Turkish Airlines Cancels Flights to Israel Until October 2024 Amid Escalating Diplomatic Crisis

Turkish Airlines has announced the cancellation of its flights to Israel until the end of October 2024, raising questions about the future of air travel between the two countries. The decision comes amidst the deepening diplomatic crisis between Israel and Turkey following the recent conflict in the region.

The airline took this step on October 7, discontinuing its services to Israel, and the National Security Headquarters (NSH) issued a travel warning on October 18, urging Israelis in Turkey to leave promptly. In response, Israeli airlines conducted a rescue flight from Istanbul to bring back stranded citizens.

The strained relations between Israel and Turkey reached a new low after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan openly sided with Hamas and labeled Israel a "terrorist state." This diplomatic rift has not only affected travel but has also triggered a consumer boycott against Turkish products in Israel.

The impact of Turkish Airlines' decision is expected to reverberate in the Israeli travel market. The airline, which accounted for over 50 weekly flights from Israel, primarily serving as a major hub for connecting flights, represented 6.5% of all Israeli outbound traffic in 2022.

Industry insiders anticipate that even after the resolution of the conflict, air travel to Turkey may not return to normalcy in the near future. The cancellation of Turkish Airlines flights is seen as a significant upheaval in the Israeli aviation market, with uncertainties lingering over the resumption of these crucial routes beyond October 2024.