Research Article
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Sustainable airline management from the perspective of green transformation strategy

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 13, 325 - 352, 01.10.2025

Abstract

Recently, within the scope of sustainable green aviation studies, the development of environmentally friendly technologies, fuels and applications has been increasing. Airline companies are also accelerating their sustainability activities within the scope of green aviation and green airlines. The prominence of sustainability as a competitive advantage increases the importance of the strategies that companies will carry out not only in environmental but also in social and economic sustainability. In this study, a green transformation strategy is proposed in airline companies. Green transformation strategy is the redesign of social and economic development within the framework of environmental sustainability. This strategy can be considered as a new generation development model in the aviation sector and a model that can be applied with the sustainability policies of airline companies. Based on this, qualitative research methods are used in the study and a conceptual-theoretical examination is conducted. Sustainable airline management is investigated from the perspective of green transformation strategy, and in this direction, the sustainability activities and targets of airline companies are revealed. It has been concluded that companies conducting studies within the scope of green airline projects in the world and in Turkey can quickly integrate into this strategy and use sustainability activities as a competitive tool with the green transformation strategy. The findings reveal that the sustainability efforts of airline companies are effective in becoming green airlines.

References

  • Abdullah, M. A., Chew, B. C., & Hamid, S. R. (2016). Benchmarking key success factors for the future green airline industry. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 224, 246-253.
  • Aksoy, T., Yüksel, S., Dinçer, H., Hacıoğlu, U., & Maialeh, R. (2022). Complex fuzzy assessment of green flight activity investments for sustainable aviation industry. IEEE Access, 10, 127297-127312.
  • Alkhatib, S. F., & Migdadi, Y. K. A. A. (2021). A novel technique for evaluating and ranking green airlines: Benchmarking-base comparison. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 32(2), 210-226.
  • Alternatif Airlines. (2025). Eco-friendly flights. What makes an airline eco-friendly? https://www.alternativeairlines.com/eco-friendly-airlines
  • Alpman, E., & Göğüş, A. Y. (2017). Havacılıkta sürdürülebilir gelişme göstergeleri. Sürdürülebilir Havacılık Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2(1), 1-11.
  • Aryal, N. (2017). Materiality assessment in sustainability reporting: case study of the airline industry [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Jyväskylä University School Of Business and Economics.
  • Barutçu, S. B., & Çolakoğlu, Ü. (2024). Havayolu taşımacılığında sürdürülebilirlik analizi; Türkiye. Journal of Travel and Tourism Research, 24(24), 106-124.
  • Çayalan, N., & Rodoplu, H. (2025). Sürdürülebilir havaalanı uygulamaları: enerji verimliliği ve karbon ayak izi azaltma stratejileri. Iğdır Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, (38), 102-117.
  • Chao, H., Agusdinata, D. B., DeLaurentis, D., & Stechel, E. B. (2019). Carbon offsetting and reduction scheme with sustainable aviation fuel options: Fleet-level carbon emissions impacts for US airlines. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 75, 42-56.
  • Cheba, K., Bąk, I., Szopik-Depczyńska, K., & Ioppolo, G. (2022). Directions of green transformation of the European Union countries. Ecological Indicators, 136, 108601.
