Turkish Airlines inks deal for new A350 aircraft

PARIS: Turkish Airlines and Airbus have signed an MoU to acquire 20 A350-900 aircraft, with the option of purchasing an additional five. The agreement was signed at the Élysée Palace, Paris, during Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official visit to France with French president Emmanuel Macron.

French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) applaud as European aircraft manufacturer Airbus CEO Tom enders (2ndL) and Turkish aircraft maintenance 

centre Turkish Technic Chairman of the Board Mehmet Ilker Ayci (2ndL) shake hands during an 

agreement signing ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France-  REUTERS

“With Turkish Airlines serving more destinations than any other airline around the world, we will be delighted to rely on our new A350 XWB to further develop our major international routes from Turkey,” said M. Ilker Ayci, chairman of the board and the executive committee, Turkish Airlines.

Ayci added: “With this agreement today, we have signed our good will to carry on and finalise the acquisition with Airbus. Our agreement is a significant step forward in enhancing our passengers’ flight experience. This order is set to play a key role in our growing business in the years to come. As we will be strictly evaluating during the talks to finalise the order, furthermore the increased business volume for the local Turkish supplier industry by Airbus will be a great gain for the sector.”

Turkey is an integral part of the Airbus supply chain for almost 20 years, being a partner in all Airbus aircraft programmes, including the prestigious A350 XWB. While Airbus focuses on the continued development of long-term cooperation projects with Turkey, the Turkish aeronautical industries progressively have embarked and built-up a remarkable portfolio of high capabilities and skills over the last 10 years. The A350 XWB is an all new family of mid-size wide-body long-haul airliners shaping the future of air travel. The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25% reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. The A350 XWB features an Airspace cabin which, on top of the aircraft spaciousness and quietness, provides better ambience, design and services, contributing to superior levels of comfort and well-being, and setting new standards in terms of flight experience for all passengers.