As Turkish Airlines continues to expand in LA, Yuceler says social media will play a critical role in how far the growth can go.
“Turkish Airlines was not very strong in social media, but right now, we are much stronger than a lot of U.S. and European carriers,” Yuceler says. “We are using social media as a good tool to grow our business.”
Takeaways:
- Keep your goals in sight.
- Allow opportunities for feedback.
- Look for people who can help you grow.
The Yuceler File:
Name: Fatma Yuceler
Title: general manager, Western USA
Company: Turkish Airlines
Born: Istanbul, Turkey
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, management, marketing and related support services, Istanbul University.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life? There are two people. Guven Erte was a great guy I had as a manager in Istanbul. He trained us on making sales and marketing calls, and I was really influenced by him. He was a great person.
The second is Diane Meese. I worked with her in New York. She was a very experienced airline executive, and I really loved working with her.
If you could speak with anyone from the present or past, with whom would you want to speak with? Hillary Clinton. She’s a great speaker and a great leader.
A brief history of Turkish Airlines: The State Airlines Administration under the supervision of Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense was established on May 20, 1933. Fesa Evrensev, who was one of the first Turkish aviators, headed the organization, which had a budget of 180,000 Turkish liras. The fleet consisted of two King Birds (which had five seats), two Junkers F-13 (which had four seats) and an ATH-9 (which had 10 seats).
The first international voyage from Ankara, Turkey, to Istanbul to Athens, Greece, was flown on Feb. 12, 1947. On May 21, 1955, the name of the organization was officially changed to Turkish Airlines. [Source: Turkish Airlines]
