Turkish Airlines makes huge Airbus order in bid for air supremacy

ISTANBUL — Turkish Airlines said last week it has decided to purchase more than 200 Airbus aircraft — with the option for over 100 more — in the coming decade as it seeks to become the world's largest carrier.

Turkish Airlines Chief Executive Bilal Eksi said in a social media statement that the entire order could potentially add up to 355 aircraft.

The deal would be one of the industry's largest and substantially expand the Turkish flag carrier's existing fleet of 439 jets.

"I wish good luck to our country and our company," Eksi said in a social media statement.

Turkish Airline said in a separate corporate filing that the purchases would made as part of its "strategic plan" for 2023-2033.

But the airline and Airbus differed slightly about the details of the deal.

The Turkish Airlines statement said it had made firm orders for 230 jets and placed purchasing rights for an additional 125 aircraft.

Airbus said in its own statement that Turkish Airlines had agreed to order 220 jets.

There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy in numbers.

The airline's confirmed order purchase — which includes 150 A321 NEO and 60 widebody A350-900 jets — has a catalogue price of more that $40 billion.

Few deals cost their actual sticker price because plane makers make discounts for bulk orders.

The Turkish carrier's existing fleet is split evenly between Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

The new order delivers a massive boost to the European aerospace giant in its race for global supremacy with its US rival.

"This order for the latest generation aircraft is a demonstration of the bold vision by Turkish Airlines," Airbus executive Christian Scherer said in a statement.

"We are proud to accompany Turkey's connection to the world with our state-of-the-art aircraft."

Turkish Airlines is based in Istanbul's newly-built international airport and flies to 120 countries.

The company claims to own "the title of the airline that flies to most countries in the world".