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Home » Turkey » Turkish Airlines Will Add 1.5 Million Seats To Russian Routes
Turkey

Turkish Airlines Will Add 1.5 Million Seats To Russian Routes

Matthew Klint Posted onApril 12, 2022November 14, 2023 40 Comments

a large airplane on a runway

Turkey will create a new charter airline with a $300 million backing from the Turkish government specifically aimed offering flights between Russia and Turkey. Furthermore, Turkish Airlines and Pegasus plan to offer millions of more seats between Russia and Turkey in an effort to entice Russian tourists to return to Turkey.

More Flights On Turkish Airlines To Russia, Plus A Brand New Airline Backed By Turkish Government

While other carriers have eliminated service to the Russian Federation after the Ukraine invasion, Turkish Airlines has maintained limited service, with Turkey styling itself as a neutral arbiter in the conflict. Prior to the war in Ukraine, more Russians visited Turkey than any other single foreign group. There’s big money in Russian tourism in Turkey.

In 2021, nearly 4.7 million Russian tourists voted the country, even in the midst of the global pandemic. That number was expected to rise to over 7 million in 2022. But embargoes on Russian countries as a result of the war have made it difficult for any Russian company to operate flights to Turkey.

The creation of more air links between the two nations, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, will seek to add 3 million seats between Russia and Turkey this year. That includes Pegasus Airlines, the second largest carrier in Turkey, which will add 500,000 seats alone, and Turkish Airlines, which will add 1.5 million seats. 1 million seats will be on a brand new carrier based in Antalya, whose name has not been announced.

Furthermore, Turkey’s Credit Guarantee Fund (KGF) will offer loans to Turkish tour companies operating in Russia in order to entice them to bring tourists to Turkey.

That said, with the rapid depreciation of the Russian Rouble since the war in Ukraine started, it isn’t clear how much money average Russians will have to travel abroad.

CONCLUSION

Turkey, though a member of NATO, is balancing its interests as a western ally and its financial interests in serving a large chunk of visitors deemed as critical to its economy. With government support, a new airline will be created catering exclusively to Russia travel. Furthermore, Turkish Airlines and Pegasus will add seats, hoping to establish new links to re-invest in the flailing Russian travel market.

What are your thoughts on the actions of the Turkish government to promote tourism from Russia?

(H/T: Sabah via Simple Flying)

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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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40 Comments

  1. Dave Edwards Reply
    April 12, 2022 at 8:50 am

    I appreciate the good people of Turkey for not punishing the citizens of Russia for their leaders decisions that most of them disagree with, if they were allowed to answer honestly.

    Plenty of Americans do business with China when we know they are worse than Russia when it comes to treatment of their own citizens.

    • Santastico Reply
      April 12, 2022 at 9:29 am

      Wrong. People of Russia should feel the pain until the entire country (well, minus the oligarchs) revolt and take this disgraceful Government out. That happened in many other countries. If the people are OK with the status quo nothing will change. So yes, unfortunately they will have to suffer to wake up and change things.

      • Jackson Waterson Reply
        April 12, 2022 at 9:55 am

        Speech is criminalized in Europe. People have been prosecuted for reading aloud from the Bible and saying it is god’s word. Saying the truth is a crime if the truth is deemed offensive to certain groups. We had christians arrested going to church in the U.S. We had bakers bankrupted by the government for not baking a cake. People who ironically donated $25 to protestors of government tyranny had their bank accounts seized.

        I think you need to take a hard look and see that there is actually less freedom in Canada and Europe than Russia. It’s good that Turkey is catering to the Russian people. The U.S. government has committed many evils by attacking every country from Panama to Iraq to libya. Where are your calls for regime change and boycotts?

        Russia is defending the people in the two eastern states that declared independence after the U.S. backed coup in 2014 and have been shelled for 8 straight years with 10,000 civilian deaths. Russia is not the bad guy in this. It’s the globalists who control Ukraine. Why do you think Ukraine is number 1 for corruption and hundreds of billions of dollars are washed in it each year. Look up the laptop.

