Turkish Airlines Signs Boeing 737 MAX Order After Year-Long Dispute

Turkish Airlines has ended its year-long dispute with Boeing over the purchase of 737 MAX aircraft. The airline finalized an order for 100 firm 737 MAX 8 jets and secured options for another 50 aircraft, ending a negotiation that had put the deal at risk.

The agreement was signed in New York on September 23, during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to the city for the United Nations General Assembly. The negotiations were tough, particularly over engine prices and maintenance terms with CFM International, which exclusively supplies the LEAP-1B engine for the 737 MAX.

Turkish Airlines had publicly warned that it could switch its order to Airbus if it failed to reach acceptable terms with CFM. However, after a long negotiation process, the parties reached an agreement. The deal includes substitution rights for the larger 737 MAX 10 aircraft, allowing Turkish Airlines to change some of the planes to Boeing's largest MAX variant.

The final agreement marks the airline's largest single-aisle order with Boeing and is part of its major fleet expansion plan that calls for more than 800 aircraft by 2033. The carrier currently operates a mix of older 737s, 777s, and 787 Dreamliners.