Turkish Airlines Contracts Çelebi Aviation for JKIA Operations

Çelebi Aviation has begun providing ground handling services to Turkish Airlines at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport under a new agreement between the two companies that kicked off on August 1, 2026.

• Çelebi Aviation will support Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul-Nairobi-Istanbul flights with passenger services, ramp operations, aircraft turnaround coordination, baggage services and other ground handling processes.
• Turkish Airlines’ operates seven weekly flights and approximately 365 flights annually on the route, serving serve an estimated 75,000 to 80,000 passengers per year.
• The two companies are also banking on expansion plans for the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, which aim to increase passenger capacity from 7.5 million to 22 million annually.

"We see this collaboration not only as an important step for our Kenya operations, but also as a key milestone in our long-term growth strategy across Africa,” Atilla Korkmazoğlu, Çelebi Aviation's President of Ground Handling & Cargo, EMEA at Çelebi Aviation, said. 

The new agreement strengthens Çelebi Aviation Kenya's operational presence at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where it already serves global airlines across different segments, including British Airways, Emirates SkyCargo, Network Airlines and Astral Aviation.