        The Russian people overwhelmingly support Putin. The more the west is against him, the more support he gets at home and most of the world. Outside of the U.S, Canada, Europe, and Australia, most countries are neutral in this. The ruble is higher today than it has been in 2 years.

        • AlohaDaveKennedy Reply
          April 12, 2022 at 10:33 am

          PRAVDA could not have written a better post.

          • Serena Bussell
            April 12, 2022 at 11:45 am

            Thank you

        • AngryFlier Reply
          April 12, 2022 at 10:46 am

          Hey Jackson, this is what those brave Russian heroes did to innocent people. And this is what YOU are supporting: https://news.yahoo.com/bucha-massacre-horrifying-footage-shows-194038138.html

          • DavidM
            April 12, 2022 at 12:40 pm

            Jackson will be unable to respond until he has been provided direction by his Russian handlers.

        • Aaron Reply
          April 12, 2022 at 1:48 pm

          “Speech is criminalized in Europe. People have been prosecuted for reading aloud from the Bible and saying it is god’s word.”

          Bull. Hate speech is criminalized in Europe. Trying to hide behind a religion still makes it hate speech.

          “We had christians arrested going to church in the U.S.”

          During a pandemic. Stop trying to make up some war against Christians and free speech.

          “I think you need to take a hard look and see that there is actually less freedom in Canada and Europe than Russia.”

          I think you need to stop being so delusional.

          “Russia is defending the people in the two eastern states that declared independence after the U.S. backed coup in 2014”

          There was no coup. There was an election. Also not everyone in those states wanted independence from Ukraine.

          “Why do you think Ukraine is number 1 for corruption and hundreds of billions of dollars are washed in it each year.”

          I’d say Russia is more corrupt. It doesn’t excuse the corruption in Ukraine, but Ukraine is far from being number 1 in that regard.

          “Where are your calls for regime change and boycotts?”

          If the US is so bad, why are you still there?

          • cargocult
            April 12, 2022 at 8:37 pm

            Hate speech laws are commonly found in totalitarian states like the Soviet Union and Red China. They are anathema to those who care about liberty. Those who wish to police speech are just trying to bully their opponents/subjects.

            The pandemic response was a war against liberty. The good Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey couldn’t explain why liquor stores were essential and allowed to operate while churches were not. Don’t pretend there isn’t a war against Christianity by the left. I was no fan of the religious right in the 90s, but the tables have turned.

            Neocons like Victoria Nuland (daughter of surgeon and author Sherwin Nuland) and John McCain went to Ukraine to cozy up with Yanukovych’s opponents like Svoboda and openly supported his ouster. Who cares about a little neo-Nazism in the name of “democracy?” Meddling in foreign elections is good when it’s the US doing it.

            Don’t you support BLM? They want to destroy the US. The founders, “trained Marxists,” consort with folx like Eric Mann and Susan Rosenberg, who advocated for the violent overthrow of the US government in service of creating worldwide communism. The Weathermen were literal domestic terrorists who went on a bombing campaign. But the Jan. 6 LARPers were the existential threat to democracy, amirite? The only homicide at the Capitol that day was committed by…a cop. Defund the police!

        • Fernsie Reply
          April 13, 2022 at 4:15 pm

          Sir- What are you smoking? Have you ever been to Europe and have seen people been criminalized for reading the Bible? I doubt it. Stop listening to these apocalyptic doomsayers who pass along deceitful information in order to get their point of view legitimized. Nobody in Europe has been put in jail for reading the Bible. If they used the Bible and got in trouble with the law it is because they took things out of context and spewed hate speech.

          Less freedom in Europe and Canada than Russia? Really? Have you ever been to Russia? I doubt it. I have and I can tell you that every time I go, I am always reminded to not speak politics because there are people who will turn you in if you say anything against the government. I don’t ever see that happening to me in Europe or Canada. So again, stop getting your info second and third hand and go visit Russia when you can and you will see that what you are saying is complete BS.

          Really, you think that the eastern part of Ukraine is part of Russia because many people there speak Russian? If we use that logic than the English should take over the USA and Canada. Or better yet, should we give up the USA back to the Indians because we took their land? Please , please, don’t believe what you read but go and experience it. Only then will you see the truth and it isn’t what you think it is.

