Güntay Şimşek (born 1968) is a Turkish journalist, newspaper columnist and television producer whose work has focused on industry, aviation, transportation, energy, defense and telecommunications. He has written newspaper columns since 1995 and has produced the aviation and travel program Airport since 1998."Güntay Şimşek Kimdir? Güntay Şimşek Hayatı ve Biyografisi" [Who is Güntay Şimşek? Life and biography of Güntay Şimşek]. Haberler.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 16 August 2026. https://www.haberler.com/guntay-simsek/biyografisi/"Gökyüzü rehberiniz Airport" [Your sky guide, Airport]. Habertürk (in Turkish). Retrieved 16 August 2026. https://tv.haberturk.com/program/airport/147/887958"Airport - Gelecek Bölümler" [Airport - Upcoming episodes]. Habertürk TV Guide (in Turkish). Retrieved 16 August 2026. https://m.haberturk.com/tv-rehberi/program/958576-airport
Early life and education Şimşek was born in 1968 in the Olur district of Erzurum. He completed his primary and secondary education there before attending Bursa School of Hotel Management and Tourism. He studied at the Faculty of Letters of Atatürk University from 1984 to 1988."Güntay Şimşek." Biyografya.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 16 August 2026. https://www.biyografya.com/tr/biographies/guntay-simsek-57aba6a5
Career Şimşek began his journalism career in 1990 as a reporter for the newspaper Zaman. In 1994, he began preparing a weekly transportation page for the paper. In 1995, he became news editor and began writing a column around the same time.
Alongside his position at Zaman, he began publishing the monthly magazines Transport and Global Enerji under Kaan Film Prodüksiyon, serving as editor-in-chief of both.
In 2003, he moved to the Sabah Group, where he continued as a columnist and also headed the group's Economy Magazine Division."Havada petrol dalgası olabilir" [There could be an oil wave in the air]. Sabah (in Turkish), 7 January 2006. https://arsiv.sabah.com.tr/2006/01/07/cpsabah/yaz1028-60-103-20060101-102.html
After he moved to the Sabah Group, both magazines continued to be published under the group, and Şimşek remained editor-in-chief. He also served as publishing director of the weekly economy magazine Para.Global Enerji, December 2007, p. 4. Print magazine.Transport, issue 46, February 2008, p. 4. Print magazine.Para, Merkez Dergi, issue 2006/15, 13 August 2006, p. 3. Print magazine.
In 2008, he began working for the Habertürk group. Within the group, he served as economy coordinator. He began writing a column for the newspaper Habertürk, and his columns continue to be published on Habertürk's website."Güntay Şimşek Tüm Yazıları" [All articles by Güntay Şimşek]. Habertürk (in Turkish). Retrieved 16 August 2026. https://www.haberturk.com/htyazar/guntay-simsek-1019
Airport Şimşek launched Airport on TGRT in 1998. Focused on aviation and travel, the program was later broadcast on NTV and ATV, and subsequently on Habertürk. Airport covers airlines, aircraft manufacturers, airports, developments in aviation, and travel destinations.
In 2022, Airport received the "Current Affairs Program of the Year" award at the 26th Altın Objektif Awards, organized by the Magazine Journalists Association."Altın Objektif Ödülleri sahiplerine takdim edildi" [Altın Objektif Awards presented to their recipients]. Habertürk (in Turkish), 4 October 2022. https://www.haberturk.com/altin-objektif-odulleri-sahiplerine-takdim-edildi-3526199-magazin"Airport'a yılın aktüel programı ödülü" [Airport wins current affairs program of the year award]. haber.aero (in Turkish), 4 October 2022. https://haber.aero/sivil-havacilik/airporta-yilin-aktuel-programi-odulu/
Şimşek appears as a commentator on Bloomberg HT on topics related to his professional fields."Embraer ve TUSAŞ Arasında Önemli Bir İşbirliği Gündeme Gelecek Gibi Görünüyor - Güntay Şimşek." Bloomberg HT (YouTube) (in Turkish), 12 June 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgntedYFu0"Doğu Akdeniz'de gaz arama çalışmaları" [Gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean]. Bloomberg HT (in Turkish), 20 August 2020. https://www.bloomberght.com/turkiye-nin-enejisi/video/dakdenizde-gaz-arama-calismalari/64130
In 2018, in an interview with Gerçek Hayat magazine, he discussed Istanbul Airport and the development of Turkish aviation.Saruhan, Emeti. "Coğrafyamızın avantajını kullandıkça büyüyeceğiz" [We will grow as we make use of our geography's advantage]. Gerçek Hayat (in Turkish), 5 November 2018. https://gercekhayat.com.tr/roportaj/cografyamizin-avantajini-kullandikca-buyuyecegiz/
Photography In February 2026, Şimşek opened a solo photography exhibition titled "Eşik; İki Dünya Arası – Ara Hâl / Ara Zaman" ("Threshold; Between Two Worlds – Liminal State / Liminal Time") at the Music Platform Hall of the Istanbul Atatürk Cultural Centre. Featuring more than 60 photographs, the exhibition focused on the relationship between nature, technology and civilization."Gazeteci ve fotoğraf sanatçısı Güntay Şimşek'in 'Ara Hal / Ara Zaman' sergisi AKM'de açıldı" [Journalist and photographer Güntay Şimşek's 'Ara Hal / Ara Zaman' exhibition opens at AKM]. T24 / Anadolu Ajansı (in Turkish), 12 February 2026. https://t24.com.tr/yasam/gazeteci-ve-fotograf-sanatcisi-guntay-simsek-in-ara-hal-ara-zaman-sergisi-akm-de-acildi,1298891"Ara hâl ve zamanda düşünmeye davet" [An invitation to think in a liminal state and time]. Milliyet (in Turkish), 10 February 2026. https://www.milliyet.com.tr/kultur-sanat/ara-hal-ve-zamanda-dusunmeye-davet-7535557"Güntay Şimşek'ten Özel Seçki Sergisi" [A special selection exhibition from Güntay Şimşek]. Sanat Okur (in Turkish), 16 February 2026. https://sanatokur.com/guntay-simsekten-ozel-secki-sergisi/
Awards 2001 – Anatolian Journalists Association, "Columnist of the Year" 2022 – Airport, Magazine Journalists Association, 26th Altın Objektif Awards, "Current Affairs Program of the Year"
References