Turkey to resume some domestic flights as virus restrictions ease
TURKE will resume a limited number of domestic flights from Monday, the transport minister announced, as the country eases restrictions in place since March to contain the novel coronavirus.
The first passenger plane will take off from Istanbul for the capital, Ankara, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu told state news agency Anadolu on Saturday.
There will be additional flights the same day from both of Istanbul’s airports to the Aegean city of Izmir, the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya and the Black Sea city of Trabzon.
Air travel, which was suspended on March 28, will restart to other cities from Wednesday, Anadolu reported.
“Enough of this longing As of June 1 we will be in the skies again, where we belong,” tweeted Turkish Airlines’ spokesperson ahya Ustun.
Passengers will need a code from a government mobile tracking application, said Bilal Eksi, the national flag carrier’s chief executive.
Among other things, the app - called Hayat Eve Sigar (Life fits inside the home) confirms the passenger is neither sick nor being monitored for the virus.
Hand baggage is banned, except for laptops, purses and baby strollers. Wearing masks is mandatory and there will be thermal cameras at airport entrances to check people’s temperatures.
Turkish Airlines had previously said it would restart domestic flights on Thursday and international flights on June 10.
The spread of the virus suspended economic activity from March as Turkey was quick to close its borders and halt flights and other transportation, impacting trade and tourism.
A raft of other measures will be eased from Monday, including a travel ban on the 15 hardest-hit cities, Ankara and Istanbul among them.
Cafes, restaurants, swimming pools, parks, gyms and museums are set to reopen. Hookah bars and nightclubs remain closed.
On Saturday, Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar - one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets - got a thorough scrubbing down with disinfectants before it opens its doors on Monday.
Shuttered on March 23, this marks its longest-ever closure, said Fatih Kurtulmus, chair of the Grand Bazaar’s board.
Built in the 15th century, it now has 3,600 stores and employs 30,000 people. It’s not only a commercial hub, but also a major tourist, historical and cultural attraction.
Only 10 of 21 entry gates will be open, to control the flow of people.
A maximum of three people at a time will be allowed inside a shop, Kurtulmus told Anadolu.
“We know that tourists will probably come by mid-June.”
Since confirming its first case on March 11, Turkey has reported 4,489 deaths from Covid-19 and more than 162,000 infections.