A320

Turkey’s flag-carrier Turkish Airlines has signed a deal for 117 planes with Airbus, making it the largest order in the country’s civil aviation industry.

The carrier ordered A320 medium-haul aircraft, which comprises firm orders for 82 planes, with an option to add another 35.

The aeroplanes will be delivered by 2020, with the initial delivery expected to begin this year.

Speaking at a joint press conference to mark the signing of the order, Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier said that Airbus expects the flag carrier to order A380s in order to meet growing demand for flights to long-haul international destinations.

The airline ordered A320s as it presently intends to increase frequency in operating routes with smaller planes.

Featuring an optimised wing that is 20% more efficient compared with previous designs, the A320 can accommodate 150 passengers in a two-class cabin or up to 180 in a high-density layout for low-cost and charter flights, according to Airbus.

"It expects to operate a fleet of 375 planes, becoming one of the ten largest airlines in the world and carrying nearly 100 million passengers a year.”

The carrier presently has a fleet of 215 aeroplanes, with 107 having been bought from Airbus and the remainder from Boeing.

It expects to operate a fleet of 375 planes, becoming one of the ten largest airlines in the world and carrying nearly 100 million passengers a year.

In the last few months, Turkish Airlines ordered 20 A330-300s and recently it placed an order for 95 planes from Boeing, with 70 firm orders, which will be delivered by 2021.

Bregier also told reporters that the company is soon planning to double its investment in Turkey from last year’s $74m and by 2025, it expects to invest $2.4bn.


Image: Turkish Airlines ordered A320s as it presently intends to increase frequency in operating routes with smaller planes. Photo: courtesy of Airbus SAS.

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