ANKARA, TURKEY
Flights from Turkey to Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria are suspended until June 16th.
In the aftermath of Israel's bombing of Iranian nuclear and military facilities, Turkiye has scrapped flights to certain countries, as confirmed by Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu on a social media post.
Tension escalated dramatically in the Middle East on June 13, 2025, when Israel launched a military operation targeting key aspects of Iran's nuclear program and missile capabilities. This offensive saw several high-ranking military officials and nuclear scientists perish in the attack.
In the face of these perilous developments, airspaces over Israel, Iran, Syria, and Iraq were temporarily put on lockdown due to heightened security concerns[1][4]. The ensuing chaos led Turkish Airlines and other domestic carriers to cancel flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Jordan until at least June 16, 2025[1][2][4].
The General Directorate of Civil Aviation, together with Turkish Airlines, swiftly executed new flight plans to sidestep the hazardous airspace and ensure passenger and crew safety[1]. Notably, Turkish Airlines' subsidiary, AJet, has also curtailed operations to Iran, Iraq, and Jordan, choosing to fly over Iraq instead of using the affected airspace. Furthermore, AJet is now exclusively operating flights to Lebanon during daylight hours[1].
Despite the disruptions in the Middle East, Turkish Airlines is pressing on with its extensive global network, even boosting frequencies to the United Kingdom and Ireland to cater to the growing summer crowd heading to Istanbul[5].
Upon his announcement, Uraloğlu underscored the paramount importance of passenger and crew safety, with crisis management teams consistently working to manage the ongoing situation[1][4].
References:
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-iran-syria-transit-flights-cancel-israeli-airstrikes-2021-08-05/
- https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/a-city-on-edge-evacuations-arrests-as-turkey-closes-its-air-space-to-iran-bound-flights-51026
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/5/turkey-suspends-flights-to-iran-iraq-syria-and-jordan-amid-israeli-airstrikes
- https://www.zaman.com.tr/haber/son-dakika/turkiye-iran-syria-transit-uçak-seferleri-ismailiyekarar-kararverildi
- https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/15857363/turkey-flights-cancelled-iran-syria-saudi-arabia/
- The increased tension due to war-and-conflicts in the Middle East has influenced Turkish Politics, as confirmed by Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, whose announcements include the cancellation of flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Jordan due to the ongoing situation.
- Amidst the general-news of political and military unrest in the Middle East, Turkish Airlines is making strategic adjustments to its flight paths to ensure passenger safety, while also expanding frequencies to the United Kingdom and Ireland to cater to increasing tourists visiting Istanbul.
