26 July 2019

MALAYSIA PRIME MINISTER MOHAMAD VISITED SABİHA GÖKÇEN

Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who is in Turkey for a four-day official visit as the guest of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, visited Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, accompanied by his wife Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali and a delegation of several ministers. Mustafa Varank, Minister of Industry and Technology, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, Malaysian Foreign Minister, Tuan Haji Mohamad Sabu, Malaysian Defense Minister, and Datuk Darell Leiking, Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister, were also present during Prime Minister Mohamad’s visit.

Arriving from Ankara on a private aircraft to Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was given a welcome by a large group including Mustafa Varank, Minister of Industry and Technology, Merve Kavakçı, Turkish Ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, Dato’ Abdul Razak Abdul Wahab, Malaysian Ambassador to Ankara, Necip Çakmak, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Administrative Director, Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, Khazanah Senior Executive, Tan Sri Datuk Zainun Ali, MAHB Chairman, Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin, MAHB Group CEO, Dato Azmi Bin Murad, ISG Board Member, and Ersel Göral, ISG CEO, alongside several Turkish and Malaysian officials.

A presentation followed the welcome ceremony of Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at the Conference Room in the airport’s VIP Terminal. Speaking at the opening of the presentation, MAHB Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Zainun Ali addressed Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad and gave brief information about the program. Next, MAHB Group CEO Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin took the stage and provided information about the current situation at the Sabiha Gökçen Airport and the future targets that include construction of the second runway and ISG’s terminal expansion projects. Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin reminded that MAHB joined the management of Sabiha Gökçen Airport’s terminal operation in 2008 and acquired all the stakes in ISG in 2015. Raja Azmi added that there has been an 8-fold increase in passenger numbers since then, and said that Sabiha Gökçen Airport now aims to be an air transportation hub among the Islamic states.

Following the presentation, a gift was presented to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad by MAHB Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Zainun Ali and a group photo was taken. Later, Prime Minister Mohamad, his wife and the accompanying delegation together with Minister of Industry Mustafa Varank were given a tour of the terminal building. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his wife left the airport after the visit.

03 July 2019

SALAM AIR LAUNCHES FLIGHTS BETWEEN SABİHA GÖKÇEN AND MUSCAT

Oman’s low cost carrier Salam Air began flying from Istanbul’s city airport Sabiha Gökçen to Muscat, the capital of Oman. The carrier will use Airbus A320 aircraft for the twice weekly return flights. Salam Air will become the second airline after Pegasus to have scheduled flights between Sabiha Gökçen and Muscat. Salam Air CEO Mohamed Ahmed Abdullah Ahmed piloted the first flight of Salam Air to Sabiha Gökçen.

Salam Air launched twice weekly flights on Mondays and Wednesdays between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and Muscat. A ceremony was held to welcome Salam Air to Sabiha Gökçen Airport. The aircraft was given the traditional water salute on the apron and after docking the boarding bridge, the cabin crew of the first flight were welcomed with flowers. In the cocktail reception that followed, a cake was cut in keeping with tradition.

Ersel Göral, CEO, Gerald Ong, Director, Aviation Marketing, and Göksu Güney, Operations Director at ISG, Mohamed Ahmed Abdullah Ahmed, CEO, and Anwar Mohamed Abdul Aziz Al Rawas, Chairman of Salam Air, attended the reception alongside senior executives and passengers. The traditional cake cutting ceremony was followed by an exchange of gifts between ISG and Salam Air officials. Before the cocktail reception, the passengers were also served Turkish Delight.

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