Turkish Airlines to ramp up fleet with 20 Airbus passenger jets

AFP - Turkish Airlines (THY) said Monday it would buy 20 short- to medium-haul passenger jets from Airbus, taking options on 10 more.
  
The Istanbul-based company will purchase 14 A321-200 and six A319-100 planes to be delivered in 2011-2012, a THY statement to the Istanbul stock exchange said.
  
The company has also decided to submit an optional order for 10 A319/A321 planes with delivery in 2013.
  
THY gave no cost for the order.
  
The orders come as part of an ambitious plan THY announced in 2008 to expand its fleet with up to 105 new aircraft by 2023.
  
The company currently has 130 planes, 66 of which are Airbus.
  
THY, which flies to 151 destinations, has grown rapidly in recent years, posting a net profit of 1.1 billion Turkish liras (751 million dollars, 525 million euros) in 2008, up 327 percent from 2007, according to company figures.
  
It increased the number of its passengers by 74 percent to 22.6 million over the period 2005 to 2008.