Türkiye’s flag carrier Turkish Airlines has restarted its service between Istanbul and Afghanistan.
The service was abandoned along with the majority of flights to Afghanistan in 2021 in reaction to the Taliban’s coup to regain control of the country.
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The airport, at the time known as Hamid Karzai International Airport, was the scene of chaos and killing as Western militaries attempted to evacuate foreign nationals as the Taliban re-took Kabul.
Domestic and regional international flights resumed quickly, with Ariana Afghan Airlines flying to Herat and other Afghan cities and Pakistan International Airlines landing at the re-named Kabul International Airport a month after the Taliban’s violent reinstatement.
But further carriers have been reticent to resume flights for the fear of showing tacit approval or appearing to recognise the legitimacy of the Taliban government.
In a short media statement, Turkish Airlines announced it had restarted its Kabul service, saying it added to its claim to be “the airline that flies to more countries than any other in the world”.
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By GlobalDataThe airline said its round-trip would operate four times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
According to documentation shared with the media, the route is planned to run until 26 October 2024. It is unclear if it will continue after this date.
The first international carriers to return to Kabul were FlyDubai in November 2023, and AirArabia in early 2024.
