Turkish Airlines (THY), which flies to more than three hundred destinations in the world, announced that it has ordered around 30 Airbus A220 aircraft that will increase its fleet of aircraft to 373, according to a Turkish aviation news website.
Launched in early 2020, THY airlines claimed that it has maintained its title of being the top airline that flies to most destinations worldwide by flying to 328 destinations in 128 countries. A major number of these destinations are within the range of the Airbus A220-300, with large swathes of Europe, Africa, and Asia within reach.
The Turkish flag carrier was initially considering buying two airbuses, the Embraer E195 and the A220 but the working costs and range of the Airbus aircraft stood as the key factor in the airlines’ decision to opt for the A220, according to a Haber.Aero report dated June 17.
Turkish Airlines’ fleet
Turkish Airlines, planning to rebrand into Türkiye Havayolları, currently does not operate the A220. It does, however, operate other Airbus aircraft, including the A320, A330 and A350.
Its fleet is currently made up of 354 passenger aircraft and 20 cargo aircraft. The carrier also has a further 90 passenger aircraft on order.
Turkish Airlines, for its responsible cargo shipment during the pandemic, was classified at the “Diamond” level status in the “APEX Health Safety” assessment conducted by the APEX.
About the Airbus A220
The Airbus A220-300 is well-suited to Turkish Airlines’ regional operation, with a capacity of carrying up to 160 passengers, and a range of up to 5,920 km (3,678 miles).
However, the range is not the only important factor to consider. Some of the airline’s destinations within the Airbus A220’s range are unlikely to see the aircraft due to the size of the market and slot constraints – Amsterdam Schiphol, London Heathrow, and Paris Charles de Gaulle being prime examples that regularly see Turkish Airlines widebody aircraft despite the relatively short route length.