Tourexpi
Turkish Airlines
was honored with two prizes for airplane financing operations, the carrier
announced on Thursday.
Turkey's flag
carrier won the “Lease Deal of the Year Award” from Airline Economics and
“Aircraft Tax Lease of the Year” by Global Transport Finance, it said in a
statement.
The prizes were
given for the innovative, complex and unique financing -- €110 million ($124.8
million) -- of its brand new B777-Freighter aircraft, it added.
The statement
said the flag carrier's financing was arranged by French lender Credit Agricole
CIB with a competitive loan provided by Chinese firm ICBC Financial Leasing Co.
"Turkish
Airlines tapped the Chinese market in 2016, achieving steady growth in this
market with a financing amount of up to $1.3 billion as of today.
"Turkish
Airlines has mandated another 14 aircraft to be delivered in 2019 with a value
of $750 million to Chinese banks and lessors."
Murat Seker, the
chief financial officer of the carrier, said: "While continuing our work
to further improve this performance, which has been awarded many times, we are
proud to be accelerating the rising global reputation and brand value of
Turkish Airlines at this point as well."
Since 2008, the
airline has been recognized several times for its financing models.
Turkish
Airlines, founded in 1933, flies to 306 destinations in 124 countries with its
fleet of more than 330 aircraft, including passenger and cargo planes. (AA)
