Just quickly.
First consideration: if you are a contract worker hired by an american/british/oz etc agency, then the fact that you are not renewed during a downturn is unfortunately part of the game. Nothing to do with expat or not.
Second thing: for a company who hires everyone on the same type of permanent contract (I doubt this is the case at THY) then talking about firing expats first is pure nonsense because I am pretty sure inTurkey too it is illegal to discriminate based on blood or passport. But I can tell you from experience there are/were very very few airlines around the world who hire expats on a permanent contract, for exactly this reason.
Lastly, again I am pretty sure most people
in Turkey are NOT on permanent contracts but for those justifying these practices I just want you to tell me if it’s right for a company to use your expertise and experience when they desperately need you and things are good, and then dump you when it gets ugly.
Just imagine if the government in the UK tomorrow suggested firing all non British, just for good measure.