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Turkish Airlines (TK) has announced the suspension of flights to 18 international destinations, including Sierra Leone’s Lungi International Airport (FNA), as part of a sweeping network adjustment for the northern summer 2026 schedule, according to multiple aviation publications.
The suspensions, which take effect between May and June 2026, affect routes across Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe from the carrier’s primary hub at Istanbul Airport (IST). The move reflects a strategic review of route performance amid rising operational costs and ongoing geopolitical tensions, industry analysts say .
Sierra Leone is among ten African destinations losing Turkish Airlines service. The complete list of affected African cities includes: Freetown (Sierra Leone), Bissau (Guinea-Bissau), Juba (South Sudan), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), Libreville (Gabon), Luanda (Angola), Lusaka (Zambia), Monrovia (Liberia), Hurghada (Egypt), and Pointe Noire (Republic of Congo).
According to flight data, Turkish Airlines had been operating the Istanbul–Ouagadougou–Freetown route three times weekly, with flight TK534 departing Freetown at 01:25 and stopping in Ouagadougou before continuing to Istanbul . The last flight on this route is scheduled for June 6, 2026 . Ouagadougou service will be reduced from eight to four weekly flights but will continue.
Other suspended destinations outside Africa include: Aqaba (Jordan), Billund (Denmark), Ferghana (Uzbekistan), Havana (Cuba), Kirkuk (Iraq), Leipzig/Halle (Germany), Najaf (Iraq), and Turkistan (Kazakhstan).
Turkish Airlines has declined to comment officially on the network changes . However, industry observers attribute the move to a combination of rising fuel costs, regional conflict, and strategic route consolidation.
The conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt air travel, with Turkish Airlines also suspending operations to four Iranian cities—Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Tabriz—due to closed airspace. Unlike the optional suspensions to other destinations, the Iran routes are mandatory cancellations, according to Simple Flying.
“The move is said to be a strategic review, as the airline suspends routes that have seen a decline in demand, particularly for lesser-known destinations,” the UK’s Mirror reported.
The Africa Report noted that after a decade of aggressive expansion across Africa, Turkish Airlines is now retreating from ten African routes as economic and geopolitical pressures bite. The carrier recorded a turnover of $24 billion in 2025.
The duration of suspensions varies by destination. Some routes may resume by late October 2026, while others are not scheduled to return until March 2027 at the earliest.
