Çelebi Aviation India refutes false allegations

Çelebi Aviation India unequivocally refutes all misleading, and factually incorrect allegations circulating on social media regarding the company’s ownership and operations in India. We would like to place on record the facts surrounding our ownership structure and long-standing presence in the country.

Çelebi Aviation India is a professionally governed, globally operated aviation services company. Today, it is majority-owned (65%) by international institutional investors from across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Western Europe. Actera Partners II L.P., a Jersey-registered fund holds 50% ownership in Çelebi Havacılık Holding A.Ş. The remaining 15% is held by Alpha Airport Services BV, a Dutch-registered entity.

Çelebi Aviation is a global company with a legacy of over 65 years in aviation services, delivering ground handling and cargo operations across three continents and six countries. As we continue to expand in emerging aviation markets, our mission remains consistent; to contribute meaningfully to the aviation sector, national economies, and the local workforce in every country we operate in. These principles are at the heart of our operations worldwide, including India.

In India, Çelebi has proudly operated for over 15 years and is a key player in the private ground handling sector. We directly employ over 10,000 Indians, supporting the livelihood of thousands of families, and have contributed more than $220 million in long-term infrastructure investments. We operate at nine of India’s busiest airports and are an essential part of the nation’s aviation ecosystem.

As clearly illustrated, Çelebi’s business in India is truly an Indian enterprise, led and managed by Indian professionals, deeply invested in the country, and committed to its growth. We are not a Turkish organisation by any standard and adhere fully to globally accepted practices of corporate governance, transparency, and neutrality, with no political affiliations or links to any foreign government or individuals.

Additionally, we categorically reject another false claim being propagated around Ms. Sümeyye Erdoğan’s daughter being a part owner. For the record and in line with complete transparency there is no one named Sümeyye owning any shareholding in the parent organisation. The Turkish shareholding is solely limited to members of the founding Çelebioğlu family; Mr. Can Çelebioğlu and Ms. Canan Çelebioğlu (each holding 17.5%)., nor any individuals with the same. The company was originally established in 1958 by their father as Turkey’s first private and independent ground handling company. Both siblings have no political affiliations or associations of any kind.

Çelebi remains fully committed to India and to contributing meaningfully to the country’s progress as a global aviation hub. We are confident that facts, transparency, and common sense will prevail over misinformation.

Lastly, in response to recent posts falsely suggesting security concerns at the Delhi airport cargo terminal, we firmly reiterate that all our facilities are governed and regularly audited by Indian aviation and security authorities, including CISF, BCAS, and AAI. We remain in full compliance with Indian aviation, national security, and tax regulations, and operate with complete transparency.

We urge responsible dissemination of information and respectfully request all media outlets and stakeholders to avoid amplifying speculative and inaccurate narratives that risk undermining years of collaborative success and the livelihood of thousands of employees and their families.