Any concerns with visiting Istanbul if Russia invades Ukraine?
Feb 24, 2022, 5:11 am
#17
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 380
That's why I was sure to put "I'm not saying it won't happen (and who knows with Vlad)." People here, including yours truly, can't believe he actually did it though. Lines stretching around the corner from the banks to pull cash out. Of course not a peep in the news other than playing out the "de-nazifying" angle; give me a break...
It escalated very quickly and now we will just have to see, unfortunately. I still would not worry about traveling to the rest of western Europe at this time.
It escalated very quickly and now we will just have to see, unfortunately. I still would not worry about traveling to the rest of western Europe at this time.
Feb 26, 2022, 8:17 am
#20
Join Date: Nov 2012
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“Even if it stays localized in Ukraine, any possibility that it could spread to other countries it will be enough to affect travel and mood”
I don’t want to sound insensitive, but I very much doubt that an invasion in Ukraine will have any impact on the mood in the rest of Europe. Especially not in the western part in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal etc etc etc. In 1990’s there was a war in (former) Yougoslavia that was much closer to home for many European countries and still life continued as normal. People went on with their daily life, went on holidays throughout Europe (not to former Yougoslavia of course) and even the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain went ahead as planned.
Please don’t overreact with regards to this conflict. It may seem close on a map, but for many Europeans this conflict feels very far away from home
I don’t want to sound insensitive, but I very much doubt that an invasion in Ukraine will have any impact on the mood in the rest of Europe. Especially not in the western part in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal etc etc etc. In 1990’s there was a war in (former) Yougoslavia that was much closer to home for many European countries and still life continued as normal. People went on with their daily life, went on holidays throughout Europe (not to former Yougoslavia of course) and even the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain went ahead as planned.
Please don’t overreact with regards to this conflict. It may seem close on a map, but for many Europeans this conflict feels very far away from home
Feb 27, 2022, 12:07 am
#22
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That the invasion had an impact on the mood. Or did the large manifestation for support of Ukraine does not count as a mood change ? The fear of a hard winter without access to Russian coal, gaz and oil ? That for peoplel living near a US Air Force base in Europe, there is a noticeable increase in activity level. This "is far from home" is not the truth.
Feb 27, 2022, 1:24 am
#24
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 57
Yes, this has impacted the lives of some people, but in general life continues normally here in Western Europe. Tourists are still arriving, people go out for dinner, go out for drinks, people visit museums and other sights of interest, people are out and about in the streets etc etc.
Feb 27, 2022, 1:40 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 57
This is a travel forum and my initial reply was in response to a poster wondering if this will impact travel and mood. I remain by my view that this has no impact on that. Here in Western Europe life and certainly the tourist life continues as normal.
Feb 27, 2022, 8:53 am
#27
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Feb 27, 2022, 11:45 am
#28
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 380
Luckily I was able to fly out yesterday on SU 102, but SU 124 today turned around and diverted back to Moscow, just as it was approaching Greenland. I'm guessing that coincided with Canada's announcement blocking Russian aircraft. I guess people will have to find connections that are still operating from Russia (that aren't blocked yet by the Russian side), maybe HEL. Best of luck to those still in Russia.
Feb 27, 2022, 2:41 pm
#29
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This.
Let me tell everyone this.
Things may look like normal when lives go on. But.
People in the Baltics are worried. Young and old. I have traveled this area extensively and am currently in the region again. Everyone I talk to is worried.
Let me tell everyone this.
Things may look like normal when lives go on. But.
People in the Baltics are worried. Young and old. I have traveled this area extensively and am currently in the region again. Everyone I talk to is worried.
Feb 27, 2022, 2:46 pm
#30
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Luckily I was able to fly out yesterday on SU 102, but SU 124 today turned around and diverted back to Moscow, just as it was approaching Greenland. I'm guessing that coincided with Canada's announcement blocking Russian aircraft. I guess people will have to find connections that are still operating from Russia (that aren't blocked yet by the Russian side), maybe HEL. Best of luck to those still in Russia.
Even into the start of this weekend, Turkey and Russia have had that adversarial cooperation thing going on. They still have that thing, but as of this weekend Turkey has revised its approach a bit and finally come around to acknowledging Russia is in a war -- perhaps doing so as to signal to Russia that Turkey may control how ships of Black Sea states can use Turkey's waters. While this development does indicate a potential for an increase in friction between Russia and Turkey over Ukraine, Turkey has a lot of energy and tourism ties with Russia such that it's not willing to put all of that on the block even now.
Perhaps the OP can call the situation based on how things go with the number of Russian visitors who visit Turkey in the coming weeks and months until around the anticipated vacation time. If those numbers are high, then the OP visiting Istanbul shouldn't be a problem either as long as flights continue pretty much as usual for the route or don't have more than a relatively short delay due to re-routes.
