Turkish Airlines Mega Plane Order Taking More Time to Wrap Up
- Flag carrier still deciding on mix of aircraft and engines
- Talks unlikely to conclude before Paris Air Show this month
A Turkish Airlines plane lands at London Heathrow Airport.
Photographer: Chris J. Ratcliffe/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Turkish Airlines is still working out the contours of its planned 600-aircraft order, with an announcement of the massive deal unlikely before the Paris Air Show in mid-June or even later, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Turkey’s national flag carrier is hammering out the mix of aircraft it needs and the engines that will power the planes it expects to use over the next decade as it targets a doubling of its passenger count, said the person, asking not to be identified as the discussions are confidential. Turkish may not split the order equally between Boeing Co. and Airbus SE, as it targets 400 narrowbody jets and 200 long-haul aircraft, the person said.