PARIS, July 21 (AFP) - European aircraft maker Airbus and Turkish Airlines officially signed late Wednesday an agreement for the Turkish flag carrier to buy 36 Airbus airplanes.
The deal was inked by Airbus chairman Noel Forgeard and Turkish Airlines head Candan Karlitekin in the presence of French President Jacques Chirac and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was on the last day of his three-day visit here.
Under the contract, which has a potential value of more than three billion dollars (2.45 billion euros), Turkish Airlines will buy buy five Airbus A330/200 planes to meet its need for long-range aircraft.
Turkish Airlines will also purchase 12 A321/200s and 19 A320/200s as mid-range planes, allowing the carrier to renew its ageing fleet ahead of privatisation.
In addition, the company is to also buy 15 737/800 aircraft from Airbus` US rival Boeing.
Turkish Airlines` purchase of the Airbus airplanes was announced earlier Wednesday in Istanbul.