Airbus and Turkish Airlines STEP up partnership
Recognising Turkish Airlines’ recent, historic order for 150 A321neo and 80 A350 Family aircraft, excluding purchase rights, placed in December 2023, Türkiye’s national flag carrier and Airbus have unveiled a Strategic Türkiye Enhanced Programme (STEP) in the presence of the Turkish Ministers of Trade, Industry and Technology, Transport and Infrastructure, and Deputy Minister of National Defence as well as representatives of Rolls-Royce, top Turkish aerospace companies and the British Consul General, and undersecretaries of France and Spain.
Through STEP, Airbus, Turkish Airlines and their partners aim to grow collaboration and economic value in the country over the next 15 years.
Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Ahmet Bolat stated: “Over the past two decades, Turkish Airlines and the Turkish aviation industry have achieved remarkable milestones. Today, Türkiye’s aviation industry seamlessly integrates design, manufacturing, and logistics to produce critical aircraft parts, structures, and engine components, and to provide engine maintenance services to the global aviation sector. As a significant contributor to this impressive transformation, we continue to drive momentum in every aspect of our operations.
To build on the strong foundation already established and to explore new horizons in the aerospace industry, we are pleased to announce the launch of STEP, the Strategic Türkiye Enhanced Programme, in partnership with Airbus. Through this initiative, anchored in our commitment to performance, competitiveness, and quality, Turkish Airlines aims to create a sustainable and mutually beneficial environment for both the Turkish aviation industry and manufacturers. Given the rapid advancements in technology, today marks the commencement of our efforts to help cultivate Turkish aviation companies into prospective suppliers, aligning closely with Airbus’ strategic objectives and their newly identified business domains. With Türkiye’s growing potential, we are steadfast in propelling the aviation industry towards even greater heights.”
“We thank Turkish Airlines for their trust and we are honoured to both support their growth as one of the world‘s elite airlines and develop our partnership with Türkiye through the new STEP programme we are unveiling today,“ says Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. “The programme will provide the framework for Airbus to further broaden its collaboration with Türkiye and support Turkish Airlines’ growth ambitions, with a particular focus on supply chain development, skills and sustainability.”
Türkiye has been an integral part of Airbus’ supply chain for over 20 years. A wealth of expertise, technological advancements and a highly skilled workforce has been established throughout the Türkiye’s aerospace sector. Today every Airbus commercial aircraft from the A220 to the A350 includes Turkish supplied parts. Over 3,500 Turkish aeronautical jobs are directly supported by Airbus. The accumulated volume spent by Airbus in Türkiye exceeded $4 billion at the end of 2023 and – supported by STEP – will exceed $6 to 7 billion by 2030.
STEP was created by Airbus and its partners in Türkiye to develop the Turkish aerospace industry in line with Turkish Airlines growth ambition over the next decade as well as Türkiye’s aim to develop a globally recognized, robust aerospace industry.
In the context of STEP, Airbus intends to broaden its collaboration and presence in Türkiye focused on four main pillars; pillar one supports the development of the Turkish supply chain and the industrial capabilities of Turkish aviation and aerospace sector, pillar two supports Turkish Airlines’ and its group of companies growth ambitions and operations, pillar three supports initiatives in the area of sustainability transformation and pillar four supports the increase of the aviation sector’s skills base.
