Airbus A350 and A321 Neo: Turkish Airlines delights Airbus with a huge order

It was clear that something big was coming soon. Because Turkish Airlines has ambitious growth goals. The fleet is expected to include more than 800 aircraft in 2033. Now the airline is taking a big step in exactly that direction with a huge order from European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.

Turkish Airlines announced that it has placed a firm order for 220 aircraft from Airbus. The order consists of 150 Airbus A321neo aircraft and 70 Airbus A350 aircraft. The A350 order consists of 50 A350-900 aircraft, 15 A350-1000 aircraft and 5 Airbus A350 F aircraft. The airline previously ordered ten A350-900 aircraft in September and four A350-900 aircraft in July 2023.

Purchase rights are also guaranteed

In addition, Turkish Airlines has acquired the rights to purchase 15 additional Airbus A350-900 aircraft and five Airbus A350 F aircraft, Turkish Airlines explained in a separate statement. It also secures the rights to purchase another 100 Airbus A321 Neo aircraft.

This order increases Turkish Airlines’ backlog of Airbus aircraft orders to a total of 504 aircraft, of which 212 have already been delivered. Boeing can also still hope to get a large order because the 800 planes are not full yet. Embraer could also play a role, as the order from the European manufacturer does not include A220s and regional jets are also likely to be part of the fleet strategy.

Double capacity

As the fleet grows, passenger capacity is also expected to double, with an annual growth rate of 7 percent. The airline wants to carry 170 million passengers by 2033. The number of destinations on offer is expected to rise to 400.

Turkish Airlines is also ambitious in the cargo sector. The airline said the goal is to double the transport volume of its cargo business by 2033 “and place Turkish Cargo among the top three shipping companies in the world.” The capabilities of Istanbul’s new airport should help with this.