Turkish Airlines has launched a new initiative with Airbus and Rolls-Royce, which aims to create more highly-skilled jobs and foster innovation in aerospace.

The Strategic Türkiye Enhanced Programme (STEP) aligns with Turkish Airlines’ plan to increase the sector’s contribution to Turkey’s economy.

The programme was unveiled during a meeting at Turkish Airlines’ headquarters in Istanbul, featuring government officials and senior figures from Airbus and Rolls-Royce.

Among the attendees were Prof. Ömer Bolat, Turkish Minister of Trade, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Bilal Durdalı, deputy minister of national defence. They were also joined by the British Consul General and undersecretaries of France and Spain.

Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Turkish Airlines’ chairman of the board and the executive committee, said: “Launching STEP with Airbus is a testament to our deepening collaboration with the aircraft manufacturer. It marks our commitment to helping develop Turkish aviation companies into prospective suppliers, aligning closely with Airbus’ strategic objectives and their newly identified business domains.

“We are also delighted to further strengthen our relationship with Rolls-Royce. By joining forces with the manufacturing giants, we underscore our commitment to both excellence and the further development of Turkey’s aerospace capabilities.

“With the significant cooperation between three valuable companies, Turkish Airlines will continue to leverage advanced technologies and collaborative strategies to enhance our operational efficiencies and contribute to continuing our sustainable growth while reinforcing our leading role on the global aviation stage.”

Guillaume Faury, chief executive of Airbus, said: “We are honoured to support the growth of one of the world‘s elite airlines and develop our partnership with Turkey through the new STEP programme. The programme will provide the framework for Airbus to further broaden its collaboration with Turkey and to support Turkish Airlines’ growth ambitions, with a particular focus on supply chain development, skills and sustainability.”

Tufan Erginbilgiç, chief executive of Rolls-Royce, said: “Turkey is a strategically important market for Rolls-Royce across our business. We are very pleased with the confidence that Turkish Airlines has placed in our Trent XWB engines.

“We now look forward to working with Turkish Airlines and our partners to use our extensive aerospace engineering experience to benefit the Turkish economy, grow the country’s skills base and expand its role in the energy transition.”

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