European aviation giant Airbus has 17 suppliers of varying sizes in Türkiye, producing items ranging from fuselage parts to fuel tanks and electrical wiring, the president of Airbus Türkiye, Simon Ward, told Anadolu Agency (AA) Thursday. Ward highlighted the country's role in air traffic routes and business partnerships with domestic firms, spanning nearly four decades.

Speaking to AA, he said that the Ankara-based defense firm Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is one of Airbus' business partners in expanding its 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. We have a goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, and this goal cannot be made true without the whole sector contributing to it."

Ward also mentioned that Istanbul stands out as the center of the world in terms of aviation.

"One can reach one-third 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 capacity

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 can 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 Gökçen International Airport may not have the glamor of Istanbul Airport, it remains an important hub for tourism and is home to Pegasus, Türkiye's successful low-cost airline," he added.

He recalled that the long-awaited second runway at Sabiha Gökçen Airport opened last year and that they expect the Pegasus airline to expand its fleet this year.

Airbus' partnership with Turkish firms

Ward mentioned that Airbus and Türkiye have a long-standing cooperation with successful projects in commercial and military aviation. 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. Although many people think of Airbus when they think of commercial airplanes, the company operates globally in space technology, helicopters, cyber security, border security, military communications and air taxis.

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.

Turkish Airlines ordered 220 units of aircraft

Ward underlined that they received hefty orders in all business lines last year: "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 (GDP), this year, we will continue to support Turkish airlines in growing and modernizing their fleets."

Türkiye as 'strategic business partner'

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. This will give hope to young people who want to pursue an aviation career, 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.