Turkish Airlines is among the top commercial airliners in the world. What might surprise you is that the majority of the company’s non-Turkish pilots are Greeks. Recently the number of Greeks flying Turkish Airlines planes reached 77 out of the total 4,500, which is the largest percentage of the 800 foreign pilots. The company released a statement stressing that the exponential growth of the company has led to the need for hiring experienced pilots that met the rigorous safety standards and specifications of the company. ‘It is very close to Greece and I can keep contact with my family and friends. I visit Athens , even when I have just a day off’, says Yiannis Stavrianos, who has been working as a pilot for Turkish Airlines for 4 years says. Stavrianos says he was very impressed with the company’s growth over the past 4 years as it had added 109 new planes to its fleet.