Turkey Now Has Flight Agreements With More Than 40 Countries Post-Coronavirus Restrictions!
Turkey has restarted international flights with more than 40 countries in June and has reached mutual agreements on air travel with 15 countries. The total number of countries on a mutual agreement with Turkey is expected to reach 92 by the end of July.
Back in March 2020, Turkey has largely sealed off its borders as part of measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak with the rest of the world. Domestic flights resumed by the first week of June between major cities as the state lightened restrictions after a significant drop in infection rates.
Minister of Transportation, Adil Karaismailoğlu has released a statement when the domestic flights began. "We believe that we have left behind an important point in the battle against the pandemic on a global scale. Now, we have to continue our international ties and trade."
Flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Qatar and Greece have been going on since June 10. Flights to 17 destinations, including Germany, Austria, Croatia, and Singapore have restarted on June 15. Flights to 16 more countries began from June 20th, 22nd, and 25th, including to South Korea, Qatar, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium.
The 15 countries with which Ankara has reached a preliminary agreement to resume reciprocal flights include Iran, Italy, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Albania, Belarus, Jordan, and Morocco.
Karaismailoğlu stated that the tests to be applied to new arrivals would be carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Health, Directorate General of Borders and Coasts, General Directorate of Public Health and Provincial Health Directorates.
Karaismailoğlu said the ministry was in cooperation with the health, foreign affairs, and culture and tourism ministries on the issue of restarting international flights, stating that the health of citizens would be prioritized and the measures to be implemented regarding this is vital.
According to the Turkish Foreign Minister Abdül Çavuşoğlu, the month of July is expected to bring more freedom to the country. The international airline giant Turkish Airlines has started selling tickets for Tehran-Istanbul services on July 16. The two countries continue to work on plans to reopen land borders for travelers, Daily Sabah cited Turkey's foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu as saying after a meeting with the Iranian FM Javad Zarif on Monday.
