Turkish Airlines mulls resuming Israel flights

Despite the diplomatic tensions between Israel and Turkey, Turkish Airways tankers are considering recommending flights on the Tel Aviv -Istanbul Road in June. Sources in the aviation industry believe that Turkish Airlines will resume services on a smaller scale in June with the restoration of full operations in October 2025.

Turkish airlines date back to 49 % by a Turkish government investment fund, but it is managed as a company with profitability that determines work decisions. However, the government has an impact on purely non -economic decisions as well.

Even the outbreak of the war in October 2023, Turkish Airlines was one of the dominant airlines working at Ben Gurion Airport. In 2019, before Covid, it was classified as the fourth largest airline at the Israeli airport in terms of operations with a market share of 4.87 %. Turkish Airlines maintained its site in 2023, despite the interruption of operations in Israel immediately after the war erupted for three months. PEGASUS with low -cost Turkish, which is also considering returning to Israel, ranked twelfth at the time, in terms of market share.

According to industry estimates, Tel Aviv Airbul Road was one of the most profitable Turkish airlines, partly due to the high demand for contacts from Istanbul. The operating costs of flights are relatively low, and most passengers continued to have flights to Europe, North America and Asia. In fact, flights to Israel are not necessary for tourism to Turkey itself (the tourism industry grows in the country even without visitors from Israel), but for the purpose of strengthening the international airline network of the Turkish airline.

The decision on openings is a decisive factor

The final decision regarding the return of Turkish Airlines is expected to be taken in May, when the airline holes – time openings to take off and land. Turkish Airlines and Bagasus were supposed to decide in March, but due to the uncertainty that still prevails in the region, they were given more time to make the decision.

The airline that uses a hole can retain a high frequency, but if it does not benefit from it, it may be re -customized to another airline. Turkish Airlines and Bagasus, which have made great efforts over the years to get their holes, may lose it if they continue to fly to Israel.

Industry sources say that Turkish Airlines and Bagasus understand that if they do not return to operations in Israel soon, Flydubai will benefit from the evacuated holes. Consequently, the Turkish airlines and Pigasus will lose their departure times, allowing competitors to gain more important existence and increase profits on daily flights to Israel.

To clarify the importance of holes, during the street epidemic, when passenger traffic was low, airlines are working on almost empty flights designed to maintain their rights in desired holes – there was known as “ghost trips”.

Flydubai, which currently runs eight daily flights from Tel Aviv to Dubai, is already a competition for Turkish airlines and pogasus, with the ability to connect passengers to the airport in Dubai, which, like the airport in Istanbul, is an important center for communication flights around the world, even if not On the same range.

It is clear that the absence of Turkish Airlines is perceived at Ben Gurion Airport. Even the war, the carrier has operated more than 10 daily flights on the Tel Aviv Erbul road, and during peak periods to 16 daily flights. In July and August 2023, more than 5 % of passengers pass through Ben Gurion Airport Turkish Airlines.

It was published by Globes, Israel Business News – En.globles.co.il – on February 6, 2025.

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