Urgup Balloons

We’re a dynamic, innovative and passionate team with a decade of hot-air-ballooning experience, working very hard to fly right. We have an eye for detail and a can-do attitude backed by more than 10 years of experience delivering excellent hot-air-balloon flight service.

The Most Innovative

balloon professionals, at your service.

General Director

Yiğit’s understanding of business is predicated upon the belief that alike happiness, success is the result of collective effort. He designs and builds Urgup Balloons’ principal strategies with a great emphasis on the company’s values, and leads the team effectively to turn these strategies into reality. He ensures safety and meritocracy remain the core values of Urgup Balloons.

Yigit joined Urgup Balloons in October 2018 as Sales & Marketing Director with the task to lead the digital transformation and corporate rebranding of the company, then was appointed as General Director in 2019. He made Urgup Balloons the first operator in the industry whose website is equipped with the advanced booking technology.

Yiğit holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the fields of economics and management from world-renowned top tier universities, Istanbul University and the University of Manchester

Tenure

5 years

Chief Financial Officer

Ali is responsible for overseeing Urgup Balloons’ financial traffic, management of financial risks, record-keeping, and financial reporting. He ensures the company financially fulfils its goals.

He has a degree in Business Administration from Istanbul University. After his graduation, he worked as an accountant in a small firm in Istanbul for two years. Then he worked as an accountant and financial manager in a multinational company for ten years.

For the last six years, he has been working as a chief financial consultant for Urgup Balloons. He has also been teaching financial accounting and financial management courses in various universities as a part-time lecturer.

While not dealing with numbers, he participates in volunteer organisations.

Tenure

6 years

Customer Specialist

Oğulcan is the youngest member of our team and boasts 5 years of experience in Customer Service. His professionalism enhances our communication with our valued customers. He assists customers in navigating our website, updating their reservations, changing their preferences, and even occasionally waking them up with a friendly call to ensure they don't miss their balloon flights.

With a portfolio of over 10,000 customer interactions and a satisfaction rate exceeding 90%, Oğulcan can be considered a rising star in Customer Service as a Specialist. His background in Industrial Engineering further adds value to his work, as it enables him to contribute to the planning of flights, logistics, and reservations.

On his days off, Oğulcan can be found at home, watching the sunset and sipping coffee on the terrace, with soothing music playing in the background. He remains reachable 24/7 on his phone, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to our customers.

Tenure

2 years

Director of Operations

Hasan has been working in the hot air balloon business for over a decade. He is an expert in transport planning and customer service. His superior memorization skills and multitasking abilities make Urgup Balloons the most punctual firm in the Cappadocia. During his tenure at Urgup Balloons, he has organised more than 8,000 air balloon flight operations, and served approximately 150,000 customers.

He has also organised the flights of many celebrities, politicians and influencers. His responsibilities include optimising route plans, anticipating pick-up/drop-off times, coordinating chauffeurs and service personnel. He is also responsible for maintaining the equipment and keeping the balloons in good condition.

Hasan’s work has made him a well-known and respected figure in the Cappadocia region. He is known for his dedication to his work and his commitment to providing the best possible service to his customers.

Tenure

3 years

Deputy Director of Operations

Emre has been with Urgup Balloons for nearly five years, bringing a decade of operations experience to Urgup Balloons. He simply oversees the implementation of all business strategies and ensures everything runs accordingly with the company’s code of conduct and principles.

Previously, he was the operations director of one of Cappadocia’s finest boutique hotels, Gülkonakları Hotel. Emre is highly skilled in all aspects of operations management. He has a keen eye for detail and is always looking for ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness. His experience and expertise have been invaluable to Urgup Balloons. He has helped the company grow and expand its operations while maintaining a high level of quality and customer service.

In his free time, Emre enjoys snowboarding and biking. He is also an avid reader and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Tenure

4 years

Deputy Accountant

Ferdi has been with Urgup Balloons since 2014. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting. His responsibilities include processing refunds, preparing VAT returns, issuing invoices, and approving expenses.

Since balloon flight cancellations can happen frequently in per year, an accountant working at a balloon firm must act hastily when processing refunds. Backed by his agile mind and meticulous personality, he ensures your refund returns to your credit card safely.