  • Dünya Gazetesi. (2011). Türkiye’nin ilk yeşil havayolu oldu. https://www.dunya.com/gundem/turkiye039nin-ilk-yesil-havayolu-oldu-haberi-150302
  • Edstron, E. (2024). What is a green flight? Eco-friendly ways to travel. Vacations & Travel. https://www.vacationstravel.com/what-is-a-green-flight-eco-friendly-ways-to-travel/
  • Elhmoud, E. R., & Kutty, A. A. (2020). Sustainability assessment in aviation industry: A mini-review on the tools, models and methods of assessment. Proceedings of the 2nd African International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management.
  • ERA (European Regions Airline Association). (2022). Green and sustainable flying. https://www.eraa.org/sites/default/files/green_and_sustainable_flying_2.1_0.pdf
  • Geels, F. W., Sovacool, B. K., Schwanen, T., & Sorrell, S. (2017). Sociotechnical transitions for deep decarbonization. Science, 357(6357), 1242-1244.
  • Gössling, S., & Lyle, C. (2021). Transition policies for climatically sustainable aviation. Transport Reviews, 41(5), 643-658.
  • Guo, B., Hu, P., & Lin, J. (2024). The effect of digital infrastructure development on enterprise green transformation. International Review of Financial Analysis, 92, 103085.
  • Hagmann, C., Semeijn, J., & Vellenga, D. B. (2015). Exploring the green image of airlines: Passenger perceptions and airline choice. Journal of Air Transport Management, 43, 37-45.
  • Herekoğlu, A., & Kabak, Ö. (2024). Crew recovery optimization with deep learning and column generation for sustainable airline operation management. Annals of Operations Research, 342(1), 399-427.
  • Hoyle, B., & Knowles, R. (1998). Transport geography: an introduction. In Modern Transport Geography (2nd ed., pp. 1-12). Wiley.
  • Ioannis, P. Φ. (2025). Sustainability in Aviation: CSR and Air Transportation. In Sustainability in Global Companies: Theory and Practice (pp. 55-71). Springer Nature Switzerland.
  • Janic, M. (2017). The sustainability of air transportation: A quantitative analysis and assessment. Routledge.
  • Karagiannis, I., Vouros, P., Skouloudis, A., & Evangelinos, K. (2019). Sustainability reporting, materiality, and accountability assessment in the airport industry. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(7), 1370-1405.
  • Kim, Y., Lee, J., & Ahn, J. (2019). Innovation towards sustainable technologies: A socio-technical perspective on accelerating transition to aviation biofuel. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 145, 317-329.
  • Kivits, R., Charles, M. B., & Ryan, N. (2010). A post-carbon aviation future: airports and the transition to a cleaner aviation sector. Futures, 42(3), 199-211.
  • Kotze, R. (2017). Sustainability analysis of the airline industry: Low-cost carriers and full-service carriers [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Lund University.
  • Law, A., De Lacy, T., McGrath, G. M., Whitelaw, P. A., Lipman, G., & Buckley, G. (2012). Towards a green economy decision support system for tourism destinations. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 20(6), 823-843.
  • Lynes, J. K., & Dredge, D. (2006). Going green: Motivations for environmental commitment in the airline industry. A case study of Scandinavian Airlines. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14(2), 116-138.
  • Mason, K. J. (2005). Observations of fundamental changes in the demand for aviation services. Journal of Air Transport Management, 11(1), 19-25.
  • Mayer, R., Ryley, T., & Gillingwater, D. (2014). The role of green marketing: Insights from three airline case studies. Journal of Sustainable Mobility, 1(2), 46-72.
