Turkish Airlines may swap Boeing 737 order for Airbus jets if engine talks fail

Turkish Airlines may cancel its recently announced order for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and instead opt for Airbus jets if ongoing talks with engine supplier CFM International fail to reach a deal, the airline’s chairman said.

Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat stated that negotiations with CFM — the sole engine supplier for Boeing’s 737 MAX — have made some progress, but key pricing disagreements remain, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

“If CFM offers economically feasible terms, we will sign a deal with Boeing,” Bolat said, adding that the company was still considering its options.

He warned, however, that if CFM does not change its position, Turkish Airlines would turn to Airbus instead. “With Airbus, I have a choice,” Bolat noted.

CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric and Safran, also competes with RTX and Pratt & Whitney for contracts to supply engines for Airbus A320neo aircraft.

The caution follows Turkish Airlines’ announcement of a provisional order for 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, made around the time of a meeting on September 25 between Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump, with the purchase contingent on a separate agreement over engines.

By Aghakazim Guliyev