Turkish Flavours-2

The slipstream from Turkey 's attempted coup is leaving some casualties in its wake, 60,000 military, government, academic,public sector and journalistic imprisonments, sackings or suspensions are a lot especially when almost certainly only a relatively small number were really involved.

There is an inevitable suspicion that the opportunity is being taken to cleanse from all key areas those who might not care for the country's leader and/or the direction he is taking . Now the national airline ,- currently the world's fastest growing,- has been hit along with the rest. It's CFO is one of those dismissed.

The vulnerabilities of the new mega hubbers' home bases are obvious but have always looked centred on potential security rather than management issues .Late coming Turkish seemed the least likely to run into problems.

Right from the beginning of the airline business the dead hand of governments' ambitions to control every aspect of traditional legacy carriers' activity has loomed over their ability to truly fly. Conservatism and protectionism stalked the skies. Privatisation and liberalisation has solved the problem for many but those still under actual or mental state control continue to struggle to break free of former bad habits and outlooks.

.Then came the wave of national carriers owned by newly independent countries. These took wing from the late 1950s/early 1960s. Government interventions ranged from appointments to where and how they should fly and with what equipment.. At one end of the scale Malaysia Airlines was rendered hopelessly unprofitable by having to operate an extensive domestic network at uneconomic fares and at the same time provide global links for which there was little demand from Kuala Lumpur. At the other end have been some African minnows with a handful of aircraft of varying types but larger management car fleets headed by a succession by appointees favoured by Presidents or other political leaders.

 Until now Turkish has flown above any of these clouds and grown spectacularly.

Hopefully the current hiatus will be temporary and the geographically well placed airline will be left to get on with running and further developing its business with full government understanding and above all hands-off support. In a show of strength this airline has managed its recent external disruptions very well. It has flown as much of the daily plan as possible regardless of the terrorist attack at Istanbul airport and the wider ranging coup attempt .The ability to recover from setbacks swiftly is a good sign.