Turkish Airlines has announced it will resume flights between Istanbul and Kabul from May 21, as reported by Afghanistan’s Tolo News television channel.
This decision comes after a hiatus following the political regime change in Afghanistan, which led the airline to suspend its operations in the country. The last flight operated by Turkish Airlines from Kabul airport was on August 14, 2021.
Tolo News highlighted that after a suspension lasting two years and eight months, Turkish Airlines is set to re-establish its connection to Afghanistan, aiming to facilitate four flights per week.
This resumption follows similar moves by other carriers like Flydubai and Air Arabia, which had earlier resumed their services to Afghanistan.
Last March, Turkish Airlines resumed its flight services to Libya after a hiatus of a decade, which marked a significant moment in the restoration of air travel links between the two countries.
Bilal Eksi, the CEO of Turkish Airlines who was aboard the flight to Mitiga Airport in Tripoli, highlighted the “historical relations” between Turkey and Libya.
In a statement, Eksi emphasized the airline’s intention to develop further its relationships within Africa, where it currently serves 62 destinations.
“We believe that tourism and trade will continue to grow in the medium and long term, supported by industrial investment development,” he stated.
Turkish Airlines has emerged as one of the leading airlines globally, reaching 346 destinations in 130 countries.