FAA lifts embargo on US-Turkey flights

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has rescinded, with immediate effect, a Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) issued this past weekend that barred all airlines from carrying out flights between the United States and Turkey until September 1.

“The FAA lifted all restrictions on flights to and from Turkey at 1:45 p.m. EDT, July 18, 2016,” a brief statement issued via an official FAA social media account said.

The decree would have severely affected Turkish Airlines (TK, Istanbul Atatürk) had it been fully enforced.

Elements in the Turkish military undertook a coup d’etat this past weekend which, although unsuccessful in its overthrow of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s regime, did result in the deaths of over 200 civilians. According to Reuters, nearly 20,000 officials from the Turkish police, civil service, judiciary, and army have been detained or suspended in the ensuing crackdown on dissident elements within the government.

Ch-Aviation