Turkey’s Atlasjet in $3 bln provisional Airbus jet order

ISTANBUL-Reuters

DHA Photo

Turkey’s Atlasjet has reached a preliminary deal with European planemaker Airbus to buy around 30 aircraft worth $3 billion at list prices as it expands in eastern Europe and central Asia, two people familiar with the matter said.

The tentative agreement covers current-generation A321ceo jets, but the number of units and other details have not been finalized, the people said, asking not to be identified because the talks are confidential.

Atlasjet declined comment.

A spokesman for Airbus, the planemaking unit of Airbus Group, said: “We do not comment on confidential discussions that we may or may not be having with potential customers”.

Chief executive Orhan Coşkun told Reuters last month the airline was in the final stage of talks to buy up to 50 airplanes and would make an announcement soon.

However, talks continue and industry sources said the number of planes being considered appeared to be closer to 30 and could end up lower depending on the terms of any final deal.

Atlasjet operates a fleet of 19 Airbus planes and flies to about 20 destinations in Turkey, Europe and the Middle East.

Its routes include Arbil in northern Iraq, where it has a partnership called Zagrosjet.