nwflyboy

With all the flight bans, and schedule reductions, I’m trying to figure out where in Europe I could fly to from IST on TK.

I’m pretty sure I know what’s not possible: anywhere in Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Norway, Belgium, Sweeden, Denmark, Netherlands (the 9 just banned). Then of course Italy (previously banned).

I think that leaves U.K., Portugal, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia. Romania, Bulgaria? Am I missing anyplace else?

I ask because I’m currently stuck in IST, my flights (on other airlines) back to the US have been canceled (multiple times in the past few days). I’m trying to figure a way I might fly out of IST on TK to some other European gateway, where I could pick up the pieces of my return flights (preferably a city still served by Delta/Air France/KLM/sky team). The challenge is getting out of Turkey and getting to somewhere connected to Delta/AF/KLM/ST...

mdonley

Check this IATA page for travel restrictions.

I'm not seeing an easy TK-Skyteam connection outside Schengen back to the US.

In your situation, I would take Aeroflot, which is in Skyteam and has a range of flights via Moscow back to JFK for under $600 USD according to Google Flights on Sunday and for the rest of the week, it looks like, in economy; the same flights were around $2800 USD in business. Russia is not subject to any travel restrictions from Turkey or to the US at this time.

craigthemif

Rather than trying to think of a way to fly west, I would consider looking eastwards.

You're probably missing the scale of the situation if you actually care about which airline alliance can get you TATL.

SK AAR

Did you check Pegasus Airlines, which will operate a number of flights to European destinations over the next days? - only allowed for foreign/non-Turkish nationals.

https://www.flypgs.com/en/click-for-...-18th-of-march

nwflyboy

thank you - I had not heard anything about this. I will look into it.

But this begs a question: if Pegasus is allowed to do this, I’d expect TK would as well....no?

pulpfiction78

If I read the Turkish notice correctly, flights TO for example Amsterdam are still scheduled and flying. It only affects flights from those destinations to Istanbul.

Turkish website still says my booking is valid on IST-AMS and I can still buy new tickets for that route. Am I missing something?

ISTFlyer

Some flights from Istanbul to "Affected European Countries" are operated and not-canceled, however, Turkish nationals are not allowed onboard. Then the aircraft returns empty or only takes Turkish Citizens from the "Affected European Countries" to Istanbul.

nwflyboy

Every story I’ve read in Turkish media said flights to the 9 European nations were banned in both directions. The stated purpose was to keep germy Europeans out and protect Turkey, not to strand germy Americans here, but you know how policies rushed into effect don’t always make perfect sense. If it’s true that TK is still flying to the banned countries, that would certainly be helpful. Makes it a lot easier than routing through Kazakhstan or Mongolia.

@pulpfiction78: late today I got email from DL warning me that my AMS-SEA flight on the 18th was canceled. I assume you got the same. But getting TO Amsterdam seems like the bigger challenge to me. I’ve received not a word from Air France about my IST-CDG flight on Wednesday- which I assume is canceled due to the flight ban to France.

pulpfiction78

The official wording says "departure country" which I read to say that flights to those destinations are still operating. Previous poster seems to back this up.

nwflyboy

“Turkey to suspend flights to and from nine additional countries – Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands – until April 17, shoring up anti-coronavirus measures, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Cahit Turhan said Friday.”

Source: Daily Sabah
https://www.dailysabah.com/business/...virus-measures

I spent 2 hours today at IST. I had arrived on a domestic flight and wanted to get some straight answers to what (TF) was happening and how I was going to get home. I spoke with a string of at least a dozen different Help/info staff members. Many flat-out lied to me (“walk 100 meters that way, you will see the ticket counter you are looking for”, “Air France does not fly to Istanbul”, etc.). They all agreed on one thing, though: everyone told me “there are no more flights to Europe”. Most seemed delighted to be sharing that news.

ISTFlyer

I'm currently at MUC and TK 1636 was canceled and was returning empty. TK 1635 operated properly. I saw the aircraft with my eyes and was shocked.

pulpfiction78

Although it looks like my flights on Monday morning are operating as normal I do not want to risk anything. Rebooking on Turkish didn't work due to some error in the process so I booked a whole new one way itinerary leaving in a few hours. Once things settle down I will deal with Turkish to get my money back for the 2nd booking.

pulpfiction78

Turkish website states different. I'm rushing through this route on early Sunday in hopes that if there is such a restriction it does not take effect until Monday..

nwflyboy

Well good luck. My spouse and I have done nothing for the past 2 days besides trying to find new tickets out via some creative routing, which will be expensive. Not as expensive as living in Istanbul for a month or two and all the associated wreckage to our lives back home if we are stuck here.

Danny Martello

Have you tried BUD? Hungary is missing from your list of countries which are not affected.