Tourexpi
The Dutch aviation firm Airbus has 17 suppliers of
varying sizes in Türkiye, producing items ranging from fuselage parts to fuel
tanks and electrical wiring, Simon Ward, the president of Airbus Türkiye, said.
Ward told Anadolu that the Ankara-based defense
firm Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is one of Airbus’ business partners in
expanding their supply chain.
He emphasized that Airbus wants to be a pioneering
business partner in Türkiye’s sustainability efforts, saying: “We are in
discussions with our business partners operating in different fields to see
where we can contribute with our expertise, as we have a goal of reaching net
zero emissions by 2050, and this is not a goal that can be made true without
the whole sector contributing to it.”
Ward mentioned that Istanbul stands out as the
center of the world in terms of aviation.
“One can reach one thirds of the world’s population
within a four-hour flight from Istanbul, so, we see that the number of
passengers in Istanbul Airport is gradually increasing, and in January, it
became the most crowded airport in Europe,” he added.
Istanbul Airport has capacity to handle rapidly
growing air traffic routes
Ward highlighted that many people were surprised by
the quick recovery of air travel in the post-pandemic period, noting that
routes to and from Türkiye are among the fastest-growing air traffic routes, as
Istanbul Airport has the capacity to handle the growth.
“I am certain that Istanbul Airport will become one
of the most crowded airports in the world with its Simultaneous Independent
Triple Parallel Runway Operations (Triple RWY Operations TRO) application,
which will enable three airplanes to make three independent landings and
take-offs at the same time,” said Ward.
“While Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
may not have the glamor of Istanbul Airport, it remains an important hub for
tourism and it is home to Pegasus, Türkiye’s successful low-cost airline,"
he added.
He recalled that the long-awaited second runway at
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport opened in 2023, and that they
expect the Pegasus airline to expand its fleet this year.
Airbus partners with Turkish firms for almost 40
years
Ward mentioned that Airbus and Türkiye have a
long-standing cooperation with successful projects made in commercial and
military aviation, as the Dutch aviation firm has been business partners with
Turkish firms for nearly 40 years.
He said Airbus is still closely working with
Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry, the Defense
Industry Agency, the Turkish Air Force, the Naval Forces, and the Coast Guard
Command.
“When we look at Airbus’ history in Türkiye, we see
that Turkish Airlines was the first airline to use the Airbus A310 in Türkiye,
in 1985, and the Turkish Air Force took delivery of the CN235, formerly the
EADS Casa, in 1991,” he also said.
Ward noted that Türkiye was also the business
partner of the Airbus A400M Atlas project in 2003, and although many people
think of Airbus when it comes to commercial airplanes, the company operates
globally in space technology, helicopters, cyber security, border security,
military communications, and air taxi.
Airbus has technologies that help develop the
capabilities of the Turkish aviation industry, as the firm focuses on long-term
and mutually beneficial industrial collaborations by offering options that
include technology transfer, he stressed.
Ward added that their management center in Türkiye
is in Ankara, the capital city, though they offer support for their customers
in Istanbul and in the central-southeastern city of Kayseri.
Turkish Airlines’ acquisition of 220 units of
Airbus aircraft becomes one of largest orders received
Ward underlined that they received hefty amounts of
orders in all business lines last year, saying: “We received 2,944 net orders
for our commercial aircraft and delivered 735 aircraft. Turkish Airlines
ordered 220 Airbus aircraft, which was one of the largest orders we received
globally, and it had a very positive impact on our order book in 2023.”
“We expect 2024 to be a busy year as well, as we
have both commercial and defense contracts to complete, and we need to support
our ever-growing number of aircraft in Türkiye,” he added.
Ward emphasized that they are not selling only
commercial aircraft to Türkiye, saying: “We want to continue our partnership
with Türkiye and the Turkish aviation ecosystem, and since tourism is a major
contributor to gross domestic product, this year, we will continue to support
Turkish airlines to grow and modernize their fleets.”
Türkiye stands out as strategic business partner to
Airbus
Ward said Türkiye is still in the process of
modernizing its air force.
“Türkiye made its interest clear in the
Eurofighter, the world’s most advanced multi-role fighter jet, which may play a
key role in NATO missions and protecting the Turkish airspace,” he said.
“We will be here for a long time. Türkiye is a
strategic partner for Airbus, and we are working with industry stakeholders to
continue our long-term cooperation," he added.
Ward underlined that they are working with TAI to
establish a vocational school for aviation in the earthquake-stricken area,
which will give hope to young people who want to pursue a career in aviation,
as Türkiye became one of the main global players in the sector thanks to the
strong growth of its flag-carrier Turkish Airlines, and the success of its
supply chain.
Image
Credit: © AA
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