When Çelebi Aviation begins handling Turkish Airlines’ ground operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on 1 August 2026, it will be applying a service model built around international certification and sustainability commitments the company has developed over more than 65 years in the aviation industry.
Çelebi Aviation Kenya operates under ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certification, alongside ISAGO accreditation and GDP certification, the latter specifically supporting the safe transport of pharmaceutical and other temperature-sensitive cargo. Those standards will apply across the new contract, which covers passenger services, ramp operations, aircraft turnaround coordination and baggage handling for Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul–Nairobi–Istanbul route.
The route operates seven times weekly about 365 flights a year and Çelebi expects to handle 75,000 to 80,000 passengers annually under the agreement.
On the environmental side, Çelebi Aviation Kenya has incorporated electric ground support equipment (e-GSE) into its operations at JKIA, a move the company says lowers the environmental impact of ground handling work while supporting broader sustainability goals across the aviation sector.
The Turkish Airlines contract adds to a Kenyan client roster that already includes British Airways, Emirates SkyCargo, Network Airlines and Astral Aviation, and comes as JKIA undergoes a major capacity expansion. Kenya Airports Authority modernization plans aim to grow the airport’s annual passenger capacity from 7.5 million to 22 million, cementing its role as a connection point between Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Atilla Korkmazoğlu, President of Ground Handling & Cargo, EMEA at Çelebi Aviation, said the agreement reflects the operational maturity of the Kenya business and the confidence international airlines place in it, adding that the company intends to keep pace with JKIA’s modernization by continuing to invest in standards-based, sustainable ground handling services.
About Çelebi Aviation: Founded in 1958, Çelebi Aviation provides ground handling, cargo and warehouse management services to more than 400 airline customers globally, backed by continuous investment in technology, training and international safety and quality standards.
