Turkish airlines announced on Friday that it would order 75 Boeing 787 aircraft and had completed negotiations to buy 150 737 MAX planes, subject to engine talks. This deal came shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump for the first time since 2019. The two-hour meeting raised Ankara’s hopes of seeing sanctions lifted so that it can buy American F-35 fighter jets.
“With these orders, our entire fleet aims to consist of new-generation aircraft by 2035, thereby strengthening operational efficiency and supporting an average annual growth rate of around 6%,” the company said in Friday’s statement. The deal has been in the making for a long time, with the company’s chairman having revealed details on the planned purchase in June 2024.
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Turkish Airlines also recently bought a minority stake in Spain’s Air Europa, in an attempt to boost its global reach. In doing so, it outlasted its European rivals Lufthansa and Air France-KLM. The carrier said in a statement to Istanbul Stock Exchange that it decided to purchase 75 wide-body B787-9 and B787-10 models from U.S.-based Boeing, consisting of 50 firm and 25 option orders. Deliveries are scheduled between 2029 and 2034. Negotiations are also ongoing with Rolls-Royce (RR.L and GE Aerospace (GE.N), for engines, spare engines and engine maintenance services for the planes, the company said.
According to its 2023-2033 strategic plan, Turkish airlines aims to expand its fleet to over 800 aircraft by 2033. It had 485 aircraft by the end of June, according to its latest presentation. In May 2023, the airlines said it had started talks with manufacturers to procure around 600 aircraft. It placed an order for 355 Airbus planes in December 2023.
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The Trump-Erdogan meeting was much anticipated, with Turkey hoping to have sanctions lifted so that it can trade military aircraft with the U.S. The country was removed from a program that saw Washington sell sophisticated F-35 fighter jets, during Trump’s first term as president. The U.S. expressed fear at the time that Turkey’s use of Russian technology can result in the collection of U.S. military data. Trump hinted on Thursday that he might lift the sanctions if his meeting with Erdogan went well.
The two leaders also touched on the war in Gaza and the possibility of a ceasefire during their meeting. They also touched on the Russia-Ukraine war, with Trump saying he “needed to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues this rampage against Ukraine,” He also credited Erdogan for paving the way for the sanctions’ relief in Syria, and praised him for his role in former Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad’s removal.