Turkish National Carrier Signs Contract with Airbus for Fleet Increase
Toulouse, 26 October 2004
The Turkish national carrier Turkish Airlines has signed a firm contract for the purchase of 36 Airbus single aisle and wide body aircraft, further strengthening Airbus’ presence in this part of the world. This agreement renews the partnership between Turkish Airlines and Airbus that began in 1984, when the A310 became the first Airbus aircraft to be operated by the Istanbul-based airline. Now, 20 years on, following the introduction of the A340-300 in its fleet in 1993, Turkish Airlines opted to use the modern and efficient Airbus family products, by acquiring 19 A320’s, 12 A321’s and five A330-200’s.
With deliveries scheduled as from October 2005 up till 2008, the airline, which operates domestic and international flights via Istanbul, plans to use the aircraft on both domestic, medium and long haul routes internationally. Turkish Airlines has selected the IAE V2527-A5 engines for the A320s and A321s and the CF6-80E1 A3 from General Electric for the A330s. In terms of cabin configuration, the airline has chosen a 2-class configuration for all aircraft, offering not only a comfortable business class but also the advantages of a wider cabin and therefore more personal space in economy class.
On the occasion of this signing, which took place in Berlin in the presence of German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, French President Jacques Chirac, Turkish Prime Minister Tayp Erdogan and the Chairman of Turkish Airlines, Dr. Candan Karlitekin said: “our choice for Airbus aircraft was clear, having reached the conclusion that by acquiring these, Turkish Airlines will position itself optimally, both in terms of passenger appeal and cargo potential, but also cost-wise. The economic benefits brought about by the technological level and design features of these aircraft are unique and very compelling indeed.” Abdurrahman Gundogdu, President and CEO of Turkish Airlines added: “We look forward to October 2005 when we receive our first new aircraft, as are our pilots, who are very excited to be able to benefit from all the advantages of the Airbus commonality and new generation aircraft, as well as the installation of an A320 simulator by Airbus”.
“We are delighted to be able to further strengthen our relationship with Turkish Airlines, and support it in its growth strategy” said Noël Forgeard, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer. “The advantages of using a mixed Airbus fleet are enormous and we are sure that Turkish Airlines’ operations, its crew and the passengers will benefit from these”.
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 550 seats. Airbus has delivered over 3,600 aircraft to more than190 customers world-wide, and boasts a healthy order book of some 1,500 aircraft for delivery over the coming years. With an annual turnover of 19.2 billion Euro in 2003, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.
Note to the editors:
The Airbus A320 family includes the 100 seat A318, the 124-seat A319, the 150-seat A320 and the 185-seat A321. Each of these two-engine aircraft features the widest fuselage of any single-aisle aircraft in the world. In addition the A320 family features the most economical and environmentally responsible aircraft in their class, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noice footprints in their size category. To date, Airbus has sold 3256 A320 Family aircraft to 127 customers world-wide.
Launched in 1995, the A330-200 is the unquestioned leader in its category, with a total of 265 orders and 13 new operators in the last 16 months. The Airbus A330-200 offers 253 seats in a standard 3-class configuration and a range of 6750 nm (12.500 km). It provides more comfort to passengers through its wider cabin and more flexibility in carriage of cargo pallets. The latest version of the A330-200 continues to offer the highest levels of technology in terms of structure, aerodynamics and systems, benefiting from the incorporation of many of the features developed for the A340-500 and –600. Lighter, stronger metal alloys and the expanded use of composites have reduced airframe weight, allowing for better economics and less fuel burn. New systems such as the electronic flight displays in the cockpit improve operability and reduce maintenance costs.
In addition to the specific product advantages of each family, the mix of A320 and A330 family aircraft allows Turkish Airlines to fully benefit from the commonality advantages Airbus offers on its all fly-by-wire product range, increasing efficiency with the possibility of cross crew qualification and mixed fleet flying and reducing important cost centres such as training and maintenance costs.
Contacts
| Airbus S.A.S. | http://www.airbus.com mailto: media@airbus.com |
