Turkish Airlines Denies Plans to Acquire Lufthansa’s SunExpress Stake

Turkish Airlines (TK, Istanbul Airport) has denied reports claiming it is in talks to acquire full ownership of SunExpress (XQ, Antalya), in which it currently holds a 50% stake. In a statement issued on November 5, the airline said the reports “do not reflect the truth,” adding, “Our company does not have any initiative in this direction. SunExpress successfully continues its operations under the joint partnership of Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, and there is no change in the shareholding structure.”

The clarification follows a report by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, which cited sources suggesting Turkish Airlines was negotiating to buy Lufthansa’s 50% stake in SunExpress to expand its Europe–Middle East network and take advantage of potential new opportunities such as the reopening of Syrian airspace.

SunExpress, founded in 1989 as a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, operates scheduled and charter flights connecting Europe with Türkiye’s key leisure destinations, including Antalya, Izmir, and Dalaman. The airline has continued to grow its fleet and route network independently under the joint venture structure.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com