Boeing has just delivered Turkish Airlines first 787-9 Dreamliner and the executives over at the Istanbul based airline could not be happier. The arrival of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will see Turkish Airlines use it solely for their long-range international services, flying from Istanbul to Washington and Atlanta in the United States.
South and Central American routes suggested for Turkish Airlines newest member include Bogota-Panama.
Turkish Airlines Head of Corporate Communications Thorsten Tarik Neu has said that the new addition to Turkish Airlines fleet will also fly the airline's new Istanbul-Bali route, starting July 17th. Designed to carry 300 passengers in a two-class configuration, with 30 seats in business class and 270 seats in economy, the aircraft is ideally suited for some of Turkish Airlines' longer international routes.
Turkish Airlines 787-9 deliveries from Boeing will continue for several years, with the last aircraft from an order of 25 expected to be delivered by 2022. As well as the 25 new Boeing 787-9s, Turkish Airways is also waiting on a delivery of 25 A350’s from European plane maker Airbus.
The Istanbul based carrier is anticipating that the acquisition of 50 new wide-body aircraft will serve them well over the coming decade.
Turkish Airlines to have the youngest fleet
A Turkish Airlines press release on the 26th of May carried by Hurriyet Daily News confirmed this fact. In it, it stated that Turkish Airlines will have the “youngest fleet of any airline between 2019 and 2023."
When speaking about Turkish Airlines new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, M. İlker Aycı, Turkish Airlines’ Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee is quoted in a Boeing statement as saying:
“Turkish Airlines has been committed to continuously expanding its range of services on and off-ground as it grows in reach and flies to more international destinations than any other carrier in the world. With this goal in mind, we’re thrilled to reach new horizons with the addition of the 787-9 Dreamliner to our fleet flying from our new home, Istanbul Airport.” Adding, “The aircraft’s advanced technology, fuel efficiency, and passenger-centric cabin design will all help us remain the first choice for travellers and provide our loyal flyers across the globe with a best-in-class experience for years to come.”
How many Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner’s have Boeing sold?
So far Boeing has received orders for more than 1,400 787 Dreamliner’s from 80 customers around the globe.
This figure means that the 787 Dreamliner is now the fastest-selling wide-body jet in aviation history. Customers have been drawn to the plane for its amazing efficiency, allowing operators to fly further and cheaper than was previously possible.
Built using carbon fiber technologies and state of the art Rolls Royce Trent engines, the 787-9 Dreamliner can fly 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 km). It boasts better fuel economy than any other aircraft in its class.
A little bit about Turkish Airlines
Founded in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft that comprised two four-seat Junkers F.13s, two five-seat Curtiss Kingbirds and a single Tupolev ANT-9, Turkish Airlines now has a total of 337 commercial and cargo planes.
Spurred on by its success in recent years, the Turkish national flag carrier is aggressively purchasing new aircraft. Recently, it has moved its base of operations to Istanbul’s colossal new airport 30 kilometres outside the city.
When fully completed 2027, Istanbul’s new airport will be the largest in the world with six runways and four terminals. It will be capable of handling 200 million passengers a year, putting it ahead of nearby rival hub airports in the Gulf.