Pegasus Airlines boosts in-house MRO with $40m Istanbul facility

Pegasus Airlines has opened a new aircraft maintenance centre at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, marking a significant expansion of its in-house technical capability as it prepares for continued fleet growth.

The first phase of the project, backed by an investment of approximately $40 million, brings into operation two maintenance hangars and one paint hangar. Together, the facilities enable simultaneous line and base maintenance for up to five narrowbody aircraft.

Construction began in January 2025 and was completed within a year. A second phase, due for completion in the final quarter of 2026, will add a further hangar capable of supporting five additional narrowbody aircraft for base maintenance.

A third phase, planned within the next four to five years, will expand that hangar’s capacity to 10 aircraft, completing the overall maintenance centre investment.

The new hangars are authorised to accommodate Boeing 737 NG and Airbus A320/A321ceo and neo family aircraft, supporting the Turkish low-cost carrier’s mixed narrowbody fleet.

Designed to consolidate line and base maintenance under one roof, the facility supports a broad range of technical operations, including engine and landing gear changes, avionics and structural modifications, full aircraft painting and livery work, component maintenance and training activities.

The site spans 18,000 sqm of enclosed space, supported by a 25,000 sqm apron area, and is located between the airport’s two runways.

Around 200 additional jobs are expected to be created as part of the first phase.

While the centre will primarily serve Pegasus’ own fleet, the airline indicated that third-party work may be considered in the future, subject to available capacity.

Pegasus said the hangar development forms a core element of its digital maintenance and sustainability strategy. Paperless maintenance processes, a digital warehouse and tool management system, unmanned personal protective equipment dispensers and AI-supported occupational health solutions are among the technologies introduced.

Data analytics and preventive maintenance systems are designed to anticipate technical needs in advance, supporting reduced downtime and improved operational continuity. The facility was also constructed with a focus on energy efficiency and waste management.

Güliz Öztürk, chief executive of Pegasus Airlines, said: “Every investment we make in technical infrastructure takes our operational strength one step further. Our aircraft maintenance centre investment at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport is a strategic milestone in Pegasus’ sustainable growth journey.

“Our new hangars will not only enable us to manage the maintenance needs of our growing fleet more effectively, but also accelerate our transformation focused on digitalisation and efficiency. By managing our aircraft maintenance processes more quickly and in a more optimised way, we aim to provide our guests with an ever more seamless travel experience.”

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Pegasus Airlines boosts in-house MRO with $40m Istanbul facility