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Home  >  istanbul • Turkish Airlines  >  Turkish Airlines Cancels Over 1,000 Flights After Blizzard Closes Istanbul Airport
istanbulTurkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines Cancels Over 1,000 Flights After Blizzard Closes Istanbul Airport

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 26, 2022January 26, 2022 18 Comments

A blizzard in Istanbul forced the closure of Istanbul Airport as crews worked around the clock to clear up accumulated snow. An airport roof also collapsed under the weight of the snowfall. Turkish Airlines was forced to cancel over 1,000 flights, stranding tens of thousands in Turkey’s largest city.

Blizzard Leads To Massive Turkish Airlines Flight Cancellations, Temporary Closure Of Istanbul Airport

For the the first time since Istanbul Airport opened in 2019, the airport was forced to close. The gleaming new glass airport on the outskirts of Istanbul has become a major hub for world travel. Despite the pandemic, Turkish Airlines served 37 millions passengers last year and flies to more countries than any other airline.

But no one departed over a period stretching from Monday into Tuesday after a blizzard rapidly dumped unseasonable amounts of snow across the city. Roads became parking lots as hazardous slick conditions let to traffic accidents and closures. Drivers are now being urged to collect their vehicles, as many simply left them on the side of the road.

According to FlightAware, Turkish Airlines cancelled 57% of its flights yesterday (659 flights) and nearly that many on Monday, totaling over 1,000 flights. Thus far today, Turkish has cancelled 130 flights (11% of its schedule) and delayed 236 flights (21% of its schedule).

Meanwhile, the roof of a Turkish Airlines cargo building at the airport collapsed under the weight of the snow, narrowly avoiding injuring workers (the airport blamed shoddy “Spanish” construction).

While Istanbul Airport took over for Istanbul Atatürk Airport, critics warned that the geographic placement of a new airport by the Black Sea in an area plagued with fog during the winter months would wreak havoc.

While fog has led to many diversions, this blizzard pummeled all of Istanbul and was not specific to the airport. In fact, the entire city shut down, with the heavy snowfall disrupting commerce to the point in which is simply made sense to close most businesses.


> Read More: Is New Istanbul Airport Already In Danger Of Failing?


CONCLUSION

Operations have resumed at Turkish Airports after a temporary closure due to a blizzard. But it will take the flag carrier of Turkey several days to regroup after cancelling over 1,000 flights and delaying hundreds more.

Were you stranded by Turkish Airlines? How did the airline re-accomodate you?

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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18 Comments

  1. HkCaGu Reply
    January 26, 2022 at 9:57 am

    Ottoman capital. Not exactly Turkish.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      January 26, 2022 at 10:05 am

      You’re fast. Updated that almost immediately and before your comment came through.

  2. Boardstiff Reply
    January 26, 2022 at 9:58 am

    Flying out of IAD tomorrow to MCT. Hopefully all goes well. At least I can kill a delay in the Polaris Lounge!

    • PM Reply
      January 26, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      Best of luck! I went through Ataturk on a snowy day 6 years ago and the IROPS handling was a total disaster. I was extremely lucky to get home with only a slight delay, and even bagged an upgrade in the process, but I witnessed some absurd conversations between pax and employees in the ridiculously crowded lounge (‘Your flight has been cancelled, but we have found you a seat on the flight departing in two hours to Chicago.’ ‘But my flight was to Toronto how am I supposed to get there?’ ‘I am sorry, but we don’t have another flight to Toronto!’).

  3. Dave Edwards Reply
    January 26, 2022 at 10:05 am

    How will the worlds Hash supply be affected?

  4. James Harper Reply
    January 26, 2022 at 10:53 am

    It wasn’t just Istanbul, this spread across South Eastern Europe, Athens was also closed and people in Greece were advised to stay at home because the weather made any travel unsafe. Those countries just do not have equipment to deal with this sort of snow fall and for once in every fifty years why would they?

  5. Lukas Reply
    January 26, 2022 at 1:46 pm

    I was affected by this. Canadian and Australian call centers to the rescue! LOL

  6. Jerry Reply
    January 26, 2022 at 1:54 pm

    Instead of blaming “Spanish” construction, perhaps the blame should lie with Turkish decision makers that hired the Spanish contractor or Turkish regulators that permitted the structure to be occupied.

    • Andy K Reply
      January 27, 2022 at 11:14 am

      I found the lazy Spaniard. Always blaming others.

  7. Max Gross Reply
    January 26, 2022 at 2:37 pm

    Flew IST-LHR-ATL exactly three weeks ago and it was CAFB and mid-fifties Fahrenheit. Go figure.

  8. Selina Reply
    January 26, 2022 at 11:05 pm

    I was stuck in Istanbul for 72 hours. A worse experience I cannot recall. Extremely Poor communication for all airline staff. When challenged, staff responded rudely, no food or water/ there was a mini riot at the airport. No hotel accommodation or even consideration – for babies, elderly and sick. The snowstorm was bad, their reaction was dismal. I spoke to workers who had been trapped at the airport for 36 hours. They were constantly behind the 8th ball. To cap it all off – they lost luggage. I consider myself lucky to have made it out after 72 hours. To date only terminal A out of the 6 is open to flights. Very dissapointing show from the worlds largest airline in the world’s almost largest airport. Very dissapointing from an airport that has so much to offer

    • David James Reply
      January 27, 2022 at 10:50 am

      Given the amount of snow, there was little anyone could do. Perhaps before suggesting staff were rude you should consider how many people they were dealing with asking for things that due to the weather simply could not be achieved.

      Oh, and could you learn to spell please?

  9. MMC Reply
    January 27, 2022 at 1:48 pm

    My husband’s Business flights were cancceled for tomorrow from Kuwait City to Istanbul to San Franciscco and he will now be flying Emirates economy though Dubai. I feel bad for a 76-year-old with severe back problems not able to fly Business because Emirates wanted aboout 5K for the one-way flights. The flight from Dubai to SF is over 16 hours.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      January 27, 2022 at 2:01 pm

      When is the earliest date Turkish could accommodate him?

  10. Reilly Reply
    January 28, 2022 at 6:40 am

    Went through this. Staff were totally unprepared, no communication what so ever on turkish airs part.

    Not once was I told that you need to show your ticket to get food and drink from the food court, just found out on accident.

    Spent $70 on calls just to try and change a ticket. Got sent around the whole airport looking for a blanket.

    I honestly won’t ever visit turkey again after this debacle.

    The highlight?

    Clear weather but still canceling all flights due to “extreme weather”.

    • Landseanair Reply
      January 31, 2022 at 3:25 am

      Hi Reilly,
      Thanks for your review.
      As a heads up for future passengers who may find themselves in a similar situation, where did you eventually find obtain the blanket from?

  11. Emin Ozel Reply
    January 30, 2022 at 6:56 am

    My wife’s domestic flight was cancelled as the TK flight could not leave Istanbul. My wife had a flight from Denizli to Istanbul, then a connecting flight with Singapore Airlines to Sydney. Unfortunately all lost. I have emailed TK airlines and Singapore airlines but unfortunately still no reply. Meantime my wife is still stuck in Denizli.

  12. Chibuzor Okoezi Reply
    January 30, 2022 at 2:15 pm

    My flight was also cancelled I was to travel on the 26th from Nigeria to Istanbul and then to London. I was told I can request a refund which I already did. I sent a mail to them I hope they respond soon. I am already in the UK I arrived 2days ago. I had to buy another ticket from Qatar airways.

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