Turkish Airlines Increases Fleet of Aircraft

Turkish Airlines have announced ownership of a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner plane. With the addition of the new plane, Turkish Airlines are in a position to prove they are ready to become a major force in the international aviation sector. This coupled with the new third airport at Istanbul, there is a huge expectation that Turkey will grow and become a hub to be reckoned with by its aviation competitors.

New aircraft for Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines executives took ownership of the new airplane at an event based in Seattle. Darren Hulst, the Boeing Trade Marketing Manager Vice President spoke of the importance the new Istanbul Airport will have on the growth of the aviation sector in Turkey as a whole.

Hulst is of the opinion that in 2019 the aviation sector in Europe has grown at a rate of 6.4%, with the average for the rest of the world standing at 4.6%. One of the biggest factors for European flight growth is said to be down to the new third Istanbul Airport and the additional flights that Turkey now offers as a hub between east and west.

Hulst said: “Turkey’s proximity to the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa and the fact that it is a tourism centre support the growth of the aviation industry. Three out of four of the biggest fleets in the world are in North America and China follows. Turkey might surpass China with this performance.”

Handing over the plane to Turkish Airlines

Yahya Ustun, the Press Councellor for Turkish Airlines took possession of the new plane from Serdar Gurz who is Boeing’s Commercial Aircraft International Sales Manager at a ceremony that was held at the Everett Paine Field Airport near Seattle. The maiden flight was from Seattle to Istanbul Airport with 25 passengers on board.

During a speech made by Ustun in the handover ceremony he confirmed that: “As the airline with the youngest fleet in the world, we are continuing our growth.” Gurz also agreed that the new Istanbul Airport was a major contributor to the growth of the aviation sector.

Geographical Location of Turkey

Aysem Sargin, Boeing Turkey General Manager and Country Representative was quick to add that: “Turkey’s important geographical position, Turkish Airlines strong strategy in expanding its flight courses, and the new Istanbul Airport all add to the rise of Turkey as a global player in the aviation industry. The infrastructure investments, especially the Istanbul Airport, might be considered as reflections of Turkey’s growth vision in this sector.”

Aeroplane Facts and Figures

Turkish Airlines boasts a fleet of 341 planes in total, and this is the fourth Dreamliner to join the fleet. There are 10 million people that fly every day, and on average 4.6 billion people worldwide fly within a year.