Turkish Airlines Armenia Flights Launch Relations Improve
- Turkish airlines is seeking to initiate flights to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, signaling a potential turning point in relations between the two countries after decades of strained...
- For years, the two nations have been at odds over the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. armenia recognizes these events as...
- Recent efforts to mend fences began gaining momentum earlier in 2023.
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Turkish Airlines Plans Flights to Yerevan Amidst Thawing Armenia-Turkey Relations
Table of Contents
Background: Decades of Tension adn Recent Reconciliation Efforts
Turkish airlines is seeking to initiate flights to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, signaling a potential turning point in relations between the two countries after decades of strained ties. This move follows a period of cautious optimism sparked by recent diplomatic engagements. The relationship between Armenia and turkey has been fraught with difficulty, stemming from past disputes, notably surrounding the events of 1915.
For years, the two nations have been at odds over the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. armenia recognizes these events as genocide, a position turkey continues to reject, maintaining that the deaths were a result of civil war and hardship.[[[[Britannica: Armenian Genocide]This fundamental disagreement has been a major obstacle to normalized relations.
Recent efforts to mend fences began gaining momentum earlier in 2023. In June, Armenian Prime Minister nikol Pashinyan visited Ankara for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.[[[[Reuters: Armenian PM meets Turkish President in Ankara]This meeting was a notable step, representing the first high-level contact between the two countries in years.
Airline’s Proclamation and Conditions
on Tuesday, October 2, 2023, Turkish Airlines formally expressed its intention to launch flights to Yerevan, contingent upon sufficient demand for the service.This was communicated in a filing with relevant authorities. [Source needed – original filing not publicly available as of Oct 2, 2023. News reports confirm the intention.]
The announcement came shortly after a meeting between the special envoys of both countries in Armenia on September 12,2023. Turkey’s special envoy for normalization with Armenia, Serdar Kılıç, traveled to Armenia via the land border. Notably, this border has remained closed to Turkish and Armenian civilians for over three decades.[[[[RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty: Turkey,Armenia Hold Talks as Border Remains Shut to Citizens]
Following the September 12th meeting,the Armenian Foreign Ministry stated that both countries agreed to “carry out the necessary work for other interested companies to start flights to various destinations starting in the summer of 2026.” This suggests a broader plan to increase connectivity between the two nations.[[[[Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Statement by Armenian Foreign Ministry]
Existing Air Links and Future Prospects
Turkish Airlines would not be the first carrier to re-establish air travel between Turkey and Armenia. In 2022,Pegasus Airlines of Turkey and flyone of Armenia both began operating flights between the two countries,marking an initial easing of travel restrictions.[[[[Aviation24: FlyOne Armenia launches flights to Istanbul]
The potential resumption of flights by Turkish Airlines represents a further step towards normalization. While formal diplomatic ties remain absent, these developments indicate a willingness to engage and rebuild relations. The 2026 timeframe for broader flight options suggests a phased approach to fully restoring connectivity.
Timeline of Key Events
- 1915: Mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, a point of contention between Armenia and Turkey.
- 1993: Turkey closes its border with Armenia in support of Azerbaijan during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.
- 2022: Pegasus Airlines (Turkey) and flyone (Armenia) resume flights between