Turkish Airlines expands fleet with massive additional order of 220 Airbus planes
Toulouse, France–Türkiye’s national carrier, Turkish Airlines, is expanding its fleet with an additional order of 220 Airbus’ best-selling A321 and the widebody aircraft A350, bringing to 504 its total order for Airbus planes.
The airline ordered 150 A321 and 70 A350 aircraft — (50 A350-900s, 15 A350-1000s and 5 A350F freighters). This follows two orders from the airline for 10 A350-900s in September and four A350-900s in July 2023. Of Turkish Airlines’ total orderbook for Airbus aircraft, 212 have already been delivered.
Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat, commented: “This landmark order is more than an expansion; it’s a testament to our dedication to innovation, operational excellence, and a sustainable future. The addition of these advanced Airbus aircraft to our fleet will not only enhance our operational capabilities but also significantly contribute to our environmental goals. This investment is a crucial milestone in the further evolution of Türkiye’s aviation industry. By modernizing our fleet with more efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft, we are reinforcing our leading position in global aviation and contributing to the nation’s prominence as an aviation hub.”
Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, Turkish Airlines aims to use its new fleet to shape its future and sustainable expansion as the plane models are known for their efficiency, with more range, less fuel, nose and emissions and best cabin in class.
“The opening into the A350-1000 and the A350F highlights the cross-model value of the A350 family and reinforces our long-lasting partnership with Turkish Airlines and Türkiye’s aviation sector. We are proud to accompany Türkiye’s connection to the world with our state-of-the-art aircraft,” said Scherer.
The A321neo is the largest aircraft in Airbus’ A320neo Family, offering unparalleled range and performance. By incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo brings a 50% noise reduction and more than 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft. Having the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky, the aircraft is the perfect contender for maximizing comfort.
Turkish Airlines welcomes over 77 mn passengers from January to November 2023
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, Turkish Airlines announced it handled over 6 million passengers in November bringing to 77.3 million its passenger traffic from January to November 2023. The figure represents an increase of 16.6 percent compared to the same period in 2022.
Its load factor has increased to 80.4 percent for the period locally and 79.9 percent internationally. In November, the airline’s cargo and mail went from 138.3 thousand tons to 153.5 thousand tons, equating to an increase of 11 percent.
“We’re delighted to see a steady increase in our traffic figures year on year. These numbers are a testament to the hard work our team at Turkish Airlines has been putting in behind the scenes to
ensure all operations run smoothly and keep improving. We look forward to continuously enhancing customers’ experiences with Turkish Airlines, being a leading airline of choice for millions of passengers around the world,” said Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat.
By the end of November 2023, Turkish Airlines’ fleet totaled 437. The airline flies to 345 destinations in 192 countries apart from serving 53 destinations across Türkiye.
