A new senior appointment has been made at SunExpress, the joint venture of Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa. Marcus Schnabel has been named CEO of SunExpress by the company’s Board of Directors, effective 1 February 2026. Schnabel will take over the role from Max Kownatzki, who has made significant contributions to the airline’s success since 2020 and will step down at the end of January. Kownatzki will continue his career as CEO of Eurowings.

Since 2024, Marcus Schnabel has served within the Lufthansa Group as Vice President of the Munich Hub and Head of Ground Operations for Lufthansa Airlines in Munich. Under his leadership, a comprehensive transformation program aimed at enhancing operational excellence and customer satisfaction at one of Lufthansa’s largest hubs was successfully completed.

Commenting on the appointment, SunExpress Chairman of the Board Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat said: “Max Kownatzki took over his role at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, one of the most challenging periods our industry has ever faced, and led SunExpress with great success. Under his leadership, SunExpress achieved sustainable growth despite intense competition and delivered a strong financial performance. On behalf of the Board, I extend my sincere gratitude to Max Kownatzki for his visionary leadership and valuable contributions that have brought SunExpress to its strong position today.

We are very pleased that Marcus Schnabel will assume the role of SunExpress CEO. With his solid leadership background and deep understanding of SunExpress’ goals, Schnabel has all the qualities needed to guide the airline into a new era of growth. I firmly believe that under his leadership, SunExpress will maintain its strong performance and further strengthen its position as a leading leisure airline.”

Jens Bischof, Vice Chairman of the SunExpress Board of Directors, added: “We extend our heartfelt thanks to Max Kownatzki for his strong, sincere and determined leadership. Over the past six years, he enabled SunExpress to successfully navigate numerous challenges and led the company through a journey of sustainable, profitable and record-breaking growth. Under his leadership, the SunExpress fleet doubled in size and the airline achieved record passenger numbers. With strong financial foundations and growing momentum, the company earned global recognition as the ‘World’s Best Leisure Airline.’

Looking ahead, we are delighted to welcome Marcus Schnabel to the SunExpress team. As the Board of Directors, we have full confidence that his industry experience and strategic vision will successfully steer SunExpress’ growth in the coming years. We wish him great success in his new role.”

Sharing his thoughts on the new appointment, Marcus Schnabel said: “SunExpress has clearly demonstrated its dynamic and strong position in the aviation industry with its sustainable growth performance in recent years. I am excited to join this exceptional team and help shape the next chapter of SunExpress’ success story. With a focus on operational excellence, we will continue creating value for our passengers and business partners while strengthening SunExpress’ position in this dynamic sector.”

Preparing to hand over his role, Max Kownatzki said: “I sincerely congratulate Marcus Schnabel, who will take over this important position. Leading this remarkable team has been a great honor for me. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together. As members of the SunExpress family, we overcame many challenges, achieved historic successes and laid the foundations for a bright future. I have full confidence that under Marcus Schnabel’s leadership, SunExpress will continue to advance. I wish the entire team a future filled with new opportunities and achievements that reflect SunExpress’ passion, dedication and family spirit.”