Freebird Airlines, based in Turkey, has joined the Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG). This international trade association represents scheduled, charter, and cargo airlines operating in Germany.
The leisure airline's joining the group in 2026 coincides with the airline's 25th anniversary. Together with its Maltese sister company, Freebird Airlines Europe, the airline serves a network of more than 120 destinations. The carrier has a strong presence in Germany, offering point-to-point connections from 16 German airports to southern European destinations such as Antalya, Crete, and Fuerteventura. The group's operational fleet currently consists of 14 Airbus A320 aircraft.
The German travel market has historically been considered extremely stable in the holiday travel segment, but faces growing structural challenges compared to other countries. BARIG CEO Michael Hoppe, speaking on the occasion of the new member's membership, pointed to the considerable burden placed on airlines by continuously rising government-imposed costs for operating in Germany, including the air traffic tax and increased air security and flight safety fees. The association, together with other industry organizations, is working intensively for a political shift and the optimization of the regulatory framework in order to secure the long-term competitiveness of airlines at German airports and prevent them from relocating.
Freebird Airlines was founded in 2001 and operates as a subsidiary of the Turkish Gözen Holding. The parent company has been active in the international aviation business for over four decades and, through specialized subsidiaries, covers a broad spectrum of services ranging from General Sales Agency (GSA) services and passenger and aircraft security to aircraft refueling and pilot training at its own training centers. This vertical integration within the group allows the airline to access flexible resources, which is a particular operational advantage when handling seasonal charter business during the summer months.
According to Selim Tükenmez, CEO of Freebird Airlines, the German market forms the strategic backbone of the company's economic development. The airline combines traditional charter flights for tour operators with scheduled flights on its routes to maximize the utilization of its Airbus fleet. Through its membership in BARIG, the airline's management hopes to benefit from a more intensive exchange of expertise within the German airline community and better access to current market analyses, further strengthening its market position in the highly competitive European leisure flight segment.