Turkish Airlines’ Aircraft 600 Aircraft Order Decision Delayed By 2 Months

Last month, we reported Turkish Airlines is eyeing a 600 aircraft order to bring its fleet number to 813 by 2033. The flag carrier of Turkey’s chairman of the board and the manager committee, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat, today added some color to the main points of the deal.

Strong ambitions

The flag carrier of Turkey already holds a comparatively young fleet of 10.3 years. Taking out the 30-year-old A310-300 and Boeing 747 freighters for the cargo operation, the fleet is even younger. Notably, the firm’s 50 Airbus A321neo aircraft hold a mean age of just two years. Nonetheless, there are massive plans to bolster the holdings with recent blood.

On the IATA AGM in Istanbul, which Easy Flying is currently reporting from, the airline’s boss gave an update about what to anticipate with the order. Chairman Bolat broke down the necessities with the next:

No rush

There have been initial hopes that Turkish Airlines could be making an aircraft announcement through the IATA AGM and even the Paris Air Show later this month. Nonetheless, Bolat has now stated that his airline will wait one other two months before concluding. Overall, his company doesn’t wish to rush such a giant decision.

Photo: Carlos Cid/Shutterstock

Still, the order is ready to supply a various yet balanced fleet mix. Considered one of the standout names within the roster is the highly-anticipated 777X. The twinjet’s service entry has been delayed a number of times, however it’s expected to develop into a staple in several long-haul fleets in the approaching years.

The 777X is a contender to assist Turkish Airlines reach recent destinations and add much more cities to their route map. There have been plans to fly down under, and Bolat has reaffirmed that the brand new fleet will help make the dream come true.

Australia sure

The airline is keen to develop into self-sufficient moderately than solely counting on partners on routes to Australia. As Bolat puts it:

The 777-8 has a spread of 8,745 NM (16,190 km) in comparison with the 777-9’s 7,285 NM (13,500 km). So, the -8 will probably be the optimal alternative for Australian routes out of the 2. With Melbourne being 7,902 NM (14,634 km) from Istanbul, the -9 pushes it tight without even taking other aspects under consideration, comparable to payload.

Still, despite what Bolat said last month about not wanting to be the launch customer of the -8, he continues to be touting the 777X as an option. Yet, the A350-1000 appears to be probably the most viable alternative. It won’t be too long until we’ll have a definite answer – unless there’s one other postponement!

What are your thoughts about Turkish Airlines’ aircraft order? What do you make of the general goals of the airline? Tell us what you’re thinking that within the comment section.

Source: ch-aviation.com