Boeing’s Record Order from Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines has reached an agreement with Boeing to purchase up to 75 twin-aisle aircraft from the 787 Dreamliner family. This deal, comprising 50 firm orders and options for an additional 25, marks the largest Boeing widebody purchase in the airline’s history. The acquisition supports Turkish Airlines’ ambitious plan for fleet and network expansion.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner Overview
- Launch Customer: All Nippon Airways
- First Delivery: September 25, 2011
- Number Delivered: 1,138
- Production Sites: Everett, Washington, and North Charleston, South Carolina, United States
- Manufacturer: Boeing
Variety and Expansion
This order includes both the mid-sized Boeing 787-9 and the larger 787-10 models. Such diversity will boost Turkish Airlines’ capacity and enhance passenger experience on long-haul routes. The airline also expressed its intention to purchase up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody jets.
Details of the Order
Boeing confirmed the details earlier today, highlighting that the order encompasses 35 787-9s and 15 787-10s. This strategic purchase is crucial for the airline’s modernization efforts and represents their largest widebody acquisition to date. According to Boeing, this order will “support more than 123,000 jobs across the US.”
Reaching Turkish Airlines’ 2033 Vision
Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat stated that the addition of these advanced aircraft will support the airline’s goal of expanding its fleet to 800 aircraft by 2033. To achieve this, the carrier needs to acquire 300 aircraft over the next eight years, with the Dreamliner order alone accounting for one-sixth of this growth. If all options are exercised, the 75 Dreamliners will constitute a quarter of the projected expansion.
Current Fleet and Future Plans
Presently, Turkish Airlines operates 24 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with an average age of 4.4 years, in contrast to the overall fleet average of 13 years. These widebodies have a seating configuration of 30 business class seats and 270 economy seats, providing a total of 300 seats per aircraft.
Plans for Narrowbody Fleet Expansion
The airline’s desire for further expansion includes acquiring up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which will become its largest single-aisle order from Boeing upon finalization. Turkish Airlines currently operates various Boeing models, including the 737-800, 737-900ER, 737 MAX 8, and 737 MAX 9, as well as 36 777-300ER widebodies.
