Turkish Airlines is evaluating whether or not to make use of Airbus A350-1000XWB or Boeing 777X plane for nonstop companies to Australia and is nearing a call on 30 regional plane.
The airline already operates 777-300ERs, in addition to A350-900s. “But we might go for an additional version, [such as] the A350-1000XWB for ultra-long-range services from Istanbul to Sydney and Melbourne,” Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat informed me on the sidelines of the IATA annual common assembly in Doha.
“Australia is the last continent which Turkish Airlines is not flying to.”
Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat
The airline beforehand was contemplating the route with A340-500s or 777-200LRs. “But our studies show a big (financial) loss with those aircraft, especially with the current high fuel prices,” he mentioned.
The service can be evaluating the 777X. “Whenever we make a decision on one of those aircraft, it will be the right one at the right time. Let’s see how both types develop,” Bolat mentioned. “We don’t need to be a launch customer.”
Bolat is just not evaluating Turkish Airlines’ Australia nonstop companies with the Project Sunrise from Qantas, which plans to function nonstop flights from Australia to London and New York. “This [Sunrise] is a different product with less capacity,” he mentioned. “We need more seats and we’re not going to change our business model.”
Qantas in May introduced agency orders for 12 modified A350-1000s, because of be delivered between 2025 and 2028. They may have 238 seats comprising six first-class suites, 52 business-class suites, 40 premium financial system seats and 140 in financial system. Qantas described the plane as having the ability to fly “nonstop from Australia to almost anywhere in the world,” and plans to make use of them for the Project Sunrise flights starting in late 2025.
For Turkish Airlines, the nonstop flying time from Istanbul to Sydney and Melbourne can be roughly 17 hours. Nonstop companies might begin in 2026 or 2027.
“We need to see the Boeing 777X or Airbus A350-1000’s proof of its maturity,” Bolat mentioned.
In the meantime, till the ultra-long-range capability is offered, the Istanbul-based Star Alliance member already has codeshare connections to Australia. The service can be searching for partnerships in Australia and is speaking with nations like Malaysia or Indonesia for fifth freedom rights. “If we would have that [fifth-freedom], then we could share the markets with the home carriers,” he mentioned. “With the existing fleet, we cannot do nonstop flights. We are talking with our codeshare partners because it is more comfortable to operate Australia with the same aircraft.”
Turkish Airlines already generates an annual $40 million revenue in gross sales within the Australian market, from passengers flying by way of Istanbul to its worldwide community.
A220 or Embraer Regional Aircraft for Turkish Airlines
Separately, inside the subsequent two to 3 months, Turkish Airlines will resolve on a young for 30 A220s or Embraer jets. “We collected the offers, and we are working with the engine manufactures of these two aircraft types as well as with the pilots who are going to fly it,” Bolat mentioned. “Whenever we finish our regional aircraft studies, we will make a decision. It is about 30 aircraft in the coming two to three years.”
As of the tip of May, Turkish Airlines fleet totaled 376 plane.