Turkish Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CFM International covering more than 300 LEAP-1B engines plus long-term service support for a fleet exceeding 600 powerplants. Murat Şeker, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, and Olivier Andriès, CEO of Safran, attended the signing ceremony in Istanbul on October 16, 2026.

The 300 engines, spares included, would power up to 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Turkish Airlines ordered 100 737 MAX 8 jets from Boeing in September 2026, holding options for a further 50.

What does the agreement cover beyond new engines?

The parties agreed in principle that CFM International will provide long-term services for the carrier's entire LEAP-1B fleet. Mikail Akbulut, CEO and Board Member of Turkish Technic, the airline's maintenance arm, joined the Istanbul discussions.

The support scope extends to:

• Previously ordered and already delivered engines
• Spares
• Engines on leased aircraft and those tied to potential options
• LEAP-1B powerplants operated by subsidiary AJet

The MOU also contains a material services agreement intended to support the establishment of an engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Turkey. For Turkish Technic, that clause signals a path toward in-country LEAP overhaul capability, reducing reliance on external shops as the fleet grows.

What does this change for the Turkish Airlines fleet?

The carrier's narrowbody operation currently rests on two CFM engine families. Turkish Airlines and AJet together operate 96 Boeing 737 NG aircraft powered by CFM56-7B engines and 79 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with LEAP-1B powerplants. The new order, if fully exercised, would more than double the LEAP-powered fleet, and the service agreement would consolidate shop-visit support under a single long-term framework.

Şeker framed the deal as an operational and industrial step. "This new step with CFM will support our growing fleet, network, and the operational efficiency," he said. "We are also pleased to strengthen our partnership with CFM through a comprehensive set of services, providing the expertise, reliability, and long-term support needed to develop our LEAP MRO capabilities alongside a long-standing partner."

Andriès called the milestone a reflection of "our shared ambition to support the airline's continued growth and fleet expansion". He positioned the agreement within CFM's wider services strategy. "The MoU demonstrates our broader commitment to an open MRO ecosystem, which provides airlines with flexibility and competitive services to improve operational performance and manage costs effectively," Andriès said.

Lawrence Culp, CEO of GE Aerospace, which jointly owns CFM International with Safran, emphasized the network dimension. "We are proud to partner with Turkish Airlines as it continues flying to the most countries in the world," Culp said. "Putting its trust in CFM to provide highly reliable and efficient engines to support the growth of its Istanbul network and engine MRO capabilities is a responsibility we take seriously. We look forward to building on our proven partnership with this next chapter."

The agreement remains preliminary. A memorandum of understanding precedes a firm contract, and engine quantities, delivery schedules and service terms will be fixed only at signature. With 100 firm MAX 8s and 50 options behind it, Turkish Airlines has tied its narrowbody expansion to CFM propulsion and, prospectively, to a domestic LEAP overhaul base.