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Türkiye's flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, hosted United Kingdom's Minister of State for Trade Chris Bryant at its operations center at Istanbul Airport on Friday, as the airline and British engine maker Rolls-Royce move ahead with a $300 million aircraft engine maintenance hub project in Istanbul.
"We discussed Turkish Airlines' operations in the U.K., the impact of the strong economic ties between our countries on the aviation sector, and opportunities for further cooperation," Turkish Airlines Chairman Murat Seker posted on X.
Bryant and his delegation toured the airline's operations control center and maintenance facilities, where the carrier highlighted its technical capabilities and growing partnership with Rolls-Royce.
"Turkish Airlines is not only a customer for Rolls-Royce, but also a strategic partner," Seker said, pointing to the Rolls-Royce-authorized engine maintenance center being developed under Turkish Technic as a major investment for the airline, Türkiye and the broader aviation industry.
The facility is expected to become one of the world's largest maintenance centers for next-generation Rolls-Royce Trent XWB and Trent 7000 engines once completed.
"With this investment, we aim to establish one of the world's largest maintenance centers for next-generation Rolls-Royce Trent XWB and Trent 7000 engines and further strengthen our global competitiveness," he added.
Announced in May 2025, the Turkish Technic-Rolls-Royce maintenance hub is expected to begin operations by the end of 2027, handling around 200 engine shop visits annually and generating approximately $1.5 billion in annual revenue while serving customers worldwide.
Bryant's visit also included talks with Trade Minister Omer Bolat, who highlighted efforts to expand trade and investment between the two countries.
In a statement on social media, Bolat said discussions covered the modernization of the Türkiye-U.K. Free Trade Agreement, closer economic cooperation, defense industry partnerships, stronger business-to-business engagement and the development of joint projects in third countries.
Trade volume between Türkiye and the U.K. reached $24 billion in 2025, Bolat highlighted, describing the figure as evidence of the strong potential underpinning bilateral relations. The minister also pointed to progress in negotiations to update the existing free trade agreement, noting that the fifth round of talks concluded this week.
"Through the completion of the fifth round of negotiations, we aim to make our trade more competitive and integrated and reach our shared target of $40 billion," Bolat said.
Türkiye will continue to serve as a reliable partner and regional hub for British companies thanks to its manufacturing strength, strategic location and supply-chain infrastructure, he added.
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