Turkish Airlines Adds Six Boeing 737-8 MAX Aircraft to Fleet

Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkey, has signed a lease agreement for six additional Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft. The new airplanes will be built with AnadoluJet configuration and operated by the Turkish Airlines subsidiary.

Turkish Airlines is Expanding the Fleet

The airline already operates 28 of the -8 variant and has signed the lease agreement with lessor CDB Aviation, which has nearly 400 aircraft leased to 67 customers across 39 countries. The six aircraft are already part of CDB’s order book with Boeing and will be delivered between 2024 and 2025. They will be configured with the CFM International Leap-1B engines and in the AnadoluJet configuration.

Sustainability-Focused Initiatives

Jie Chen, CEO of CDB Aviation, said, “Turkish has become a leader among airlines in undertaking sustainability-focused initiatives to modernize every stage of their flight and ground operations. These highly efficient aircraft will bring Turkish closer to achieving their ambitious sustainability goals by lessening the environmental footprint of their mainline and subsidiary carrier’s flight operations.”

Turkish Airlines already has three aircraft on lease from CDB Aviation, including its first Airbus A320neo. According to ch-aviation, the airline has added 51 A321neos since then and has another 47 on order.

Turkish Airlines’ Collaboration with Partners

Levent Konukcu, CITO of Turkish Airlines, said, “We are proud to collaborate with partners like CDB Aviation in our pursuit of excellence. Adding these aircraft to the AnadoluJet fleet will contribute significantly to our goals and allow us to present remarkable travel experiences to our passengers.”

MRO Facility in Serbia

Two weeks ago, Turkish Technic was reportedly ready to announce a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in Serbia. This move would strengthen Turkish Airlines’ relationship with Air Serbia. Turkish Technic already has certifications to produce parts and already does so, making it an easy decision for Air Serbia to do business with them.

Joint Venture with Air Serbia?

Air Serbia contracts JAT Technika for its MRO services, but tensions have risen between the airline and JAT because of recent delays. In February, Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, said supply chain issues were delaying aircraft maintenance. Parts take weeks and sometimes months to arrive in Belgrade. A potential MRO facility would mean deepening the ties between the two airlines. Could a joint venture come in the future?

Turkish Airlines has increased its fleet with six new Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft. The airplanes will be built with AnadoluJet configuration and operated by the Turkish Airlines subsidiary. The airline has signed the lease agreement with CDB Aviation, which has nearly 400 aircraft leased to 67 customers across 39 countries. The new aircraft will be delivered between 2024 and 2025, and they will be configured with the CFM International Leap-1B engines. Turkish Airlines has already collaborated with CDB Aviation in leasing three aircraft, including its first Airbus A320neo. The airline is pursuing excellence and remarkable travel experiences for its passengers through collaboration with partners like CDB Aviation. Turkish Technic is reportedly ready to announce an MRO facility in Serbia, which could deepen the ties between Turkish Airlines and Air Serbia.

What do you think about Turkish Technic’s decision to open an MRO facility in Serbia?

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