In the presence of key representatives from all the brands, Türkiye’s flag carrier Turkish Airlines, Airbus and Rolls-Royce came together at Turkish Airlines’ headquarters in Istanbul.

Türkiye’s flag carrier Turkish Airlines celebrated its order of 150 A321neo and 80 A350 family aircraft placed in December 2023 with aircraft manufacturer Airbus and engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce at the headquarters of Turkish Airlines in Istanbul.

In a press statement, the airline says that the event brought together Turkish Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and Deputy Minister of National Defence Bilal Durdalı, representatives of top Turkish aerospace companies as well as the British Consul General and undersecretaries of France and Spain.

The airline says that the celebration also marked the unveiling of the Strategic Türkiye Enhanced Programme (STEP), created by Airbus, Turkish Airlines and aerospace companies in Türkiye to further develop the Turkish aerospace industry in line with Turkish Airlines’ long-term strategic growth plan.

The recent aircraft order positions Turkish Airlines as the world’s largest operator of Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB engine. In line with the partnership with Rolls-Royce, the manufacturer is exploring the implementation of a number of industrial initiatives in Türkiye, including the potential establishment of a competitive Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capability and further supply chain sourcing, says the statement.

“We are glad about the launch of the Strategic Türkiye Enhanced Programme with Airbus, which is a testament to our deepening collaboration with the aircraft manufacturer. Given the rapid advancements in technology, today marks the commencement of our efforts to help cultivate Turkish aviation companies into prospective suppliers, aligning closely with Airbus’ strategic objectives and their newly identified business domains. We are also delighted to further strengthen our relationship with Rolls-Royce,” says Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines.

“By joining forces with the manufacturing giants, we underscore our commitment to both excellence and the further development of Türkiye’s aerospace capabilities. With the significant cooperation between three valuable companies, Turkish Airlines will continue to leverage advanced technologies and collaborative strategies to enhance our operational efficiencies and contribute to continuing our sustainable growth while reinforcing our leading role on the global aviation stage,” Bolat adds.

“We thank Turkish Airlines for their trust and we are honoured to both support their growth as one of the world‘s elite airlines and develop our partnership with Türkiye through the new STEP programme we are unveiling today. The programme will provide the framework for Airbus to further broaden its collaboration with Türkiye and support Turkish Airlines’ growth ambitions, with a particular focus on supply chain development, skills and sustainability,” says Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO.

“Türkiye is a strategically important market for Rolls-Royce across our business. We are very pleased with the confidence that Turkish Airlines has placed in our Trent XWB engines. We now look forward to working with Turkish Airlines and our partners to use our extensive aerospace engineering experience to benefit the Turkish economy, grow the country’s skills base and expand its role in the energy transition. I am personally very energised by the strengthening relationship between our great company, Turkish Airlines and the Republic of Türkiye,” says Tufan Erginbilgiç, CEO, Rolls-Royce.

The statement adds that Türkiye has been an integral part of Airbus’ supply chain for over 20 years and today every Airbus commercial aircraft from the A220 to the A350 includes Turkish-supplied parts. At the end of 2023, the accumulated total amount invested by Airbus in Türkiye has exceeded USD 4 billion.

Supported by the acquisition of A321neo and A350 aircraft which aligns with Turkish Airlines’ ongoing commitment to expand its reach and enhance service capabilities across its extensive flight network, the partnership also underscores all three partners’ focus on sustainability and technological advancement, adds the statement.