Delta to suspend Istanbul immediately
 

looks like this won't even operate this summer, very last minute cancellation!

no longer bookable on DL.com

http://news.delta.com/delta-suspend-...tanbul-service

Eesh -- was planning to transit through IST on my way to the US tonight, ended up getting TK to refund my ticket and paid twice as much to take AF through CDG because my wife was too worried.

These actions could really hurt Turkey's tourism industry.

Without taking this into OMNI territory - it was the same at Sharm-el-sheikh. I do not think it fair to blame the airlines. Countries need to get a grip of the terrorists in their own backyard.

Turkish Airlines has the route well covered. They have 3 JFK-IST flights.

They're in *A, not SkyTeam. No MQMs, etc. for these long flights.

This is too bad. Istanbul is an amazing city.

Can't say I blame Delta though, given the uncertainty I am sure bookings are down (and unlike TK, DL doesn't have transit passengers to help with the loads).

Did something happen very recently to generate a new travel warning from the State Department? I'm not aware of any major changes to the situation in IST.

The US gov't recently evacuated non-essential personnel not just from the Incirlik area, but also from the Izmir and Bodrum areas. That very much surprised me as Izmir/Bodrum are some of the most secular areas in Turkey. (And something must have changed, as migrants have been passing through those areas for over a year.) It's too bad, SW Turkey is amazing.

The other deterrent is the scarlet SSSS status that many people are reporting after traveling as tourists to Turkey and coming back to fly in the states. I'm told of cases where American diplomats traveling on dip passports going to/from post through Turkey are getting them!

I called the Diamond line and the news has not filtered down to the RA yet. I had booked the DTW-JFK-IST R/T for July 8th-13th and was able to use my last GUC and already had it confirmed for the return (that will tell you there was light booking). I could adjust the trip but the JFK-IST non-stop was the real highlight for a quick turn (and I'm not going on Turkish without the MQM and MQD credit). I also booked a non-refundable 4 nights at the Doubletree near Old Town when they ran a 78 Euro/night special a couple months ago. Will be interested to see how accommodating Delta will be on the change, and if they can force the GUC to confirm on a DTW-CDG or AMS segment with Delta metal.

Bookings must be down to CDG, too.

Flew SEA-CDG last week and then CDG-SLC yesterday. Both planes maybe 2/3 full at the MOST. Coming home may have been even 1/2 full. 😕

I've never been in Izmir, but my impression is that it's a big city that's reasonably cosmopolitan and liberal, not at all filled with religious fundamentalists and terrorists. It would primarily be a business destination.

Bodrum seems much more permissive than Istanbul, although in both places you do see some women wearing headscarfs, etc. It's a major center for beach vacations combined with archaeology sites and historic forts, mosques, etc. IME you see more topless women on the beach and really tiny bikinis walking along the beach or in waterfront cafes and bars than you do in almost all USA resort areas. Openly gay couples are common, as are public displays of affection. There are bars and nightclubs that are open and crowded in the middle of the night in Bodrum. Yet there seem to be a lot of mosques that call the faithful to prayer at the required times.

Maybe if they'd stop charging so much to CDG there'd be more pax. Fares have been fairly high for a few years. I would usually take multiple weekend trips to CDG over a year, but can't justify it with the prices they were charging.

Yes, a suicide bombing in Istanbul on 19 March 2016, killing five people and injuring 30+ people:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...ly-bomb-attack

The seasonal Delta nonstop carried mostly American tourists, so it is not surprising that recent events (not just in IST) have curtailed US-originating travel to some of these spots.