Turkish Airlines has signed a non-binding agreement with Airbus on a potential order for 25 A350-900 mid-size wide-body long-haul aircraft.

The agreement was signed at the Élysée Palace, Paris, during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official visit to France.

The A350 XWB is an all new family of mid-size wide-body long-haul airliners shaping the future of air travel. It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines, said a statement from Turkish Airlines.

Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs, it stated.

"With Turkish Airlines serving more destinations than any other airline around the world, we will be delighted to rely on our new A350 XWB to further develop our major international routes from Turkey,"  remarked M. Ilker Ayci, the chairman of the board and the executive committee, Turkish Airlines, after signing the deal in the presence of Erdogan and French President Emmanuel Macron.

"With this agreement today, we have signed our good will to carry on and finalize the acquisition with Airbus. Our agreement is a significant step forward in enhancing our passengers’ flight experience. This order is set to play a key role in our growing business in the years to come," stated Ayci.
 
According to him, the A350 XWB features an airspace cabin which, on top of the aircraft spaciousness and quietness, provides better ambience, design and services, contributing to superior levels of comfort and well-being, and setting new standards in terms of flight experience for all passengers.

"As we will be strictly evaluating during the talks to finalize the order, furthermore the increased business volume for the local Turkish supplier industry by Airbus will be a great gain for the sector," he noted.
 
Turkey, he stated, is an integral part of the Airbus supply chain for almost 20 years, being a partner in all Airbus aircraft programmes, including the prestigious A350 XWB.

While Airbus focusses on the continued development of long-term cooperation projects with Turkey, the Turkish aeronautical industries progressively have embarked and built-up a remarkable portfolio of high capabilities and skills over the last 10 years, he added.-TradeArabia News Service