160 Int. J. Logistics Systems and Management, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2012 Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. The new IT trends in air transportation: assessing the IT applications of airlines in Turkey H. Oktal* School of Civil Aviation, Anadolu University, Eskisehir 26470, Turkey E-mail: hoktal@anadolu.edu.tr *Corresponding author Ö. Oktal Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Anadolu University, Eskisehir 26470, Turkey E-mail: odogan@anadolu.edu.tr Abstract: The aim of this study is to introduce and classify the current and new IT applications used by airlines; and to determine the reflections of these technologies to Turkish airline companies. A survey was conducted to see to what extent IT applications are used by these companies. The factors affecting the selection, use and effectiveness of IT were also investigated. The survey results show that the use of new IT by Turkish airline companies is not at the expected level. Incomplete development of air transportation and lack of coordination among the airlines and the airport operators are determined as the main reasons of this situation. Keywords: information technologies; e-ticketing; e-reservation; RFID; radio frequency identification; e-fright; Turkish airline companies. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Oktal, H. and Oktal, Ö. (2012) ‘The new IT trends in air transportation: assessing the IT applications of airlines in Turkey’, Int. J. Logistics Systems and Management, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp.160–174. Biographical notes: Hakan Oktal is an Assistant Professor and Head of Avionic Department in School of Civil Aviation, Anadolu University, Turkey. He received his Doctorate in Civil Aviation from Anadolu University in 1998. His current research interests include air transportation, airport planning and design and air navigation systems. Özlem Oktal is an Assistant Professor in Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Anadolu University, Turkey. She obtained his PhD in Management and Organisation from Anadolu University in 1999. She worked for Computer Aided Education Department in same university for nine years. Her research interests are in the area of information systems, management and organisation and computer-aided education.