FRANKFURT - Turkey's main airline, Turkish Airlines, will formally join the Star Alliance on Saturday, putting it in close cooperation with companies such as Lufthansa, United and Thai Airways, a Star Alliance spokesman said on Friday.
Contracts sealing the airline's membership will be signed at a meeting in Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines operates a fleet of 91 planes and transported 14 million passengers in 2005.
It will become the 19th member of Star Alliance, which is already the world's biggest grouping of airlines and controls 25 percent of the world's airline traffic.
Its membership is due to grow to 21 airlines next year when Air China and Shanghai Airlines join.
Star Alliance's vice-president Philip Saunders has said an Indian airline could also join next year.
New members generally see a 10-percent rise in passenger numbers after becoming a Star Alliance member.
12/08/2006 11:43 GMT