Turkish Airlines eyes strategic leap into Latin America

ISTANBUL

Turkish Airlines is preparing to solidify its global expansion with a bold move into the Latin American market.

Fueled in part by the rising popularity of Turkish television dramas across the region, the national flag carrier has submitted a binding offer to acquire shares in Spanish airline Air Europa.

If the deal is finalized, it will mark a significant milestone in the flag carrier’s history — its first strategic equity acquisition of this scale.

The partnership is designed to go far beyond route integration.

According to Turkish Airliners Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, Ahmet Bolat, the collaboration will extend into technical domains such as aircraft maintenance, new aircraft procurement, passenger loyalty programs, cabin design and seat manufacturing.

“Air Europa is a company that has attracted interest from many European carriers. It primarily transports passengers to Latin America and North America,” Bolat said, explaining the strategic nature of the investment.

“With a fleet of 53 aircraft serving 30 countries, its culture and business model resemble ours. A strong synergy has emerged, and we saw an opportunity for strategic cooperation. We’ve submitted our offer,” he added.

Bolat noted that the process is likely to conclude within a few months.

He also highlighted that while they have previously engaged in strategic partnerships with airlines such as Air Albania and Air Bosna and revenue-sharing agreements with Thai Airways, none have matched the scale or scope of this potential deal.

“This will be different from our existing partnerships. Going forward, we’ll continue exploring similar opportunities in Asia and North America,” he added.