  • McManners, P. J. (2016). Developing policy integrating sustainability: A case study into aviation. Environmental Science & Policy, 57, 86-92.
  • Migdadi, Y. K. A. A. (2018). Identifying the best practices of airlines’ green operations strategy: a cross‐regional worldwide survey. Environmental Quality Management, 28(1), 21-32.
  • Migdadi, Y. K. A. A. (2020). Green operational strategy for airlines: content and regional analysis. In P. Yang (Ed.), Cases on Green and Sustainable Development (pp. 193-229). IGI Global.
  • Orhan, G. (2021). The effects of airline strategies on environmental sustainability. Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 93(8), 1346-1357.
  • Oto, N., Özer, S., Demircan, T., Çalışkan, G., Çakı, E., Akdoğan, İ., & Göncü, C. (2010). Devlet Hava Meydanları İşletmesi (DHMİ) genel müdürlüğünde yeşil havaalanı (Green Airport) projesi ve çevre yönetim sistemi oluşturulması çalışmaları; Esenboğa Havalimanı örneği. 1. Proje ve Yapım Yönetimi Kongresi Bildiri Kitabı. ODTÜ Kültür ve Kongre Merkezi.
  • Qiu, R., Hou, S., Chen, X., & Meng, Z. (2021). Green aviation industry sustainable development towards an integrated support system. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(5), 2441-2452.
  • Ralph, M., & Stubbs, W. (2013). Integrating environmental sustainability into universities. High. Educ., 7(1), 71-90.
  • Rüger, M., & Maertens, S. U. (2022). The Content Scope of Airline Sustainability Reporting According to the GRI Standards—An Assessment for Europe’s Five Largest Airline Groups. Administrative Sciences, 13(1), 10.
  • Sai, Y. (2024). Developing key sustainability indicators for aviation [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Uppsala Üniversitesi.
  • Sarkar, A. N. (2012). Evolving green aviation transport system: A Holistic approach to sustainable green market development. American Journal of Climate Change, 1, 164-180.
  • Sayın, A. A., Ülker, M., & Ravanoğlu, G. A. (2024). Havacılıkta sürdürülebilirlik ve sürdürülebilirliğin Türkiye havacılık sektörüne yansımaları. IBSCO (International Business and Society Conference) Bildiri Kitabı. Kıbrıs.
  • SHGM (Sivil Havacılık Genel Müdürlüğü). (2025). Türkiye, Yeşil Hava Yolu Projesini uygulamaya geçiriyor. https://web.shgm.gov.tr/tr/haberler/1842-turkiye-yesil-hava-yolu-projesini-uygulamaya-geciriyor
  • Teoh, L. E., & Khoo, H. L. (2016). Green air transport system: An overview of issues, strategies, and challenges. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 20(3), 1040-1052.
  • Tunç, A., & Topçuoğlu, E. (2025). Mediating role of sustainable development goals in the effect of green transformational leadership on employee performance in the aviation industry. Journal of Aviation, 9(2), 331-337.
  • Ulakçı, K., Yüksel, S., Eti, S., Kalkavan, H., & Dinçer, H. (2024). Green Transformation of the Real Sector in Türkiye: A priority Evaluation with DEMATEL Methodology. Ekonomi İşletme ve Maliye Araştırmaları Dergisi, 6(Özel Sayı 1), 99-106.
  • Vespermann, J., & Wittmer, A. (2011). Financial, ecological, and managerial impacts of emission trading schemes: the case of Lufthansa. Business Strategy and the Environment, 20(3), 174-191.
  • Wu, H. C., Cheng, C. C., & Ai, C. H. (2018). An empirical analysis of green switching intentions in the airline industry. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 61(8), 1438-1468.
  • Yang, C. H., Kuo, L., Liu, Y. Y., & Pan, K. L. (2024). Incorporating resource optimization for sustainable airline service innovation business decision model: toward circular economy policy achievement. Annals of Operations Research, 1-27.
  • Yıldız, M., & Mutlu, S. (2020). Sivil havacılıkta elektrikli yer hizmetleri teçhizatı kullanımı faydalar, sıkıtlar ve öneriler. Mühendislik Bilimleri ve Tasarım Dergisi, 8(1), 314-325.

