Airbus signs tentative Turkish Airlines A350 deal

Turkish Airlines, one of the world's fastest-growing carriers, is a major customer of both Airbus and its U.S. rival Boeing.

State-owned Turkish Airlines is one of a handful of carriers whose dealings with plane-makers tend to accelerate around major diplomatic events.

In September, it signed a surprise provisional order for 40 Boeing 787-9 planes while Erdogan was in New York for the UN General Assembly.

The tentative Airbus deal was inked during a ceremony attended by Erdogan and his host, French President Emmanuel Macron. Turkish Airlines confirmed in a subsequent statement that it had begun negotiations with Airbus on the plane deal.

Airbus is also in negotiations to sell planes to China during a visit by Macron next week.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Writing by Laurence Frost; Editing by Ingrid Melander)