Turkish Airlines employs 500 new pilots in 2018

Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines has employed 500 new pilots and the number of new pilots is expected to reach 1,100 by the end of 2018, the airline's chief executive officer said.

Speaking at a ceremony, Bilal Ekşi said 500 pilots that include 41 captains and 286 first officers will be trained by the company, according to a press release on Thursday.

"The fact that the majority of pilots are Turkish shows the importance given by Turkish Airlines to the development of Turkey's aviation," Ekşi noted.

The airline was named Best Airline in Europe by Skytrax for six years in a row between 2011 and 2016, and chosen the Best Airline in Southern Europe for the ninth consecutive time in 2017.

Turkish Airlines, founded in 1933, flies to more than 300 destinations in over 120 countries with its 330 aircraft.

According to the statement, the flag carrier will have over 500 aircraft by 2023. Last year, the airline carried 68.6 million passengers with a 79.1 percent seat occupancy rate.