PARIS/ISTANBUL: Turkish Airlines is in negotiations to obtain 10 or more Airbus A380 jets in a deal potentially worth $4 billion based on a direct purchase at catalogue prices, two people familiar with the matter said.
A deal, if finalised, would be the first airline order for the double-decker jet since Dubai's Emirates boosted its order at the Dubai Airshow in November 2013, but the people cautioned there had been false alarms about a Turkish order in the past.
Sales of the world's largest airliner have gone through a lean patch amid a slowing economy and indirect competition from Boeing's largest twinjet, the 777X, which is planned to seat 406 people compared with the A380's standard layout of 535. Turkish Airlines and Airbus declined to comment.
A senior executive at the airline said last week it was considering expanding its fleet and was studying a list of Airbus and Boeing models including the A380.
Fast-growing Turkish Airlines has long been on Airbus's target list as a potential customer for the aircraft.
In September, industry sources said it was considering leasing the aircraft.
It was not immediately clear whether the deal now being discussed would involve outright purchases or leases, or a mixture of both. Airlines usually get steep discounts on plane orders.
Airbus has said it is confident of winning at least one new customer for the jet this year after failing to do so in 2014.
Earlier this month, Fabrice Bregier, head of the planemaking subsidiary of Airbus Group, insisted "the best days of the A380 are ahead" after the company's finance director appeared to leave the door open to axing the four-engined aircraft if it did not win more sales.
Airbus says traffic growth and a shortage of capacity at airports like Istanbul will lead to a recovery in A380 sales.
Boeing says airlines prefer smaller twin-engined jets like its own 777X that are efficient and easier to fill.
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