Turkish Airlines trims winter network by 578 weekly flights
Turkish Airlines has removed 578 weekly flights from its reservation system ahead of the 2026/27 winter season, according to Travel and Tour World (23 May 2026), diverging sharply from timetables originally filed for the period running from 25 October through 27 March next year. The cuts span the carrier's global network, with the most visible reductions concentrated on routes serving the former Yugoslav states.
Tivat suspended for the full winter
The most decisive move is a complete suspension of Istanbul–Tivat services for the entire winter period. Türkiye's flag carrier had originally planned three weekly flights to the Montenegrin coastal resort — matching the prior winter's frequency — before opting for a full withdrawal. A comparable pattern emerged the previous winter, when services were initially maintained but ultimately halted in January after Montenegro temporarily imposed visa requirements on Turkish nationals. For the forthcoming season, Tivat has been omitted from operational planning from the outset.
Sarajevo reduced after airport talks
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Istanbul–Sarajevo route will operate at 12 weekly flights rather than the 14 originally scheduled. The adjustment followed formal discussions between Sarajevo Airport's executive management and Turkish Airlines representatives, during which both sides acknowledged systemic pressures including international jet fuel shortages and broader supply-chain disruptions. Despite the frequency cut, the airline delegation reaffirmed the strategic importance of the Sarajevo market and agreed on closer coordination to protect regional connectivity.
Podgorica and Zagreb also scaled back
Podgorica will see weekly rotations fall from 21 to 18 — still above the 14 weekly services recorded during the previous winter. Zagreb faces a steeper relative reduction, with frequencies capped at 14 weekly flights compared with the 16–17 rotations maintained during the prior winter season, varying by month.
Why it matters
For tour operators, bedbanks and DMCs routing passengers through Istanbul, the aggregate removal of 578 weekly departures represents a meaningful tightening of seat inventory into and out of the Balkans during the low season. The Tivat suspension is particularly significant: with no Turkish Airlines service at all this winter, ground operators in Montenegro lose a direct feed from one of the region's primary long-haul connecting hubs, potentially redirecting transfer traffic toward alternative continental gateways. The Sarajevo reduction, though modest in absolute terms, signals that even markets the airline publicly values are not immune to yield-driven consolidation. For the Podgorica route, the net frequency — while lower than planned — remains above last winter's baseline, offering some reassurance to operators dependent on that corridor. Across the board, the stated drivers — fuel price volatility and aircraft-component supply constraints — are structural rather than demand-side, suggesting that further tactical adjustments remain possible before the winter schedule formally commences on 25 October.
