Performance Evaluation in Airline Operations Using SD and DNMA Methods Within The Framework of Sustainability: The Case of Turkish Airlines

Sustainability is essential in enabling enterprises to secure a competitive advantage and achieve long-term success. The sustainability activities of airline operations stand out in the evaluation of their performance alongside all other operational activities. Therefore, understanding how sustainability strategies affect performance in airline operations is a matter of significant concern for managers. This study aims to evaluate the performance of airline companies, particularly focusing on sustainability, using the example of Turkish Airlines (THY). In this study, the SD and DNMA methods, which are multi-criteria decision-making methods, were employed for performance evaluation. The weights of the criteria were determined using the SD method, and THY's performance between 2018 and 2022 was evaluated using the DNMA method. According to the analysis results, the three most important criteria are 'Sustainability Rating,' 'Load Factor,' and 'Number of Passengers,' with 2022 identified as the most successful performance year for THY. This study contributes to the literature by integrating sustainability performance in airline operations with both financial and non-financial indicators and by utilizing the SD and DNMA methods in an integrated manner. It is believed that the study provides significant contributions to the evaluation of sustainability practices' performance and can guide future sustainable strategies for THY and airline company managers.