Turkish Airlines' net profits reach $175M in 2017

Turkey’s national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, made 639 million Turkish liras ($175 million) in net profits in 2017, the company said on Tuesday.

According to the airline's statement, Turkish Airlines total sales revenue rose to 39.7 billion liras ($10.8 billion) last year -- a 35 percent increase compared to 2016.

In 2017, the total number of passengers carried by the airline reached 68.6 million marking 9.3 percent hike compared to the previous year.

The carrier's seat occupancy rate stood at 79.1 percent in 2017, which was 4.7 percentage higher than 2016.

Turkish Airlines currently boasts more than 330 aircraft including passenger and cargo planes.

The airline was named Best Airline in Europe by Skytrax six years in a row from 2011 to 2016. The airline was designated Best Airline in Southern Europe for the ninth consecutive time in 2017.