Turkish Airlines will resume flights between Istanbul and Abu Dhabi, restoring its full UAE network after months of disruption caused by the regional conflict and airspace restrictions.
The airline announced that services to Zayed International Airport will restart on July 1, following the resumption of flights to Dubai on June 9. It will also increase its Dubai frequency from seven weekly flights to 14 from June 25.
The carrier temporarily suspended services to parts of the Gulf and Middle East earlier this year amid airspace closures and operational disruption linked to the Iran war. Airlines across the region were forced to cancel or reroute thousands of flights as countries closed or restricted their airspace for safety reasons.
As Abu Dhabi and Dubai services are restored, Turkish Airlines said travellers in the UAE will once again have access to its global network through Istanbul. The carrier flies to more countries than any other airline and serves more than 350 destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas.
Flights between Istanbul and Abu Dhabi will operate four times a week. Flight TK868 will depart Istanbul at 6.45pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 12.25am the following day. The return service, TK869, will leave Abu Dhabi at 1.30am on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, landing in Istanbul at 5.25am.
The airline said the resumption of flights to the UAE capital will further strengthen travel links between the UAE and Turkey.
