Turkish Airlines takes delivery of first A330-300 and A330-200F

Turkish Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-300 and first A330-200 Freighter at a delivery ceremony in Toulouse.  The aircraft, both powered by Rolls Royce engines, will support Turkish Airlines’ ambitious growth plans in both the passenger and cargo markets.

Joining the airlines existing passenger aircraft fleet of A320, A330-200 and A340 family aircraft, the A330-300, seating 28 passengers in business class and 261 in economy, will be used on medium and long range routes from the airline’s hub in Istanbul. It is the first of ten of the type ordered by Turkish Airlines in 2009.

The A330-200F will be used by Turkish Cargo on long haul routes to Shanghai and Hong Kong, and to expand the Turkish Cargo network.  It is the first of two A330-200 Freighter aircraft that will join the airlines existing all Airbus freighter fleet of four Airbus A310s.

“I am delighted to be adding two more A330 Family variants to our fleet” said Dr Temel Kotil, CEO of Turkish Airlines. “The benefits we will gain from the flexibility of the aircraft and commonality with our existing fleet will provide a strong basis for our continued growth.”

“We are proud to have worked with Turkish Airlines as they have evolved into one of the premier airlines in Europe and are delighted that they continue to choose Airbus aircraft to support their growth,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers.  “All versions of the A330 family offer superior economics and reliability which continue to attract customers worldwide. They are truly the right aircraft for right now.”

Airbus aircraft share a unique cockpit and operational commonality, allowing airlines to use the same pool of pilots, cabin crews and maintenance engineers, bringing operational flexibility and resulting in significant cost savings.

With a true wide-body fuselage allowing very high comfort standards, the A330-300 is able to accommodate seat and class configurations to suit the diverse customer requirements. It has a range of up to 5,650 nm / 10,500 km with a full passenger load. Orders for the aircraft stand at more than 450.

The A330-200F is the latest addition to the highly successful A330 Family. Offering the lowest operating costs in its size category, it is the only modern mid-size, long haul, all-cargo aircraft capable of carrying 65 tonnes over 4,000nm/7,400km or 70 tonnes over 3,200nm/5,900km.