Boeing has landed a $36 billion deal with Turkey’s Pegasus Airlines, representing the airline’s largest aircraft order to date and a significant victory over rival Airbus. The deal includes firm orders for 100 737 Max 10 planes, with options for another 100. Deliveries are set to begin in 2028, pending the model’s anticipated certification in 2025.
Less than two years ago, Pegasus announced plans to standardize its fleet around Airbus aircraft. This new agreement with Boeing marks a major departure from that strategy and highlights the carrier’s ambition to expand operations, particularly into North Africa and the Baltic states. Pegasus’s fleet currently comprises over 100 planes, with most being part of the Airbus A320 family and a smaller number of Boeing 737 NGs.
Pegasus CEO Guliz Ozturk emphasized the deal’s importance for the airline’s long-term vision, stating that it would enhance operational flexibility and support plans to penetrate new markets.
For Boeing, the Pegasus order represents a critical victory at a time when the company is recovering from a turbulent year marked by regulatory delays and production challenges. The 737 Max 10, the largest version of Boeing’s single-aisle aircraft family, has faced years of certification delays. The US manufacturer now expects certification in 2025, following extensive redesigns to meet regulatory requirements.
This deal boosts Boeing’s total gross orders for 2024 to 427, with the Max 10 backlog now standing at 1,109 units.
The agreement aligns with Turkey’s aspirations to establish itself as a global aviation hub. Leveraging its Istanbul airport, which rivals major Middle Eastern airfields like Dubai and Doha, Turkey seeks to enhance its tourism and business connectivity. Pegasus operates from Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport, which recently opened a second runway.
Pegasus described the order as a catalyst for Turkey’s aviation industry, noting that it would create production and export opportunities for Turkish manufacturers involved in the aircraft’s value chain.
Airbus has maintained a strong presence in Turkey, securing a 220-aircraft order last year from Turkish Airlines, including 150 A321 narrow-body jets and 70 A350 widebody planes.
