Turkish Airlines finalises order for up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX jets

Turkish Airlines has finalised its order for up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX jets, covering 100 firm aircraft and 50 options.

The 150 jets are the outstanding part of a 225-plane Boeing package first announced after a meeting between Turkish President Erdoğan and US President Trump in September last year, Reuters reported, via Turkish Minute. As part of that broader package, Turkish Airlines separately placed firm orders for 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and took options for 25 more, Reuters reported.

The MAX order had been held up by a dispute between Turkish Airlines and CFM International over pricing and terms for long-term maintenance of the LEAP-1B engines that power the aircraft. Aviation A2Z, citing Reuters sources, reported that Turkish Airlines had sought to set up a CFM premier maintenance facility to take a bigger role in servicing its growing LEAP-powered fleet. Turkish Airlines cancelled an earlier order for 40 737 MAX jets in 2020 during the pandemic, according to the airline's fleet page on Wikipedia.

The order adds to a pipeline of 737 MAX demand that already includes Ryanair and Lufthansa. It supports Boeing's effort to raise production and stabilise cash flow after years of disruption. With certification of the larger 737 MAX 10 variant expected and wing supply constraints gradually easing, a large firm commitment from Turkish Airlines reinforces the view that market acceptance of the MAX is solid, and that demand, rather than production, remains the constraint on Boeing's recovery.