Turkish Airlines has implemented wide-ranging network cuts for the upcoming 2026/27 winter season, which begins on October 25 and runs through to March 27 next year. Last week, the Turkish flag carrier removed 578 weekly flights from its timetable compared to its original schedule. Within the former Yugoslav region, the reductions currently affect Tivat, Sarajevo, Podgorica and Zagreb, with further adjustments possible.
Turkish Airlines will suspend operations to Tivat for the entire upcoming winter season. The carrier had initially planned to maintain three weekly flights between Istanbul and the Montenegrin coastal city, matching frequencies from the previous winter. However, while Turkish Airlines also scheduled the route last winter, it ultimately suspended operations in January for the remainder of the season following the temporary introduction of visas for Turkish nationals by Montenegro. This time, no flights are planned for the full duration of the winter season.
In Sarajevo, Turkish Airlines will reduce operations from the originally planned fourteen weekly flights to twelve throughout the winter season. The adjustment comes shortly after Sarajevo Airport’s management held talks with representatives from Turkish Airlines. Sarajevo Airport noted, “The discussions touched on the current challenges facing the aviation industry, including the global situation marked by jet fuel shortages and broader market disruptions. Despite a reduction in flights during the summer season as a result of these circumstances, representatives from Turkish Airlines emphasised that the Bosnia and Herzegovina market, and Sarajevo in particular, remains of significant importance to the airline. Both sides agreed that under such conditions, strengthening mutual cooperation and coordination is crucial to maintaining stability and ensuring the continuity of air operations”.
Turkish Airlines will also reduce flights between Istanbul and Podgorica from the planned 21 weekly to eighteen per week. However, this remains above last winter’s level, when the airline operated fourteen weekly services. On the other hand, the carrier will cut operations to Zagreb from the sixteen to seventeen weekly rotations maintained last winter, depending on the month, to fourteen weekly flights.
It will be interesting to see what happens with their Montenegro flights. Montenegro is required to introduce visas for Turkish citizens. If I remember correctly by the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteActually they need to be introduced by 5 September.
Deletebut why?
DeleteEU accession
DeleteYes visa regime must be the same as EU by that date.
DeleteThx. oh well its gonna be another drama like last year
DeleteI hadn’t realised Turks needed visas for the EU?
DeleteNot good
ReplyDeleteTK reducing Montenegro is definitely good news for JU, especially TIV.
ReplyDeleteTurkish economy and the Lira are NOT doing great. Turks are not travelling as much, demand is softer.
Yes, this may actually help Air Serbia indirectly if some transfer passengers from the region look for alternative one-stop options.
DeleteSure, it can only help Air Serbia.
DeleteThe fall of the Turkish Lira is the biggest reason for these cuts. Turks are faced with super high inflation and traveling abroad is becoming more expensive due to their currency falling.
DeleteHasn't the inflation been high in Turkey for years?
DeleteHigh inflation AND falling currency is a bad combination for people wishing to travel internationally.
DeleteI like to travel internationally.
DeleteTurkish Lira is becoming worse for years now. I remember in 2021 I was changing 1 euro to 10 liras. A year ago I was changing 1 euro for 30 liras. This year I was changing 1 euro for 50 liras. Current rate is nearly 1 euro = 55 liras.
DeletePeople in Turkey are mostly keeping value in gold. I saw and heard that everything they save they go and buy gold since they do not trust their currency.
@10:56
DeleteWOW, that is a huge drop!
Every day someone is cutting something.
ReplyDeleteNot surprising with this sort of situation in the world.
DeleteFuel costs are hurting everyone and Turkish Airlines is no exception.
DeleteWhat's going on with TK?
ReplyDeleteI assume something much bigger than current crisis. Entire management was replaced last month overnight and since no one saw it coming, they were obviously fired. With TK, you don't really know how they are performing financially.
DeleteWell it is a state owned company and the government can do with it as it pleases.
DeleteManagement either follows the ministry's instructions or is gone.
This is absolutely NOT ok. Our region deserves much better.
ReplyDeleteWell they are cutting over 500 flights per week. So it's definitely not just our region.
DeleteAt least Sarajevo and Podgorica are retaining decent frequencies.
Delete@09:10 deserves better? Hajde calm down. The region deserves better on many levels.
DeleteFill the planes and you might deserve better. Of the many stupid comments you read on here this is the most outlandish
Deletewho says planes are not full? I am sorry but they are. Problem is the fuel, it is making crazy problems for everyone.
DeleteJet fuel prices have more than doubled in the last three months.
DeleteEvery airline in the world is hurting right now. Especially those with little or no fuel hedging.
Just my2cents
Ryanair isn't really hurting. They hedged fuel until the end of 2027 so 80% of their prices are at $67!
DeleteDoes anyone know if JU has hedged its fuel needs and how much of those?
DeleteNo it has not. Read the news
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2026/05/air-serbia-says-no-plans-to-cut.html
^ Thank you, I hadn't seen that.
Delete578 weekly flights removed is huge. This shows how serious the current operating environment is. I wouldn’t be surprised if more cuts follow across the region.
ReplyDeleteIf Turkish Airlines is making these kinds of cuts, imagine what will follow from others.
DeleteTrue dat!
DeleteTivat being dropped for the whole winter makes sense. It’s a highly seasonal destination and winter demand was never particularly strong to begin with.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Tivat in winter was always questionable. I’m more surprised Turkish bothered scheduling it in the first place.
DeleteWhy? Lot's of Turks moved to MNE and then there were Russians. Now JU can handle these passengers.
DeletePodgorica still being above last winter levels is actually a positive story hidden in this article. Everyone will focus on cuts, but TK is still growing there compared to last year.
ReplyDeleteWinter is months away. Unless something changes we will see more cuts.
