Turkish Airlines Plans to Expand Aircraft Fleet to Nearly Double
Bilal Eksi, speaking Tuesday from the Black Sea city of Rize, laid out an ambitious roadmap that would see the national carrier serving Türkiye's 84 million citizens transform into a global aviation powerhouse by its centennial celebration.
The airline's growth trajectory has been dramatic. Two decades ago, Turkish Airlines operated a modest 65-plane fleet. That number has exploded nearly eightfold to 514 aircraft currently in service, Eksi confirmed.
"In 2033, the 100th anniversary of Turkish Airlines, we will reach 813 aircraft. When we reach this point, we will be one of the top five airlines in the world. Nearly 600 aircraft have been ordered. We expect these to join our fleet within the next 10-12 years," he said.
The carrier will self-finance the entire expansion without external capital, according to Eksi, who characterized the strategy as creating a duplicate operation.
"Thus, we are building a second Turkish Airlines within the next 10 years. We are doubling the size of Turkish Airlines," he declared.
The CEO reflected on how far the airline has come since its boutique beginnings.
"We fly all over the world. In 2003, Turkish Airlines had 65 aircraft and we ranked 35th in the world in terms of aircraft fleet size. At that time, we flew to 55 countries and 103 destinations. Turkish Airlines was a boutique airline. Today we boast numbers that all Turkish people can be proud of," he added.
Turkish Airlines currently maintains an unmatched global footprint, connecting passengers to 132 countries across 356 destinations with its 514-strong fleet—placing it ninth worldwide by aircraft count, Eksi noted.
"We've been flying to 132 countries for 356 years and we have 514 aircraft. Turkish Airlines holds the number nine airline certification in the world in terms of the number of aircraft. This is a great achievement of the Turkish people and a source of pride for our youth," he emphasized.
No competitor comes close to matching that international reach, Eksi stressed, with a substantial gap separating Turkish Airlines from its nearest rivals.
"We fly to 132 countries, but there's a large gap to the runners-up. Those airlines fly to 86 global destinations," he stated.
Ethiopian Airlines and Air France each serve 83 nations, while British Airways reaches 79, creating a commanding lead for the Turkish carrier.
"There are 193 countries internationally. With the network it currently operates, Turkish Airlines can reach 95% of the world using its own aircraft," he added.
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