Turkish Airlines said all flight operations are proceeding as normal, after president Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a 3-month state of emergency following a failed military coup attempt July 15. Turkey’s airports had been closed overnight July 15, but began partially reopening July 16. In the aftermath of the failed coup, “Turkish Airlines played an important role to terminate the malevolent illegal attempt on the evening of July 15,” the airline said. “We are alive. We are not complacent, but we are working harder to be even better,” CE Temel Kotil said. This is the high tourist season for Turkey. Coming after the June 28 terrorist bomb attack at Istanbul Ataturk airport, and the recent terrorist attacks in Belgium and France, it is likely to have an impact on air travel bookings. <br/>
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Hainan Airlines plans to take a 23% shareholding in TAP Portugal, with a bond buy from Azul Brazilian Airlines, in a E30m (US$33m) transaction. According to the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Hainan Airlines intends to buy the stake in TAP through the purchase of 25% convertible bonds from Azul. Azul bought $100m of bonds from TAP in March 2016, giving it a 40% potential interest in the Portuguese carrier. This latest move bolsters the Chinese carrier’s presence in both the European and South American markets, following the purchase of a 23.7% stake in Azul for $450m in Nov 2015, and a 7% stake in the Atlantic Gateway consortium—a part-owner of TAP. Hainan’s latest investment in TAP gives it a 13.06% economic interest in TAP, along with voting power on the TAP board from a seat on the 12-person director’s list. <br/>