When not dealing with numbers and pushing the limits of accounting programs, he can be found watching Game Of Thrones over and over again.

Tenure

9 years

Chief Pilot

Of all hot-air-balloon pilots in Cappadocia, Mehmet, without dispute, is the most skilled one, a pioneer aviator. Ballooning has never been a job but an insistent passion for him.

Mehmet’s claim to fame is his photographic memory which serves as natural navigation. Once, he performed a successful air balloon flight under the wind speed of 45 km/h (four times above the acceptable limit). He has the highest-flying hours with 2,200 in the team. His responsibilities include training new pilots, overseeing the coordination between pilots, maintaining pilot performance and tracking maintenance records of the balloons.

He also can speak English and Spanish fluently. When not at work, Mehmet can be seen editing false content regarding hot-air-balloons on Wikipedia.

Tenure

8 years

Professional Pilot

Air ballooning is one of the most peaceful and beautiful ways to see the world. And for Buse, it was love at first flight.

Buse is one of the few female air balloon pilots in Cappadocia, and she is determined to become a pioneer aviator. She has a can-do attitude and an inherent talent for riding the balloon. She is an inspiration and heroine for women who are thinking of pursuing a career in aviation.

Her journey has been filled with challenges, but also with many rewards. She has been able to inspire other women to pursue their dreams, and she is proud to be making history. Buse now has over 7 years of experience as a hot air balloon pilot and is safety-conscious.

Tenure

2 years

Professional Pilot

Mehmet is originally from Istanbul. When he was younger, he dreamed of becoming a pilot. However, he soon realized that his passion was really for ballooning. He has been working in the ballooning industry for over 10 years now.

Mehmet is a passionate and skilled balloon pilot. He is also a perfectionist, which means he is always striving to make sure his flights are flawless. This attention to detail ensures that his passengers have the best possible experience.

If you’re looking for a skilled and experienced balloon pilot, look no further than Mehmet. He will make sure your flight is perfect in every way

Tenure

5 years

Professional Pilot

Tuncay believes pleasure in the job leads to perfection in the work. He has a healthy passion to fly and perfectionist personality when it comes to ballooning.

He has logged over 750 hours of flying. Prior to Urgup Balloons, he worked at a few other companies in Cappadocia.

Flying is not just a job for Tuncay – it’s a passion. He loves being up in the air and seeing the incredible views of Cappadocia from above. When he’s not flying, you can find him hiking in the canyon or exploring the many caves and cliffs.

Tenure

6 years

Professional Pilot

Ömer has lived in Cappadocia for ten years and in that time, he has become one of the most experienced hot air balloon pilots in the world. He has participated in various world record attempts sponsored by Red Bull and has even lived in Amsterdam for a while to observe balloon flights.

Ömer’s dream of becoming a hot air balloon pilot started when he was just a child. When he found out that there was a balloon pilot school opening up in Cappadocia, he immediately signed up. After completing the course, Ömer started giving rides to tourists from all over the world. He quickly gained a reputation as being one of the best pilots in the business.

When not ballooning, he is a passionate organic farmer, producing organic worm-casting fertilizers.

Tenure

4 years

Assistant Pilot

Selim was always up in the clouds. As a child, he would lay in the fields near her home in Cappadocia and watch the hot air balloons drift by, dreaming of one day being the one in charge. Now, at 21 years old, that dream is becoming a reality.

Selim is at the early stage of his flying career, learning hot air ballooning from the industry’s most experienced pilots. Soon, he will earn his wings and begin exploring the world from a whole new perspective. Away from work, he is addicted to hiking, living his life as wild as he can!

Tenure

1 years

Assistant Pilot

Buse was always fascinated by the sky. As a child, she would lay on her back in the fields near her home and watch the clouds drift by, dreaming of what it would be like to fly. When she saw the first air balloon in Cappadocia, she knew that was what she wanted to do.

Despite the scepticism of her peers, Buse persevered. Finally, after years of hard work, she was ready to take to the skies. Buse quickly proved herself to be a natural at ballooning. She had a light touch on the controls and a feel for the winds. She quickly gained a reputation as the future best balloon pilot in Cappadocia.

Thanks to her courage and determination, the sky is now open to anyone who dares to dream of flying!

Tenure

2 years