Yeşil dönüşüm stratejisi perspektifinden sürdürülebilir havayolu yönetimi

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 13, 325 - 352, 01.10.2025

Abstract

Son zamanlarda sürdürülebilir yeşil havacılık çalışmaları kapsamında, çevre dostu teknolojilerin, yakıtların ve uygulamaların geliştirilmesi artış göstermektedir. Havayolu şirketleri de yeşil havacılık ve yeşil havayolu kapsamında sürdürülebilirlik faaliyetlerini hızlandırmaktadır. Sürdürülebilirliğin bir rekabet avantajı olarak ön plana çıkması, şirketlerin sadece çevresel değil, sosyal ve ekonomik sürdürülebilirlik alanında yürüteceği stratejilerin de önemini artırmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, havayolu şirketlerinde yeşil dönüşüm stratejisi ele önerilmektedir. Yeşil dönüşüm stratejisi, çevresel sürdürülebilirlik çerçevesinde toplumsal ve ekonomik kalkınmanın yeniden tasarlanmasıdır. Bu strateji, havacılık sektöründe yeni nesil bir kalkınma modeli ve havayolu şirketlerinin sürdürülebilirlik politikalarıyla uygulanabilir bir model olarak ele alınabilir. Buradan hareketle çalışmada, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden yararlanılmakta ve kavramsal-teorik bir inceleme yapılmaktadır. Yeşil dönüşüm stratejisi perspektifinden sürdürülebilir havayolu yönetimi araştırılmakta, bu doğrultuda havayolu şirketlerinin sürdürülebilirlik faaliyetleri ve hedefleri ortaya konulmaktadır. Çalışmada, dünyada ve Türkiye’de yeşil havayolu projesi kapsamında çalışmalar yürüten şirketlerin bu stratejiye hızlı entegre olabileceği ve yeşil dönüşüm stratejisiyle de sürdürülebilirlik faaliyetlerini rekabet aracı olarak kullanabileceği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular, havayolu şirketlerinin sürdürülebilirlik çalışmalarının yeşil havayolu olmaları yolunda etkili olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.