DeleteZagreb keeps losing connectivity this year.
ReplyDeleteVery bad year for ZAG.
DeleteAnnual passenger figures will be record high.
DeleteI would not be that optimistic.
DeleteWith so many cutting - losing 11 destinations and many other frequencies - it does not look good.
ZAG having a record number of passengers is indeed very disturbing news for certain commenters here...
DeleteSo no one is allowed to say if there have been a lot of routes cut so you don't get upset? If people were disturbed they would have been disturbed for many years, since the airport had record numbers for the past few years. Numbers went down in April and are on the verge of being down in May too.
DeleteI wonder if this opens space for Pegasus to expand further in the Balkans. Lower cost operators may see an opportunity where Turkish is pulling back.
ReplyDelete"Lower cost" my ass.
DeleteRyanAir, Wizz & AJet are real low cost operators. Pegasus? Horrible prices
DeleteBut those three airlines do not link the Yugosphere with Turkey. That was the 09:16 poster's point.
DeleteSarajevo only dropping from 14 to 12 weekly isn’t dramatic.
ReplyDeleteTurkish Airlines has become so important for Balkan connectivity that even relatively small cuts get noticed immediately.
DeleteIstanbul remains one of the best hubs for onward connectivity and one of the best connected from ex-Yu.
DeleteAmen, my favourite carrier both for economy and especially premium.
DeleteThey fly to most countries globally compared to others
Sarajevo will still boast the most weekly flights to Turkiye in the region, more than Belgrade or Zagreb
Delete@11.09 i dont think so. there is an ex-yu airport that has 11 turkish routes
Deleteand then there is Belgrade too
DeleteNext winter BEG has 44 weekly flights to Turkey. SJJ has 39.
DeleteSKP will have (current state) 41
Delete11:19 BEG and SKP will have most flights to IST not SJJ , inform yourself before comnenting!!!
DeleteTurkish Airlines used to be the airline that added flights every season, not removed them. Times have clearly changed.
ReplyDeleteTivat suspended and Podgorica reduced. Not exactly a vote of confidence for the market.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting they do not cut BEG.
ReplyDeleteBEG and LJU seem to be top performers for TK in the region.
DeleteThey do not cut BEG as those flights are always full. They would even like to expand BEG, but bilateral agreement does not allow.
DeleteJU is likely a good reason for them to not reduce frequencies to BEG.
DeleteNot just JU but Pegasus and Anadolujet.
DeleteDon't forget that Anadolujet and Turkish Airlines are no longer bffs, they are competing more and more.
^ Did you really write this? You do realise Turkish Airlines founded and owns 100% of AJet. Some of you really have no clue about aviation.
Delete:D:D they literally sell AJet flights on their webpage... @12.16 you are so right
DeletePodgorica with not even hundred thousand inhabitants would have had the same number of flights than Belgrade.
DeleteEither Podgorica is much overblown or Belgrade is extremey underserved..
Belgrade has 33 weekly flights to Istanbul IST next winter and 41 weekly when SAW is included.
DeleteThe aviation industry keeps talking about demand still being very strong, yet schedules are being reduced everywhere. Something doesn’t add up.
ReplyDeleteDemand is there, people are willing to fly but they are not ready to pay those fares. This is why they keep cutting. Prices have become unreasonable.
DeleteCould this also be linked to aircraft availability issues, not just fuel? I believe they still have a lot of issues with P&W engines.
ReplyDeleteTrue, some of their brand new A321neos are parked since delivery (TC-LRA/B/C/D/F)
DeleteFor many the weak German market will be a problem. Lufthansa already had three waves of domestic cuts and just yesterday FlyOne also announced more cuts to Germany:
ReplyDeleteRMO-MUC
RMO-BRE
EVN-CGN
EVN-VIE
More and more cuts are expected in the coming months.
Winter is coming!
ReplyDeleteYes. Doom and gloom. Got your high for today? You could also update to a more contemporary reference.
DeleteThis will probably mean higher fares as capacity tightens. Bad news for passengers.
ReplyDeleteIndeed
DeleteUnfortunate
ReplyDeleteFor Podgorica, eighteen weekly flights is still very solid. Some airports in the region would be delighted with that level of service.
ReplyDeleteThe wider concern is if Lufthansa, Turkish and others all keep trimming simultaneously. Regional connectivity could deteriorate quickly this winter.
ReplyDeleteThat is where JU can massively profit. They have the ATRs which are extremely economical on regional routes.
DeleteIt's exactly this that quite a few didn't take into consideration when JU introduced winter flights to SPU. It'll be interesting to watch what JU does with competitors reducing frequencies across the region.
DeleteFor once Ljubljana not included thankfully
ReplyDeleteDo we know how much LJU has TK scheduled for the winter?
DeleteIs Pegasus going to keep flying from SAW through the winter? They are a good alternative IMHO.
SKP as well thanks god😂
Deletesurprised there are more flights to TGD than SJJ or other airports
ReplyDeleteHuge number of Turks own preperty in Montenegro now.
Deleteonly TK has more flights to TGD than the rest. When you combine all other turkish airlines the picture is different
DeleteTGD only regular year round route for connections is IST and TK , they dont have much choice to choose..
DeleteSJJ seems to hold talks with an airline right before they cut flights. Same happened with OU.
ReplyDeleteWell they talk to tell them there will be cuts probably :D
DeletePodgorica having more flights than Zagreb or Sarajevo?!
ReplyDeleteSomething doesnt add up..
It has been that way for some years.
DeletePegasus has only 3 weekly to TGD maybe thats why. Pegasus serves some cities double daily
DeleteWould like to know the passenger structure of those flights.
DeleteIf Podgorica can generate more demand than Zagreb than Emirates should have send the 777 to Montenegro.
O&D demand is far larger compared to ZAG.
Delete