Turkish Airlines Orders Boeing 777 Freighters

Turkish Airlines is boosting its freight division with the announcement alongside Boeing to order further 777 Freighters.

As part of the announcement, Turkish Airlines committed to four additional 777 Freighters from the American planemaker. The order will enable Turkish Cargo’s freight division to grow its fleet.

The four additional 777 freighters will bump the total to 12 and thus strengthen Turkish Cargo’s position in the freight sector. The 777 freighters will work alongside other existing freight units.

A purchase underscores the group’s commitment to focusing on growth across its cargo business despite palliative demand and uncertainty. The 777F is expected to enable further optimisation of the cargo network and reduce costs.

We are proud to continue our long-standing partnership with Turkish Airlines and support its expansion of cargo operations with the addition of Boeing 777 Freighters. The 777 Freighter’s payload capacity, range and flexibility will enable Turkish Airlines to deliver exceptional customer service while maximizing operational efficiency.

Paul Righi, vice president of Boeing Commercial Sales for Eurasia

Boeing calls its 777 Freighter the world’s best and most capable twin-engine freighter. Thanks to a payload of 112 tons and a range of 9,200 kilometres (4,970 nautical miles), its capabilities mean it can fly to locations worldwide.

With over 265 deliveries, the 777F program is entering a new era as older passenger aircraft are converted to freighter aircraft. These conversions will boost the operational life of the popular long-haul aircraft.

Furthermore, purchasing 777Fs is still a great option to boost capacity in the short to medium term, thanks to available delivery slots. Freight operators are also aware that they won’t be able to acquire the next-gen 777-8F until the latter stages of this decade, making the 777F a great option now.

The Turkish Airlines Future

Growth is the company’s number one focus as it moves forward. Turkish Airlines has outlined its ambitions to become an industry leader several times.

As part of these major growth plans, Turkish Airlines wants to increase its fleet considerably. Over 800 aircraft are hoped to be present over a ten-year plan. Furthermore, the airline wants a passenger network spanning 400 locations.

The growth is expected to continue as Turkish Airlines targets increasing its passenger count annually from 85 million to 170 million. The company knows this ambitious target will force employee counts to rise to over 150,000.

Turkish Airlines has already placed aircraft orders with Airbus and Boeing for hundreds of aircraft expected to be delivered across the next decade. These aircraft will be pivotal in allowing the company to achieve its growth targets.