Turkish Airlines Returns to Sulaymaniyah Skies

Jalal Talabani International Airport

A Turkish Airline plane at the Jalal Talabani International Airport in Sulaymaniyah.

Turkish Airlines has officially resumed operations to Jalal Talabani International Airport in Sulaymaniyah, launching a service of four direct weekly flights connecting Istanbul and the city.

According to a statement released by airport authorities, the carrier’s inaugural flight landed in the early hours of Friday morning, inaugurating the first phase of the reinstated Istanbul–Sulaymaniyah route.

The return of Turkish Airlines follows the recent restoration of services to Jalal Talabani International Airport by Turkish low-cost carriers AJet and Pegasus.

In October 2025, Türkiye lifted its longstanding airspace restrictions, paving the way for direct commercial flights to resume between Sulaymaniyah and Turkish destinations.

The initial reinstatement ended a two-year and seven-month airspace ban, marked by the arrival of the first Turkish Airlines aircraft in Sulaymaniyah on 3 November 2025. Following subsequent temporary suspensions caused by regional conflict and renewed airspace closures, Turkish Airlines has formally reinstated service and currently operates four direct flights per week on the route.



PUKMEDIA