Aircraft leasing company CDB Aviation has handed over a new Airbus A330-343 aircraft to Turkish low-cost carrier Onur Air.

The wide-body aircraft will complement the carrier’s existing all-Airbus fleet. It is the first of three aircraft under order.

The airline will operate the aircraft under scheduled and charter to both domestic and international destination across Europe, Russia, and the Middle East.

CBD is expected to deliver the remaining two aircraft in the second quarter of next year.

Onur Air Asset Management vice-president Tufan Ozcan said: “We are pleased to receive the first of three A330-300s from CDB Aviation, which will be used to supplement our wet-lease operations in Saudi Arabia.

“We are also glad to work with CDB Aviation, a pioneer in the Chinese leasing industry, which will be the first Chinese lessor Onur Air will work with, and we hope that this will be the beginning of a long relationship.”

Founded in 1992, the Istanbul Atatürk Airport-based carrier is the first private airline to operate domestic flights after domestic air transport opened to the private sector in 2003.

The carrier’s operates a fleet of 28 Airbus family aircraft to scheduled and non-scheduled destinations in 25 countries.

With over 1,668 employees, Onur Air has served more than 100 million passengers since its foundation.

The leasing company is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of the China Development Bank Financial Leasing.

CDB Aviation Head of Commercial Europe, Middle East, and Africa Peter Goodman said: “These A330s will well-complement the growth objectives of this pioneer in Turkey’s aviation sector, enabling them to further execute its mission to continuously break new grounds.”