Boeing Nears Deal for 150 Jets With Turkish Airlines

Boeing is nearing the finalization of a delayed order for 150 737 MAX jets from Turkish Airlines. The deal is part of a larger 225-jet package originally announced a year ago following a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

The order stalled due to a dispute over engine maintenance and risk allocation for long-term repair costs with engine maker CFM International. Turkish Airlines threatened to switch to Airbus unless it secured an industrial agreement to establish its own Premier maintenance plant, which would provide direct access to repair technology and reduce operational costs.

GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp criticized the airline's tactic of negotiating the deal in public, asserting that the company's pricing strategy reflected the value provided to customers. A final agreement may be signed next week, potentially coinciding with a planned meeting between Donald Trump and Tayyip Erdogan during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.