Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any airline in the world. The flag carrier of Turkey serves all six inhabited continents and operates a large fleet of aircraft. Now the airline is making plans to expand further, announcing a massive aircraft order.
Turkish Airlines Orders up to 225 Boeing Aircraft
Yesterday, members of the Turkish and United States governments met at The White House and signed an agreement stating that Turkish Airlines would purchase more than 200 Boeing aircraft which would be split between the Boeing 737 and Boeing 787.
Today, the airline officially announced that it had reached an agreement with Boeing, and will add a total of 75 wide-body Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft to its fleet between 2029 and 2034. The order consists of 50 firm orders along with 25 options.
In addition to the 787 order, Turkish Airlines is also reportedly planning to order 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. While this order has not yet been finalized, it is expected that the airline will split the order between the 737-8 and 737-10. If this order comes to fruition, it would be the largest narrowbody Boeing order for Turkish Airlines ever.
The order comes as part of the airline’s “Vision 2033” plan, which is timed to coincide with its 100th anniversary. As part of this plan, Turkish Airlines aims to expand its fleet beyond 800 aircraft, while increasing the proportion of next-generation aircraft to 90% by 2033 and to 100% by 2035.
Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Ahmet Bolat, said this about the order:
“This landmark agreement represents much more than a fleet growth. It is a reflection of our leadership in the industry as well as our dedication to innovation and operational excellence. The addition of these advanced Boeing aircraft to our fleet will not only enhance our operational capabilities but also become a significant element supporting Turkish Airlines’ 2033 Vision of expanding our fleet to 800 aircraft.”
Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, Stephanie Pope, added:
“We are honored that Turkish Airlines has once again chosen the 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX to power its future growth. As a proud partner to Türkiye and the Turkish aviation industry for 80 years, we look forward to continuing our support of Turkish Airlines as they expand operations and deliver exceptional experiences to their passengers.”
My Thoughts
If the full order comes to fruition, this will be a massive increase in capacity for Turkish Airlines. The airline currently operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft and this could end up being its largest Boeing order ever.
While I’ve only flown them once, I have a soft spot for the carrier after receiving fantastic service earlier this year when flying with ATX Jr. They don’t have the most modern hard product but, that will change as new planes enter service.
One has to also believe that there is a political play here, especially given how soft the 737 MAX orders appear. Most aircraft purchase deals aren’t announced at The White House so we’ll have to keep an eye on how many of these aircraft the carrier actually takes delivery of.
Summary
Turkish Airlines announced an order for up to 225 Boeing aircraft during a meeting at The White House this week. The flag carrier of Turkey has placed 50 firm orders for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with options for up to 25 more. It is also discussing ordering up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.