitted through Turkish Airlines’ career page. As we are a highly sought-after company, we can easily find qualified candidates. - Where do you like to spend your vacation?
Discovering new cities and countries is what vacation means to me. Of course, a little sea and sand wouldn’t be bad, but new places to discover appeal to me more. I want to visit the areas I haven’t explored yet. - How many people work for your company in Hamburg, Germany and worldwide?
Turkish Airlines has approximately 90 000 employees. We have around 300 employees in our offices covering 11 airports within 8 regional management areas in Germany. We maintain a balanced employment policy aligned with our 2033 growth strategy. - What do you like about Hamburg?
Hamburg is a city with a maritime culture, and in that respect, it resembles Istanbul, where I was born and raised. It’s multicultural, communication is easy and I feel comfortable. - Which market changes have your company faced and overcome in the past five years and which do you anticipate for the next few years?
The simple answer to this question, especially for the aviation sector, is the pandemic. It created a historical break, and aviation was one of the most deeply affected sectors. As Turkish Airlines, we were one of the fastest recovering companies after the pandemic and recorded significant growth. One reason for this is that, unlike other major carriers, we did not lay off employees during the pandemic. Now everyone is back in the market, competition is fierce. One of the biggest challenges for the industry is the regional conflicts, as aviation is an industry that prioritizes safety above all else. And the energy prices are also an issue that monitored closely by the sector as well. - Which principals have you found useful for your company?
The most important thing is to always consult with my colleagues and those involved in the matter and thoroughly evaluate it before making a decision. Hasty decisions often lead to mistakes, so conducting a detailed evaluation beforehand is a principle for me. Fully implementing the decision afterward is the second step. Once a decision has been made, there should be no hesitation. - What impact are the economic and geopolitical conditions having on your company’s business?
As the airline flying to more countries than any other, we are naturally affected to some extent by all the economic and geopolitical developments all around the globe. However, this also encourages us to be more dynamic and act strategically over these changes. After various experiences that we had in global in recent years we succeeded to maintain a solid strategy and solutions to face unexpected developments. - When you host business partners from abroad, where do you go with them?
I like hosting people in our office, where we can convey the Turkish Airlines atmosphere. In the city, I enjoy taking people to the Elbphilharmonie, Speicherstadt and Außenalster.
MEHMET ALI SÖYET
The Master of Business Administration began his professional career at Turkish Airlines in 2018 as Sales & Marketing Manager. Over the past 22 years, the company has grown into a global enterprise with more than 500 aircraft and 350 destinations. He has been General Manager for Hamburg, Bremen and Hanover since September 2023.