Turkish Airlines has announced it will suspend 18 international routes starting next month, a move likely to disrupt travel plans across Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East. These schedule changes, set to take effect between May and June 2026, will impact operations at the carrier's primary Istanbul (IST) hub.
As a popular choice for UK travellers flying from major airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester, the airline's new summer timetable could significantly affect British holidaymakers. Part of a strategic review, the carrier is suspending underperforming routes to less popular destinations due to declining demand.
Affected Destinations
The destinations affected by the move include: Juba, Kinshasa, Luanda, Lusaka, Aqaba, Billund, Bissau, Ferghana, Freetown, Havana, Hurghada, Kirkuk, Leipzig/Halle, Libreville, Monrovia, Najaf, Pointe Noire, and Turkistan. While route suspensions take effect in May and June 2026, some flights will not return until late October 2026, and others are paused until March 2027.
Network Streamlining
Turkish Airlines is streamlining its African network, removing multi-stop routes in West and Central Africa. While core destinations like Accra and Dakar remain, overall flight frequencies on other routes are being reduced, as reported by Airline Economics. Due to geopolitical tensions, the carrier continues to suspend flights to several cities in Iran, including Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz, and Isfahan, a decision that will remain in place until October 2026.
Expansion in the UK
As part of its continued expansion elsewhere, the carrier introduced London Stansted as its third London-area gateway in March. British travellers now have better access to a global network fleet serving over 350 destinations across 133 countries. To make summer travel even easier, the airline expects to operate 168 weekly flights from the UK and Ireland during summer 2026.
Commenting on the launch of the new Stansted route, Turkish Airlines Vice President Sales (Middle and Northern Europe) Fuat Fırat said: "The United Kingdom continues to be one of the key strategic markets for Turkish Airlines. With the addition of London Stansted flights, we are pleased to expand our presence in London to a third airport, further strengthening London Stansted's connectivity and offering our guests greater flexibility to access our unparalleled global network. We believe this new route will not only meet regional demand but also contribute to both commercial and tourism activity across the region."
Broader Industry Impact
Over recent weeks, airlines have been frequently changing their schedules and routes to adapt to the situation in the Middle East and the jet fuel crisis. Among affected destinations are Monrovia, Najaf, Pointe Noire, Turkistan, and Hurghada. There has been a string of British airline closures recently, and the most recent carrier to go bust is Ascend Airways, which operated flights from major UK hubs such as Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport. The airline was only operating for three years and has cancelled all its flights effective immediately, with 161 jobs affected.
The 'wet-lease' carrier, a British ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) and charter airline, previously provided aircraft for other organisations. Other airlines across Europe have been affected by the crisis too, causing a knock-on effect in the UK. German airline Lufthansa has axed 20,000 summer flights in Europe due to rising fuel prices making many journeys 'unprofitable'. The 20,000 cancellations will affect hubs operating in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome and 'reduce the number of unprofitable short-haul flights'. Explaining the move, Lufthansa said jet fuel costs have 'doubled since the outbreak of the Iran conflict'.
