Türkiye’s flag carrier Turkish Airlines to expand direct flight network with ultra-long-range aircraft

Turkish Airlines will launch non-stop ultra-long-haul flights connecting Istanbul with Australia and South America by late 2027 through a 420-aircraft fleet expansion involving specialized ultra-long-range Airbus jets, the air carrier's chairman told Anadolu.

Murat Seker, speaking on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) 82nd Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, said the airline's long-term growth strategy for 2033 remains on track despite intensifying global competition.

"Turkish Airlines has now ordered nearly 420 aircraft with the Airbus order placed in 2023 and the Boeing order placed last September — there's no significant changes to our growth targets since we have a hub like Istanbul Airport," he said.

The fleet expansion will include specialized ultra-long-range versions of the Airbus A350-1000, capable of operating non-stop flights lasting up to 17 hours.

Seker stated that the aircraft will enable the carrier to leverage its extensive global network to launch direct flights to destinations including Sydney, Melbourne, Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Lima.

"There will be some changes in the composition as this sector is highly competitive, with the circumstances becoming increasingly more difficult for airlines to grow by simply doing the same thing — more planes, more passengers, more revenue, while the profitability is declining, which is precisely why we will focus more on areas with higher added value," he said.

The diversification strategy involves scaling up the airline's in-house digital wallet TKPAY, its door-to-door delivery service Widect, and the Turkish Holidays vacation package platform, while the carrier is also exploring a potential strategic partnership with Spain's Air Europa to expand its presence in the Transatlantic market.

Seker said the flag carrier captured a new segment of global passengers amid recent regional dynamics, as the conflict in the Middle East temporarily disrupted Gulf carriers' operations.

"There was an opportunity and we capitalized on it but only time will tell whether this will turn into a real and lasting opportunity in the long run," he said, adding that he had been in close contact with the CEOs of Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways during the event.

"Qatar reportedly recovered 85% of its capacity and Etihad is in the same position, while Emirates' recovery reached 90%. Gulf carriers reached their pre-war capacities and they report the demand is steady and reasonable," he noted. "Competition returned quickly but during the two-to-three month period at the start of the war, we were able to fly a portion of these carriers' passengers from South Asia, the Asia-Pacific, and destinations like the Maldives, Seychelles, and the US."

Seker emphasized that despite developments in global energy markets affecting aviation, Türkiye faces no fuel supply risks thanks to its strong network of domestic refineries, while Istanbul's strategic maritime location allows the carrier to import jet fuel by sea from northern markets, Iraq, and North Africa to ensure operational continuity.

"Our prices have been more favorable versus Asia, especially during periods when fuel reached up to $2,000 per ton. While we saw at most around $1,600-1800 — currently they're in the range of $1,200-1,300," he said.

He added that high fuel costs will place significant financial pressure on the airline through the summer, potentially prompting the flag carrier to scale back its annual capacity growth to around 2%. However, he said a financial rebound is expected by 2027, supported by its extensive global transit network.