    • AngryFlier Reply
      April 12, 2022 at 10:41 am

      Erpin, Mariupol, Kharkiv. Butchering savages tortured, raped and murdered innocent people in these places. And you applaud the Turks for giving these animals a ride to the beach? Reminder: Turkey didn’t have much of a quarrel with Hitler either. You really need to take a look in the mirror, Dave.

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        April 12, 2022 at 10:56 am

        Who is the angry one here? F Russia and F the Ukraine. I don’t care about either one as they are all guilty of wat crimes and corruption. But I definitely don’t like the comic that wants us to get involved and start WW3. He can end this and save his people by surrendering the land back to Russia.

        Meanwhile all everyone on here cares about is making more money and getting upgrades. Let’s be honest about it at least.

        • AngryFlier Reply
          April 12, 2022 at 12:44 pm

          Russia is slaughtering it’s neighbor while the west sits around and doesn’t do squat. Meanwhile, we have apologists claiming that somehow both sides are equal? How idiotic. Even on a sophisticated level, Russia has always been up to no good, it’s always been greedy and corrupt and with evil ambitions. And it’s always waged war in a horrible and brutal way.

          These two sides are no more equal than Poland was with Germany (AND Russia) in September 1939.

        • Robert Reply
          April 12, 2022 at 1:07 pm

          What part of the US are you willing to give to Russia to prevent Putin from nuking us?

          Why the hell should Ukraine (note not “the Ukraine”) give up their sovereign territory to a foreign invader who is slaughtering it’s people?

          • Dave Edwards
            April 12, 2022 at 2:40 pm

            Maybe CA up the west coast to WA. Might give the citizens more freedoms than they currently have.

            Bigger question is what WOULDN’T you do to stop a nuclear war? Even if the question you asked makes no sense.

        • Aaron Reply
          April 12, 2022 at 1:50 pm

          “He can end this and save his people by surrendering the land back to Russia.”

          That makes about as much sense as the US returning the land back to the indigenous people of that land.

          • Dave Edwards
            April 12, 2022 at 2:43 pm

            Isn’t that what the Redskins, Braves and Indians want?

            Or are they satisfied owning casinos, drinking too much cheap alcohol and allowing their women to disappear in large numbers?

            So to be clear, you don’t think they should get their land back?

    • H.T Reply
      April 14, 2022 at 10:48 am

      +1 Dave Edwards

  2. X-USSR Reply
    April 12, 2022 at 9:07 am

    Good people of Russia? What do you know about them??!! ~70% support de-Nazification and vehemently oppose “Western values”. Go back to your public library and read up on Russian history, “Russian way” and “Russian vision”….Read Tolstoy (Aleksey), Gerzen, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Bulgakov, Gorkiy and I can go on and on…..

  3. patrick Reply
    April 12, 2022 at 9:58 am

    @Jackson – LOL Very entertaining.

  4. Jan Reply
    April 12, 2022 at 10:13 am

    The comments here are going to have to be more spicy. Over on OMAAT they are already blaming the USA/West and its Christian crusade against the Middle East on this topic. Kick it up a notch, I need more geopolitical experts to shitpost.

    • Aaron Reply
      April 12, 2022 at 1:51 pm

      Aw, we don’t need them for shitposting, Jan, we have you already.

      • Jan Reply
        April 12, 2022 at 3:01 pm

        I have property in this resident TDS-afflicted poster’s head, rent free. Love it.

  5. Dave Edwards Reply
    April 12, 2022 at 10:25 am

    All I know is everyone loves Russian strippers and next to no one wants to see a Chinese one. That fact along shows we need to keep travel from Russia open.

    • Will Macey Reply
      April 12, 2022 at 5:51 pm

      Russia and you can GTFO. As a NorCal resident–a place you’ve clearly never been–I’ve got more freedom and privilege than any of you entitled flyover untermensch.

      Looking forward to visiting Turkey this year to get into it with some of these flown in Russian c*nts who deserve every single raw potato about to be shoved down their fat jowl shaking throats.

