International Flights Suspended Post-Coup Attempt in Turkey

Most of the flights heading into Turkey were suspended on Saturday, following the failed coup attempt. While the Ankara authorities are still working hard towards getting things back to normal, US government stands firm on its decision of cancelling outbound flights to the Turkish mainland. Moreover, inbound flights from Turkey to US were are also aborted, indefinitely.

The Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul was about to be reopened today after the failed violent strike but the Turkish authorities were resisted by the ongoing flight norms. While the airport stands functional now, most of the international carriers are still looking to wait— before resuming full-fledged services.

Unlike the US, Russian airlines are actually repatriating back the vacationers but still not flying into Turkey.

Vladimir Putin, Russian President has ordered the ministry towards making arrangements for bringing back the Russian inhabitants from Turkey. Therefore, inbound flights with highest levels of scrutiny are still plying from Turkey to Russia.

Following this, Lufthansa— the biggest airline agency in Germany has also put a stop on the incoming flights to Ankara and Istanbul, regardless of people willing to show their voter ID cards or any of the mentioned identity proofs.

British Airways has also cancelled flights— to and fro— based on the nature of events which are unfolding with every passing hour. While the security standards have diminished significantly, it is actually strange to see country’s risking the lives of their own citizens in this hour of reckoning.

In the recent turn of events, the ‘US Federal Aviation Administration’ has issued an order to avoid both inbound and outbound flights to Turkey— based on the embassy’s instruction to avoid the Ataturk airport. Reason stated was the possibility of scattered firing.

The embassy further added,

“Security at Ataturk airport is significantly diminished and US government employees have been instructed not to attempt to travel to and from Ataturk airport.”

The US Embassy has also issued an FAA note on the same— prohibiting each and every flight with or without a stopover. The note has been already shared over Twitter.

Moreover, the embassy said,

“All airline carriers, regardless of country of registry, are prohibited from flying into the United States from Turkey either directly or via third country,”

The US has ironically advised the citizens to take shelter in safe places without offering a helping hand of its own. Unnecessary travels have been discouraged as well. That said, Turkish airports— almost all of them have reopened following Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President’s Pre-Dawn statement. He has confirmed that Turkish forces have defeated the discontented officers who were trying to overthrow him with such a lot of violence.

Lufthansa has already cancelled 8 of the 10 outbound flights between the countries and it is believed that the remaining ones will be heading towards resorts of Antalya and Bodrum. However, it is presumed that the German airline will resume a few more services, Sunday onwards.

In the meantime, Russia has been showing some real concern for its citizens and President Putin has ordered the agencies to arrange for bringing all back. Moreover, he is also empathic towards the Turkish tourists and has made necessary arrangements for their comfortable stay— until the inclement situations are resolved.

In the wake of these events, Aeroflot— a Russian carrier has already cancelled all services to Antalya and Istanbul— even for Sunday.

Comparatively smaller airlines like Thomas Cook and EasyJet seem to be braver as they aren’t expecting any schedule ramifications for the flights to Rhodes, Izmir or even Antalya. Most of their flights are plying non-stop to the South-Turkish resorts.