FAA Lifts Ban on Flights Coming from Turkey
Late last week, the Turkish military attempted to take power from President Erdoğan, with uprisings taking place in several major cities throughout the country — the coup has since failed and the Turkish government and its president are now back in power. As a safety precaution, the FAA banned all flights departing Turkey from entering the US since airport security there was not considered to be as tight as usual during this time.
As of 1:45pm EDT today, just a few days after the initial ban, we're happy to report the FAA has lifted all restrictions on flights to and from Turkey.
Following the FAA's announcement, the US State Department issued a similar alert, informing travelers to check with their airline and make sure flights are still happening before heading to the airport.
Turkish Airlines, the carrier most drastically impacted by the ban since it's the only one with nonstop service between the US and Turkey, was surely relieved that the ban had been lifted, announcing on Twitter that all Turkish Airlines flights to the US would resume as usual starting tomorrow — all flights today seem to still be canceled though.
Surely, this news comes at a relief to many US citizens who may have been stuck in the country without a way to get home, as the ban had also included flights that stopped at other international airports before continuing to the US. If you're planning on traveling with Turkish Airlines (or another carrier via a connecting city) back to the US tomorrow or any day in the near future, it's best to check with your carrier before heading to the airport.
Keep in mind that even though the ban has been lifted, you may still want to think twice about traveling to Turkey at this time. As of this writing, the US State Department is still warning US citizens about increased threats from terrorist groups throughout the country and to especially avoid travel to southeastern portions of Turkey until further notice.
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