Rain hits air traffic in Istanbul: Flights cancelled at Sabiha Gökçen Airport
Due to the heavy rain affecting Istanbul, flight safety at airports has been compromised; dozens of planes unable to land at Sabiha Gökçen Airport were diverted to other cities, and many flights were cancelled.
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The downpour, which has intensified across the city since this morning, has caused serious disruptions in air travel. Acting in accordance with warnings issued by the Meteorology department days in advance, aircraft were unable to land at Sabiha Gökçen Airport as visibility dropped to critical levels. Flight crews abandoned landing attempts to ensure safety in air traffic and diverted to alternative airports.
While some aircraft with low fuel had to wait in the air for a long time, a total of 42 planes diverted to Istanbul Airport and other surrounding airports. In particular, 32 flights belonging to Pegasus and AJet had to land at Istanbul Airport.
Aviation sources stated that the Meteorological Emergency Committee had provided prior notification regarding risky weather conditions in the region for March 29-30. In this context, it was noted that a large number of flights were cancelled on time or earlier, and that passengers should follow the announcements of airline companies to keep their travel plans updated.
In a statement made by AJet, it was reported that 51 flights departing from and arriving at Sabiha Gökçen were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, and 11 flights were diverted to other airports. The statement also included the expression, "additional cancellations may occur depending on weather conditions."
While heavy rains are expected to continue in the coming hours, authorities emphasized that passengers should frequently check their ticket and flight information to avoid any inconvenience.