Some of the world’s largest global carriers are government-owned.
- State-owned airlines prioritize fulfilling governments’ strategic initiatives over maximizing profits for shareholders.
- Turkish Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines are among the largest state-owned carriers globally.
- The Qatari government wholly owns Qatar Airways, while the Investment Corporation of Dubai fully owns Emirates.
While most airlines in the United States and Europe are privately owned, many of the world’s largest global carriers are owned at least in part by their respective governments. These carriers often operate differently, as they attempt to fulfill governments’ strategic initiatives rather than simply return the highest profits to their shareholders. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the ten largest airlines (by number of destinations served) that are fully or partially state-owned.
Turkish Airlines
The flag carrier of Turkey is the world’s third-largest airline by number of destinations served, with 340. The Turkish government’s Ministry Privatization Administration owns a 49.12% non-controlling interest in the carrier, with the remaining 50.88% of the company’s shares traded publically.