Turkish Airlines plans large aircraft orders

On 11 May 2023, Reuters reported that Turkish Airlines is set to order hundreds of new aircraft in June. According to the news outlet, the airline is in discussion with Airbus and Boeing for orders of 400 narrow body- and 200 wide body aircraft. A first announcement for an order with, most likely, Boeing, is set to be taking place during the IATA Annual General Meeting in Istanbul, which is held between 4 and 6 June 2023. A second order with Airbus will then be announced during this year's Paris Air Show, which starts on 19 June 2023.

If placed, ordering 600 new aircraft will be the world's largest order ever placed by an airline. The last record stands at 470 aircraft, recently placed by Air India with both Airbus and Boeing.

Turkish Airlines has big ambitions, as part of its ten year growth plan, by utilising its hub at Istanbul in a similar way as the ME3-carriers (Middle East 3: Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways) are doing, using the airport as a natural stop in connecting continents. It hopes to have a fleet of 810 aircraft (including its subsidiary AnadoluJet) by 2033.

Today, the airline's fleet consists of 332 aircraft, made up by six A319s, eleven A320s, 66 A321s, 39 A321neos, ten A330-200Fs, thirteen A330-200s, 37 A330-300s, twelve A350-900s, 40 B737-800s, fifteen B737-900ERs, twenty B737-8s, five B737-9s, eight B777Fs, 34 B777-300ERs, and sixteen B787-9s. Subsidiary AnadoluJet is operating 71 aircraft: six A320s, four A320neos, six A321s, eleven A321neos, 45 B737-800s, and seven B737-8s.

Photo by Turkish Airlines.