References

  • Abdullah, M. A., Chew, B. C., & Hamid, S. R. (2016). Benchmarking key success factors for the future green airline industry. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 224, 246-253.
  • Aksoy, T., Yüksel, S., Dinçer, H., Hacıoğlu, U., & Maialeh, R. (2022). Complex fuzzy assessment of green flight activity investments for sustainable aviation industry. IEEE Access, 10, 127297-127312.
  • Alkhatib, S. F., & Migdadi, Y. K. A. A. (2021). A novel technique for evaluating and ranking green airlines: Benchmarking-base comparison. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 32(2), 210-226.
  • Alternatif Airlines. (2025). Eco-friendly flights. What makes an airline eco-friendly? https://www.alternativeairlines.com/eco-friendly-airlines
  • Alpman, E., & Göğüş, A. Y. (2017). Havacılıkta sürdürülebilir gelişme göstergeleri. Sürdürülebilir Havacılık Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2(1), 1-11.
  • Aryal, N. (2017). Materiality assessment in sustainability reporting: case study of the airline industry [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Jyväskylä University School Of Business and Economics.
  • Barutçu, S. B., & Çolakoğlu, Ü. (2024). Havayolu taşımacılığında sürdürülebilirlik analizi; Türkiye. Journal of Travel and Tourism Research, 24(24), 106-124.
  • Çayalan, N., & Rodoplu, H. (2025). Sürdürülebilir havaalanı uygulamaları: enerji verimliliği ve karbon ayak izi azaltma stratejileri. Iğdır Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, (38), 102-117.
  • Chao, H., Agusdinata, D. B., DeLaurentis, D., & Stechel, E. B. (2019). Carbon offsetting and reduction scheme with sustainable aviation fuel options: Fleet-level carbon emissions impacts for US airlines. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 75, 42-56.
  • Cheba, K., Bąk, I., Szopik-Depczyńska, K., & Ioppolo, G. (2022). Directions of green transformation of the European Union countries. Ecological Indicators, 136, 108601.
  • Dünya Gazetesi. (2011). Türkiye’nin ilk yeşil havayolu oldu. https://www.dunya.com/gundem/turkiye039nin-ilk-yesil-havayolu-oldu-haberi-150302
  • Edstron, E. (2024). What is a green flight? Eco-friendly ways to travel. Vacations & Travel. https://www.vacationstravel.com/what-is-a-green-flight-eco-friendly-ways-to-travel/
  • Elhmoud, E. R., & Kutty, A. A. (2020). Sustainability assessment in aviation industry: A mini-review on the tools, models and methods of assessment. Proceedings of the 2nd African International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management.
  • ERA (European Regions Airline Association). (2022). Green and sustainable flying. https://www.eraa.org/sites/default/files/green_and_sustainable_flying_2.1_0.pdf
  • Geels, F. W., Sovacool, B. K., Schwanen, T., & Sorrell, S. (2017). Sociotechnical transitions for deep decarbonization. Science, 357(6357), 1242-1244.
  • Gössling, S., & Lyle, C. (2021). Transition policies for climatically sustainable aviation. Transport Reviews, 41(5), 643-658.
  • Guo, B., Hu, P., & Lin, J. (2024). The effect of digital infrastructure development on enterprise green transformation. International Review of Financial Analysis, 92, 103085.
  • Hagmann, C., Semeijn, J., & Vellenga, D. B. (2015). Exploring the green image of airlines: Passenger perceptions and airline choice. Journal of Air Transport Management, 43, 37-45.
  • Herekoğlu, A., & Kabak, Ö. (2024). Crew recovery optimization with deep learning and column generation for sustainable airline operation management. Annals of Operations Research, 342(1), 399-427.
  • Hoyle, B., & Knowles, R. (1998). Transport geography: an introduction. In Modern Transport Geography (2nd ed., pp. 1-12). Wiley.
  • Ioannis, P. Φ. (2025). Sustainability in Aviation: CSR and Air Transportation. In Sustainability in Global Companies: Theory and Practice (pp. 55-71). Springer Nature Switzerland.
  • Janic, M. (2017). The sustainability of air transportation: A quantitative analysis and assessment. Routledge.
  • Karagiannis, I., Vouros, P., Skouloudis, A., & Evangelinos, K. (2019). Sustainability reporting, materiality, and accountability assessment in the airport industry. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(7), 1370-1405.
  • Kim, Y., Lee, J., & Ahn, J. (2019). Innovation towards sustainable technologies: A socio-technical perspective on accelerating transition to aviation biofuel. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 145, 317-329.
  • Kivits, R., Charles, M. B., & Ryan, N. (2010). A post-carbon aviation future: airports and the transition to a cleaner aviation sector. Futures, 42(3), 199-211.
  • Kotze, R. (2017). Sustainability analysis of the airline industry: Low-cost carriers and full-service carriers [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Lund University.
  • Law, A., De Lacy, T., McGrath, G. M., Whitelaw, P. A., Lipman, G., & Buckley, G. (2012). Towards a green economy decision support system for tourism destinations. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 20(6), 823-843.
