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.