Turkish Airlines, Airbus, and Rolls-Royce came together at Turkish Airlines’ headquarters in Istanbul to commemorate the momentous order for 150 A321neo and 80 A350-family aircraft placed in December 2023.
The gathering was attended by distinguished figures including the Turkish Minister of Trade, Prof. 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. Also present were representatives from top Turkish aerospace companies, the British Consul General, Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO and Tufan Erginbilgiç CEO of Rolls-Royce.
The event not only celebrated the substantial aircraft order but also marked the introduction of the strategic Türkiye enhanced programme (STEP), a collaborative venture initiated by Airbus, Turkish Airlines and Turkish aerospace companies. This programme aims to propel the Turkish aerospace industry forward in alignment with Turkish Airlines’ long-term strategic growth plan, generating substantial economic value over the next 15 years.
Turkish Airlines’ recent aircraft order establishes it as the world’s largest operator of Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB engine. In conjunction with the partnership with Rolls-Royce, the manufacturer is exploring several industrial initiatives in Turkey, including the potential establishment of a competitive maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capability and the expansion of supply chain sourcing.
