Turkish Airlines has warned that “problems” at Boeing had held up negotiations over a major jet order as the carrier sealed a deal to deepen ties with the US manufacturer’s rival Airbus.
“We aren’t in a rush” to conclude a deal to purchase a mix of Boeing wide- and narrow-body jets as the plane maker was struggling with “production” and “quality” issues, Turkish Airlines chair Ahmet Bolat said on Monday.
Boeing has been forced to slow down production of its popular 737 Max aircraft after a door panel blew out of one of them mid-flight in January. This has had ripple effects through the industry, with US and European carriers forced to trim schedules for the busy summer flying season.