Turkish Airlines Will Get Its 400th Airplane Just in Time for the Country’s Centenary

At the beginning of 2021, THY had become the biggest carrier in Europe, by volume, leaving behind other well-known aviation giants such as British Airways and Lufthansa. In the Fall of 2022, it was named the top carrier in Europe, at the World Airline Awards (organized by Skytrax, an air transport rating agency). At the same event, it also won the awards for the World’s Best Business Class Catering, and the Best Airline in Southern Europe.

Precisely twenty years ago, THY only had 65 aircraft in its fleet. Today, it boasts a 393-plane fleet, and intends to reach the 400th aircraft milestone soon, and even surpass it by the end of this year. Turkish Airlines President and CEO Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat told the media that the 400th aircraft will join the fleet just in time for commemorating this important milestone for the Republic.

At the end of last year, THY estimated that it would reach the impressive performance of carrying more than 88 million passengers in 2023. And that, by the end of this year, it would become the sixth most valuable airline in the world.

The carrier’s current fleet of 393 aircraft includes 263 narrowbody, 110 widebody, and 20 cargo airplanes. This makes it the 9th carrier globally, in terms of fleet size. If THY continues to grow according to plan, this number will increase to 427 by the end of this year.

It seems that the 400th aircraft is expected to be delivered to the airline by the middle of next month. It wouldn’t be surprising if it will sport a special livery, as a tribute to the country’s 100th birthday. At the beginning of this year, the carrier announced that it will be launching an Airbus A330-300 with a special livery inspired by the Champions League. That’s because THY has also recently become the first airline to sponsor the UEFA Champions League – another confirmation of its reputation and status.

With the Boeing 787 currently dominating the Turkish Airlines’ fleet (with 16 in service at the moment) it’s most likely that the 400th aircraft will also be a Dreamliner.

The twin-engine widebody Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is a long-range workhorse that also boasts increased fuel efficiency, partly thanks to a lighter fuselage built with a larger percentage of composite materials. Inside the THY ones, passengers get to enjoy custom-designed seats with more space between them, more storage space, and better connectivity.