Validations for ICAO/FAA license holders is no longer acceptable in Turkey, except if you happen to be a B777 Commander. Several pilots from ICAO/FAA member states served this nation over a period of 36 months with higher standards than local pilots, never involved in accidents or incidents to say the least.
As of last month ICAO/FAA license holders were terminated from employment last month without due notice, without being given sufficient time to convert to EASA standards or rather Turkish DGCA new rules, as Turkey is nothing but an ICAO state holder at present, flirting to be an EASA member in the future.
It is mind boggling how Turkish carriers will cope with pilot shortage by adopting this new rules from a governmental body such as the DGCA that has proven to be more xenophobic than THY pilot management itself. Notice that the head of the DGCA/DHMI is a member of the board of THY and has done nothing to stop the bleeding of much needed experience provided by foreign pilots who deserted their land to come to Turkey, and help with their expansion plans; We thought this was the initiative of the President & CEO of THY. We thought Turkish DGCA was about amalgamating pilots from ICAO/FAA and former JAA to enhance the needs of TC registered airlines.
But it is more disturbing, DGCA/THY double standard, in implementing this rule for some, and not all pilots affected. Would Kobe Bryant and/or Messi like the idea of modelling for an airline who brags to be "Globally Yours", but does not employ American pilots, named: U.S, Canadians, Brazilians, Argentinians? They are and were part of this dream THY has profited so much this last three years; Where is their loyalty to pilots who served in making this progress possible? Where is DGCA's policy a clear one, when they exempt some privileged group of pilots over other narrow body group of pilots?
ICAO/FAA pilots who served here for over two years should have been notified earlier at least for them to prepare for conversion of their licenses or to find a new horizon; Instead, they were terminated with insufficient notice affecting their status and normalcy.
This move is unethical, it would tarnish THY/DGCA reputation, they have betrayed the spirit of foreigners serving this part of the world with the highest standards of safety.
Perhaps it is time to publish this thoughts in American media itself, and or FAA & European EASA member states, in the same manner defunct Danish pilots did when they undisclosed that Turkish pilots were NOT level 4 as required by ICAO/FAA or EASA for that effect. THY & Turkish DGCA implemented mandatory English testing to pilots thereafter and remedy has not been found yet.