The Story Of Turkish Airlines’ Airbus A340s

Turkish Airlines has operated a diverse range of aircraft types throughout its operational history. As the flag carrier of Turkey, it has flown at least 16 different aircraft types, from the McDonnell Douglas MC-90 to the Airbus A340 quadjet.

Turkish Airlines no longer operates the Airbus A340 aircraft, as it has since integrated various modern Airbus widebody designs into its fleet. However, the Airbus A340 fleet has played a significant role in the airline’s network expansion.

First introduced in 1993

In 1990, Turkish Airlines ordered five Airbus A340s with the option to purchase five more. This expansion aimed to boost its route network and facilitate nonstop flights to North American and East Asian destinations, most notably Tokyo Haneda (HND), according to a report by Flightradar24.com.

Indeed, the Turkish airline was among the earliest carriers to place an order for the Airbus A340 when the European aircraft manufacturer launched the quadjet in 1987. The aircraft took off for its first-ever flight in 1991.

Photo: Authentic travel | Shutterstock

According to data from ATDB.aero, the airline’s first A340-300, registered as TC-JDJ, joined the Turkish Airlines fleet in July 1993, three years after the carrier’s initial order and two years after the aircraft’s maiden test flight.

Prior to receiving the Airbus A340, Turkish Airlines utilized a fleet of four McDonnell Douglas DC-10 tri-jet widebody aircraft for its medium to long-haul operations. However, faced with operational limitations, the airline weighed the choice between ordering the Airbus A340 and the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 widebody aircraft. Ultimately, the airline opted for the newer and more efficient Airbus A340.

The Airbus A340-300 boasted a greater range compared to both the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and the Douglas MD-11 widebody. According to Airbus data, the A340-300 could fly up to 13,500 kilometers and accommodate 440 passengers in a single cabin configuration. In contrast, the DC-10 had a maximum range of approximately 9,400 kilometers and could accommodate between 250 and 380 passengers.

The final McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft was retired at the time of the Airbus A340’s arrival in 1993, according to data from ATDB.aero.

Turkish Airlines Airbus A340 configuration

When the aircraft initially joined the Turkish Airlines fleet, it was configured to seat a total of 270 passengers in a two-class cabin layout: 236 in economy and 34 in business class. According to the SeatGuru map, the airline’s economy class featured a 2-4-2 seat layout, while its business class had a 2-2-2 layout.

Data from SeatGuru also reveals that Turkish Airlines Airbus A340 aircraft had business class seats with pitch measurements ranging between 60 and 77 inches and a width of 21 inches, while economy class seats had pitch measurements ranging between 31 and 33 inches and a width of 17 to 17.7 inches.

Photo: Bjoern Wylezich | Shutterstock

However, it is worth noting that not all Turkish Airlines A340s have been configured to accommodate two cabin classes; some of them later were reconfigured to have economy class cabins, accommodating a total of 354 passengers. To find out more about the specifications of the Turkish Airlines A340 aircraft, please refer to the table below.

The retirement of the A340 fleet

Turkish Airlines operated a total of nine Airbus A340-300 quadjets, although it initially ordered five with five options. It is worth noting that one option to purchase an A340 was not exercised.

The A340s had a significant tenure in the Turkish Airlines fleet. From the first delivery to its final retirement, Turkish Airlines operated its Airbus A340 aircraft for 26 years. Based on ch-aviation data, the carrier’s last Airbus A340-300, registered as TC-JII, was retired in January 2019 after nearly 19 years of service.

The Airbus A340 aircraft is a rare sight in the skies. According to ch-aviation data, a total of 70 A340s are actively flying across 25 airlines in the world. Notably, Lufthansa is currently the largest A340 operator in the world, having 27 A340s in its fleet at an average age of 21.7 years, according to Planespotters.net.

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Almost 400 Airbus A340s were delivered to customers.

The story of ‘Deli Mike’

One of the nine Turkish Airlines Airbus A340s had a particularly noteworthy story. During its time operating as a European quadjet, this particular aircraft became known for being more incident-prone than its other A340s in the fleet.

Photo: Alexey Kartsev | Shutterstock

The troublesome Airbus A340-300, registered as TC-JDM, also known by the name ‘Deli Mike’ during its tenure at Turkish Airlines, was constructed in February 1996. Two months later, in April of that year, it was integrated into Turkey’s national flag carrier, according to data from ATDB.aero.

After serving Turkish Airlines for over two decades, the quadjet left the fleet in January 2019, spending just under 23 years with the airline. While it operated for quite a long time with the airline, the aircraft was involved in many incidents. Indeed, the aircraft’s issues surfaced shortly after joining Turkish Airlines. To learn more about the aircraft’s incident-prone nature, please refer to the complete guide below.

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Deli Mike: The Story Of Turkish Airlines’ Incident-Prone Airbus A340

The aircraft became quite an enigma during its time at Turkey’s flag carrier.

What are your thoughts on Turkish Airlines’ historical fleet? Have you flown with Turkey’s flag carrier before? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section below.