Adds An MoU For Two A330F's
Turkish Airlines has signed a contract for the purchase of
three additional Airbus A330-300 aircraft, bringing the total
number of A330-300s ordered by the company to ten. The carrier will
operate the aircraft in a two-class configuration and with a
capacity of 319 seats on its high capacity medium haul network. The
aircraft, due for delivery from September 2010, will be powered by
Rolls-Royce engines. With the signature of a Memorandum of
Understanding, Turkish Airlines also plans to acquire two Freighter
versions of the A330-200, the A330-200F, in order to prepare future
expansion and renew its current fleet composed of four A310s.
"Turkish Airlines stays in the course of growing by providing
the best service for its passengers and customers while optimising
operating costs. By choosing the A330s Family aircraft that offer
best-in-class comfort for passengers and extended cargo capacity
for customers we are aiming to ensure the success of our business
model," said Dr Candan Karlitekin, Chairman of Turkish
Airlines.
"The unbeatable economic efficiency of the A330 Family and its
superior operational performance will be strategic assets for
Turkish Airlines. We are proud to be a partner of one of the
fastest growing European airlines, Turkish Airlines, as they expand
into new markets," said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer,
Customers.
Turkish Airlines has operated Airbus aircraft since 1985, and
currently has a fleet of 67 Airbus aircraft, including four A310s,
47 A320 family aircraft, seven A330s and nine A340s.
Airbus has more than 1,000 orders for the aircraft and more
than 600 A330s are in operation worldwide with more than 80
customers and operators. The combined fleet has achieved almost 14
million flight hours and serves around 300 destinations
worldwide.
The A330-200F offers two
operational configurations depending on the planned mission. The
aircraft can carry more than 64 metric tonnes over 4,000 nautical
miles, or more than 69 metric tonnes up to 3,200 nautical miles -
non-stop. These range and payload capabilities enable operators to
grow their business by opening up or extending cargo routes they
currently operate. An optimized fuselage cross-section has the
interior flexibility to carry a wide variety of pallet and
container sizes for maximum interlining capability, offering 30 per
cent more volume than any freighter in its class. Total orders for
the aircraft stand at 67 from nine customers.