National flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) will make a final decision on its plans for a record-breaking order for as many as 600 aircraft in two months, its chairperson said Monday.
The airline is in talks with U.S. aircraft maker Boeing and its European rival Airbus to purchase 400 single-aisle planes along with 200 jumbo jets, Ahmet Bolat said on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual summit in Istanbul.
Part of the new aircraft will be optional, and the final order will depend on a government decision, which Bolat said is expected in two months.
He also said the flag carrier would complete all the technical details of the orders, including the Max and Neo models, and await a government decision to execute the order.
Türkiye’s recent presidential election delayed the decision, Bolat said. "We were very close to making a deal with one of the manufacturers ... but we’re going to wait for two months to announce our final decision," he noted.
The airline will consider regional jets after the order for the 600 new aircraft is completed, Bolat said.
He declined to give details about the number of planes that might be ordered from each manufacturer. However, Bolat was previously quoted as saying that a decision could be made at the IATA conference.
Record order
The mega-order would increase the airline’s fleet to 810 planes within 10 years. It aims to upgrade its fleet to 435 aircraft by the end of 2023.
Turkish Airlines has ambitious growth plans, notably in Africa and Asia, with Istanbul’s new airport serving as its central hub.
Istanbul Airport opened in 2018, is seen by many as a geographically efficient location to challenge major hubs in Dubai and Doha.
The mega order, if confirmed, would be the largest in the industry’s history by a single airline, eclipsing a record order by Air India for 470 Airbus and Boeing planes in December.
It would spell what marks the fourth mega-deal in a few months. From Air India to Ireland’s Ryanair and a new national airline in Saudi Arabia, a handful of carriers have placed firm or provisional orders for 700 jets.
THY aims to carry 170 million passengers in 2033, more than double compared to 82 million it served in 2022.
Codeshare agreement
Separately, Turkish Airlines on Tuesday announced it signed a codeshare agreement with Italy’s ITA Airways to expand destinations in their networks.
Set to be put into effect next month, the deal will enable both carriers to provide more alternatives for passengers taking direct flights between Istanbul and Rome and connecting domestic flights via Rome, namely Brindisi, Bari, Catania, Florence, Genoa, Palermo, Lamezia Terme, Turin and Trieste.
"I firmly believe this codeshare agreement between Turkish Airlines and ITA Airways will be developing the existing network with even more destinations and foster cooperation and traffic between two countries with high potential," Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Ekşi.
Fabio Lazzerini, the CEO and the general manager of ITA Airways, stressed the importance of the deal for the carrier’s commercial strategy of growth.
"This partnership opens up a privileged access route to Istanbul, one of the most fascinating and historically rich cities in the world for all ITA Airways passengers," Lazzerini noted.