Boeing, Turkish Airlines in talks over a 250-jet order; 9 Air expecting 737 MAX delivery

Turkish Airlines is negotiating with Boeing (NYSE:) about the potential acquisition of roughly 250 jetliners, the company’s Chairman Ahmet Bolat said Tuesday, just months after striking a major deal with European jetmaker Airbus.

Bolat stated in an interview that discussions are currently focused on target pricing, commercial terms, and engine costs. The potential order could encompass 150-175 Boeing 737 Max narrowbody aircraft, with the remaining jets being the larger 787 Dreamliner model.

According to Bolat, the talks are in an early phase, with no firm timeline established for a final agreement. A successful deal with Boeing would follow their December commitment to purchase 230 Airbus planes.

In April, Bolat indicated the airline’s intention to acquire an additional 235 aircraft, encompassing both narrowbody and widebody models.

Elsewhere, Juneyao Airlines’ low-cost unit, 9Air, is set to receive a Boeing 737 Max as soon as Friday, a company spokesman reportedly told Bloomberg News, potentially signaling the end of the delivery blockade from China.

The 737 Max is scheduled to depart from Boeing Field in Seattle on Tuesday, with a stopover in Honolulu, before arriving at 9Air’s main base in Guangzhou, southern China, on June 7, Bloomberg said. The aircraft is expected to be ready for flight operations a month later, the spokesman added.