Turkish Airlines resumes B737 MAX 9 operations

Six weeks after it reactivated its B737-8s, Turkish Airlines (TK, Istanbul New) has now also resumed B737-9 operations, ch-aviation research has revealed. After more than two years of storage at Istanbul New airport, TC-LYA (msn 60062) was reactivated on May 22, 2021, for a test flight. Three days later, the Boeing narrowbody was reinducted into commercial service, operating its first flight to Izmir, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. Since then, it has been deployed on a range of domestic and international routes out of the main Turkish gateway. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, Turkish Airlines’ fleet of B737 MAX narrowbodies comprises eleven B737-8s and the sole -9. It still has a further forty-five -8s and eight -9s on firm order from Boeing, although in April 2021 it said that a total of 40 of these orders would be converted into options exercisable through the end of 2021. Delivery of the remaining firm-ordered aircraft has been deferred, although Turkish Airlines has yet to provide any further details about the revised timeline.