Turkish Airlines chairman Ahmet Bolat.
Turkish Airlines will not place order at the Farnborough Airshow this week because a deal for 225 aircraft from Boeing still depends on engine price negotiations, according to Turkish chairman Ahmet Bolat.
Aviation Week reported in June that the airline was working on an order for 150 Boeing 737 MAXs and 75 Boeing 787s. The breakdown is similar to Turkish Airlines’ December 2023 order for 220 Airbus aircraft, which comprised 150 Airbus A321neos and 70 Airbus A350s.
“Engines are the issue,” Bolat told a media roundtable on July 22, adding that the carrier had held discussions earlier in the day with engine supplier GE. “I think we’re close—but the important thing is to fly the aircraft effectively and efficiently.”
As of March 31, Turkish was operating a fleet of 453 aircraft. The airline aims to expand its fleet to 813 by 2033, which would position the Star Alliance member as the third-largest operator worldwide.
Additionally, on July 9 the carrier agreed to a lease with AerCap for new A321neos to mitigate the impact of aircraft delivery delays and groundings related to Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine issues. Turkish Airlines anticipates that approximately 40 to 45 A320neo-family aircraft will be grounded by the end of 2024.
Despite the capacity challenges, Bolat said that Turkish expects to grow by 10% year-on-year. “I wish I could solve all the problems, but that’s the reality and you have to find solutions to live under the reality. That’s what we are doing,” he said.
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