By Milliam Murigi @millymur1
Çelebi Aviation, a global ground handling and cargo services provider, has entered into a new agreement with Turkish Airlines to provide ground handling services at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
The agreement, which took effect on August 1, will see Çelebi Aviation support Turkish Airlines’ daily Istanbul-Nairobi-Istanbul flights with passenger handling, ramp operations, baggage services, aircraft turnaround coordination and other ground handling functions.
The partnership strengthens Çelebi Aviation’s operations in Kenya, where it already provides services to airlines including British Airways, Emirates SkyCargo, Network Airlines and Astral Aviation.
“Our collaboration with Turkish Airlines clearly demonstrates the operational maturity of Çelebi Aviation Kenya and the trust we have built with leading international airlines,” said Atilla Korkmazoğlu, President of Ground Handling and Cargo for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Çelebi Aviation, adding that the partnership aligns with the company’s long-term expansion strategy across Africa.
The latest agreement comes just months after the company entered the Kenyan market through the acquisition of Transglobal Cargo Centre Ltd. for $40.1 million a deal that gave it a foothold in one of Africa’s fastest-growing aviation and cargo hubs.
According to Korkmazoğlu, the agreement reflected the confidence international airlines have in the company’s Kenyan operations. It also reflects growing confidence in Kenya’s aviation industry, which continues to attract international investors due to the country’s strategic location as a gateway for passenger and cargo traffic across East and Central Africa.
JKIA handles an estimated 400,000 tonnes of cargo annually and is projected to record average annual market growth of about five per cent over the next five years, outpacing the global average.
Kenya is also investing heavily in modernising JKIA to accommodate rising passenger and cargo volumes. According to Kenya Airports Authority, plans are underway to increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity from 7.5 million to 22 million, reinforcing Nairobi’s position as a major aviation hub linking Africa with Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Beyond passenger handling, Çelebi’s Kenyan operations include cargo and warehouse management through facilities covering more than 12,000 square metres, including temperature-controlled storage for pharmaceutical and perishable products.
The company says the facilities have an annual cargo handling capacity of about 275,000 tonnes and are supported by modern ground support equipment capable of servicing aircraft as large as the Airbus A380
The company conducts all its operations in line with international quality and safety standards. Holding ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, ISAGO and GDP certifications, which support the safe transportation of pharmaceutical logistics, the company provides services at international standards, particularly in the handling of high-value and temperature-controlled cargo.
The company has also introduced electric ground support equipment to reduce emissions and improve the environmental sustainability of airport operations.
Founded in 1958, Çelebi Aviation operates across three continents, providing ground handling, cargo and warehouse management services to more than 400 airline customers worldwide. With the latest contract, the company expects to handle about 365 flights annually, serving between 75,000 and 80,000 passengers each year.
