Turkish Airlines Expands Fleet with Ten Additional A321neo Aircraft from AerCap

Turkish Airlines has further strengthened its fleet capabilities through a new dry-lease agreement with AerCap for ten A321-200neo aircraft. This move is part of Turkish Airlines’ strategy to enhance its network expansion efforts and increase the frequency of flights on existing routes.

While the specifics of the delivery timeline were not disclosed by either Turkish Airlines or AerCap, this addition underscores the ongoing growth initiatives of the Istanbul-based carrier. Turkish Airlines currently operates a diverse fleet of 430 aircraft, which includes fifty-eight A321-200NX models, as per the ch-aviation fleets module.

AerCap, one of the world’s leading aircraft leasing companies, has a substantial presence in Turkish Airlines’ operations, leasing 41 aircraft to the airline. This fleet includes a variety of models such as one A321-200NX, six A330-200s, twenty-five B737-8s, three B737-800s, three B777-300ERs, and three B787-9s.

Further inquiries made by ch-aviation seek to clarify whether the newly leased A321neo aircraft will be directly operated by Turkish Airlines or potentially subleased to its low-cost subsidiary, AJet, which currently manages a fleet of 76 aircraft from its base at Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen. AJet’s fleet includes thirteen A321-200NX aircraft, primarily wet-leased from Turkish Airlines.

This leasing agreement is part of a broader trend for AerCap, which currently has 237 aircraft on order, including fifty-seven A321-200Ns, positioning it as a pivotal player in the global aviation leasing industry.