Originally Posted by
craigthemif
- Israel's economy is tech-based and very international - Turkey's economy is highly domestic
- Many Jewish people living in the US, as well as Christians wanting to visit the Holy Land
- The Israel market has been off limits to the major Gulf carriers, leaving the market to US3 / El Al and some Europe connections
As for the Turkish diaspora in the US, there's a reasonable % of that population that cannot even visit Turkey for fear of being thrown in jail as a Gulenist.
I get that. As an expat working in Turkey, I just wish that I had more options flying back to the US - especially when there is a fortress hub near me. Nevertheless, Istanbul is one of the most important cities in the world - culturally, historically, economically, and geographically speaking. It plays an outsized role in comparison to the rest of Turkey (and the local region). I just expected more connectivity, I guess.