  • Lynes, J. K., & Dredge, D. (2006). Going green: Motivations for environmental commitment in the airline industry. A case study of Scandinavian Airlines. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14(2), 116-138.
  • Mason, K. J. (2005). Observations of fundamental changes in the demand for aviation services. Journal of Air Transport Management, 11(1), 19-25.
  • Mayer, R., Ryley, T., & Gillingwater, D. (2014). The role of green marketing: Insights from three airline case studies. Journal of Sustainable Mobility, 1(2), 46-72.
  • McManners, P. J. (2016). Developing policy integrating sustainability: A case study into aviation. Environmental Science & Policy, 57, 86-92.
  • Migdadi, Y. K. A. A. (2018). Identifying the best practices of airlines’ green operations strategy: a cross‐regional worldwide survey. Environmental Quality Management, 28(1), 21-32.
  • Migdadi, Y. K. A. A. (2020). Green operational strategy for airlines: content and regional analysis. In P. Yang (Ed.), Cases on Green and Sustainable Development (pp. 193-229). IGI Global.
  • Orhan, G. (2021). The effects of airline strategies on environmental sustainability. Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 93(8), 1346-1357.
  • Oto, N., Özer, S., Demircan, T., Çalışkan, G., Çakı, E., Akdoğan, İ., & Göncü, C. (2010). Devlet Hava Meydanları İşletmesi (DHMİ) genel müdürlüğünde yeşil havaalanı (Green Airport) projesi ve çevre yönetim sistemi oluşturulması çalışmaları; Esenboğa Havalimanı örneği. 1. Proje ve Yapım Yönetimi Kongresi Bildiri Kitabı. ODTÜ Kültür ve Kongre Merkezi.
  • Qiu, R., Hou, S., Chen, X., & Meng, Z. (2021). Green aviation industry sustainable development towards an integrated support system. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(5), 2441-2452.
  • Ralph, M., & Stubbs, W. (2013). Integrating environmental sustainability into universities. High. Educ., 7(1), 71-90.
  • Rüger, M., & Maertens, S. U. (2022). The Content Scope of Airline Sustainability Reporting According to the GRI Standards—An Assessment for Europe’s Five Largest Airline Groups. Administrative Sciences, 13(1), 10.
  • Sai, Y. (2024). Developing key sustainability indicators for aviation [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Uppsala Üniversitesi.
  • Sarkar, A. N. (2012). Evolving green aviation transport system: A Holistic approach to sustainable green market development. American Journal of Climate Change, 1, 164-180.
  • Sayın, A. A., Ülker, M., & Ravanoğlu, G. A. (2024). Havacılıkta sürdürülebilirlik ve sürdürülebilirliğin Türkiye havacılık sektörüne yansımaları. IBSCO (International Business and Society Conference) Bildiri Kitabı. Kıbrıs.
  • SHGM (Sivil Havacılık Genel Müdürlüğü). (2025). Türkiye, Yeşil Hava Yolu Projesini uygulamaya geçiriyor. https://web.shgm.gov.tr/tr/haberler/1842-turkiye-yesil-hava-yolu-projesini-uygulamaya-geciriyor
  • Teoh, L. E., & Khoo, H. L. (2016). Green air transport system: An overview of issues, strategies, and challenges. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 20(3), 1040-1052.
  • Tunç, A., & Topçuoğlu, E. (2025). Mediating role of sustainable development goals in the effect of green transformational leadership on employee performance in the aviation industry. Journal of Aviation, 9(2), 331-337.
  • Ulakçı, K., Yüksel, S., Eti, S., Kalkavan, H., & Dinçer, H. (2024). Green Transformation of the Real Sector in Türkiye: A priority Evaluation with DEMATEL Methodology. Ekonomi İşletme ve Maliye Araştırmaları Dergisi, 6(Özel Sayı 1), 99-106.
  • Vespermann, J., & Wittmer, A. (2011). Financial, ecological, and managerial impacts of emission trading schemes: the case of Lufthansa. Business Strategy and the Environment, 20(3), 174-191.
  • Wu, H. C., Cheng, C. C., & Ai, C. H. (2018). An empirical analysis of green switching intentions in the airline industry. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 61(8), 1438-1468.
  • Yang, C. H., Kuo, L., Liu, Y. Y., & Pan, K. L. (2024). Incorporating resource optimization for sustainable airline service innovation business decision model: toward circular economy policy achievement. Annals of Operations Research, 1-27.
  • Yıldız, M., & Mutlu, S. (2020). Sivil havacılıkta elektrikli yer hizmetleri teçhizatı kullanımı faydalar, sıkıtlar ve öneriler. Mühendislik Bilimleri ve Tasarım Dergisi, 8(1), 314-325.
There are 49 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language Turkish
Subjects Policy and Administration (Other)
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Gülaçtı Şen 0000-0003-4168-0586

Erhan Bütün 0000-0002-9463-5520

Early Pub Date September 22, 2025
Publication Date October 1, 2025
Submission Date June 30, 2025
Acceptance Date September 1, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 7 Issue: 13

Cite

APA Şen, G., & Bütün, E. (2025). Yeşil dönüşüm stratejisi perspektifinden sürdürülebilir havayolu yönetimi. Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Ve Eğitim Dergisi, 7(13), 325-352.

www.dergipark.org.tr/usbed


Editor in Chief:  Prof. Dr. Aytekin DEMİRCİOĞLU