With the restart of flights to Libya’s Benghazi, Turkish Airlines now operates scheduled passenger flights to 51 African locations from its Istanbul headquarters. According to Cirium Diio, it last served Benghazi in 2014, when it was forced to halt operations due to the civil strife. I am confident it will appear in my next jam-packed Weekly Routes piece!
Turkish Airlines returned to Tripoli in April 2024, followed by flights to Benghazi. Tripoli International has been destroyed and is now closed, thus it utilises Mitiga instead. ITA Airways has recently resumed Libya service.
While important, Turkish Airlines’ passenger flights to 51 African airports do not match its record of 52 in 2019 and 2020. Benghazi flights followed the carrier’s expansion into other markets, including Sydney, its second Australian destination, and Santiago de Chile.
Welcome back, Benghazi!
Turkish Airlines returned to Libya’s second-most populous city on January 14. Three flights per week are scheduled, with the Boeing 737-800 serving as the primary aircraft. However, the 737-900ER, 737 MAX 8, and 737 MAX 9 are all scheduled to arrive in 2025. Flightradar24 reports that the initial round-trip operation used TC-LCM, a 5.9-year-old MAX 8.
Benghazi is Turkish Airlines’ third-shortest African route, covering only 685 nautical miles (1,269 kilometres), after Alexandria and Cairo.
Turkish Airlines is the third airline to fly between Istanbul and Benghazi. It joins Berniq Airways and Libyan Wings, who serve the local market. The trio has up to three flights every day.
The Turkish Airlines schedule is as follows, with all times local. Take note of Libya’s abnormally long turnaround time of 120 minutes. Perhaps this is for security reasons. After all, Tripoli has a similar duration.
- Istanbul-Benghazi: TK641, 09:15-10:50 (2h 35m block time)
- Benghazi-Istanbul: TK642, 12:50-16:10 (2h 20m)
NOTE :- Flight numbers TK641/TK642 were last used to/from Libreville in 2022. The carrier’s 737 MAX 8-operated flights usually took around seven hours.
Turkish Airlines to Africa: a summary
Turkish Airlines serves 51 passenger routes in 38 countries in North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, more than any other continent save Europe (84). This year, it expects 42 daily trips to Africa, with a maximum of 49. When will it reach 50?
Reasons for the carrier’s African significance are several, including:
- Istanbul’s proximity to Europe, which is important for the passenger feed to continue its African operations (see later)
- Africans travelling to the world via Istanbul do not require transit visas, giving them a significant competitive advantage over other carriers.
- The large use of narrowbodies: they operate 72% of trips, including 58% to Sub-Saharan Africa, with some very long sectors.
Why is narrowbody use intriguing?
Istanbul’s proximity to Europe, which is important for the passenger feed to continue its African operations (see later)
Africans travelling to the world via Istanbul do not require transit visas, giving them a significant competitive advantage over other carriers.
The large use of narrowbodies: they operate 72% of trips, including 58% to Sub-Saharan Africa, with some very long sectors.
Where its passengers go
According to booking data for the 12-month period ending November 2024, Turkish Airlines transported around 3.8 million passengers to and from Africa via Istanbul. Each day, more than 10,000 travellers connected. Approximately two-thirds of people travelled to and from Europe.
Despite this, the most popular transit-based nation pair was United States-Egypt (via Istanbul), with Turkish Airlines transporting over 100,000 passengers.
Germany-Egypt came next, followed by Turkey (excluding Istanbul)-Algeria, the United Kingdom-Nigeria, France-Egypt, Germany-South Africa, the United Arab Emirates-Algeria, Germany-Tanzania, and Saudi Arabia-Algeria.
At the city level, Dubai-Algiers was the most common origin/destination. Next came London-Lagos, followed by Los Angeles-Cairo, Algiers-Antalya, London-Abuja, Algiers-Guangzhou, Dubai-Bamako (the Mali capital is one of Dubai’s greatest underserved African cities), London-Mogadishu, Paris-Hurghada, and Paris-Bamako.
Europe may appear less frequently on the lists above than one may think. As befits a major hub, the cumulative effect drives Europe’s dominance, with Turkish Airlines serving over 900 African city pairings and 1,000+ transit passengers.
FAQ
How many African airports does Turkish Airlines serve?
Turkish Airlines now serves 51 airports across Africa, following the addition of its latest route, further expanding its network on the continent.
Which new African route has Turkish Airlines launched?
Turkish Airlines has recently launched a new route to an African destination, increasing its connectivity and providing more travel options for passengers.
What impact does Turkish Airlines’ expansion in Africa have on passengers?
With the addition of more destinations in Africa, Turkish Airlines offers greater convenience for passengers traveling to and from African cities, enhancing connectivity for business and tourism.
Does Turkish Airlines provide services to major African cities?
Yes, Turkish Airlines operates flights to major African cities such as Johannesburg, Cairo, Nairobi, Lagos, and Cape Town, among others, strengthening its presence on the continent.
How can passengers book flights to African destinations with Turkish Airlines?
Passengers can book flights to Turkish Airlines’ African destinations through the airline’s official website, mobile app, or by contacting travel agents for assistance with booking and travel details.