      F*cking flyover American gate lice. Seriously need camps for you MAGAt bitches.

      • cargocult Reply
        April 12, 2022 at 8:42 pm

        You see? It’s the authoritarian leftists who call for concentration camps. Nazis, FDR, Xi Jinping, Will Macey…

        You must chill!

  6. Andy K Reply
    April 12, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    The current conflict notwithstanding, Russians are some of the most deplorable human beings on the planet. Debased people who are rude, prone to violence, drunkards, corrupt lying cheats, cutting in line, major inferiority complex.

    • Dave Edwards Reply
      April 12, 2022 at 2:37 pm

      And this is why racism still thrives. Judging an entire group of people in generalities.

      Imagine if someone said this about (insert nationality here)?

      • Andy K Reply
        April 12, 2022 at 6:26 pm

        Dave, pointing out facts is “racist?”

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_consumption_in_Russia

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Russia

        Truth hurts, buddy.

        It’s one thing to judge an individual without getting to know him or her (I am against that) but making generalizations based on facts and statistics and surmising that that certain people generally might have a negative impact when visiting a country is not racist as you suggest.

        • cargocult Reply
          April 12, 2022 at 8:43 pm

          Shall we recount FBI statistics on crime in the US by race?

    • Khalid Reply
      April 12, 2022 at 3:54 pm

      Hey Mathew, why do you tolerate racist bigots like this one above in your website

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        April 12, 2022 at 4:46 pm

        I agree, Andy K made a statement that is as racist as they come. Judging an entire population as “ people who are rude, prone to violence, drunkards, corrupt lying cheats, cutting in line, major inferiority complex.”

        There is no place for this type hatred in todays America. Thank you for calling him out Khalid.

      • Andy K Reply
        April 12, 2022 at 6:18 pm

        Russia is not a race. Oh. Got you there.

      • Ron Reply
        April 13, 2022 at 2:27 pm

        Drama=clicks=money. It’s that simple.

  7. Lara S. Reply
    April 12, 2022 at 4:06 pm

    Turkey is playing a dangerous game in threading the needle between its Western allies and Russia (and all the sanctions that have been levied against Russia by same). Having been to Ukraine and worked there I can safely say they don’t deserve this war. And yes, I recognize the tragedy in how much attention is paid to this conflict versus other conflicts and wars in other parts of the world, but the answer is that all of them should have this much attention paid to them and NOT paying less attention to this conflict.

    And in fact, geopolitics and sanctions controls are a large part of my job AND I love upgrades and travel blogs. Funny that. Traveling the world to get to actually know people should make all of us more tolerant and kind towards others but based on some of these comments, that is not happening.

  8. Adib Reply
    April 13, 2022 at 10:32 am

    I have traveled the world ever since I was a teenager seventy years ago and I can tell you there is only one race, the human race.

  9. Mustafa Reply
    April 15, 2022 at 11:03 pm

    We must always stand against the wholesale mentality. If there are 9 murderers and 1 innocent on a ship, that ship still cannot be sunk because of 1 innocent.

    • Jack Rayan Reply
      April 18, 2022 at 12:05 pm

      Great reply!! Excellent. Let’s save 1 innocent, so 9 murderes can kill anothe 1000 innocent people.
      Ukrainians are the ones being henocided. Turkey is trying to seat on 2 chairs, and that never worked well for anyone. US should sanction all companies doing business in the terrorist state of russia. Otherwise the cash flow will be used to produce weapon to kill more Ukrainians.

  10. Brian M Reply
    April 18, 2022 at 7:18 pm

    Sadly, I use Turkish Air to go to Istanbul from New York. Well, I will NEVER use them again and I will go out my way to tell as many people as possible NEVER to use them! How disappointing with the direction this airline is going! #Shame #BoycottTurkishAir

  11. Eric Sandmael Reply
    April 19, 2022 at 1:16 am

    What a horrible decision. I’ll never use Turkish Airline again, and also stop traveling to Turkey.
    Obviously money means more than solidarity to Ukraine.

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