Turkey announced the resumption of a limited number of domestic flights starting Monday, June 1 as the country eases restrictions imposed since March to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Daily Sabah reports.
The country’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu said Saturday that the first flight will be from Istanbul to the capital city Ankara.
Other flights will be conducted from Istanbul’s airport to three other major cities, southwestern Izmir province, the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya and Trabzon, off the Black Sea.
Flights to other cities are expected to restart starting Wednesday, June 3 according to the statement.
"Enough of this longing! As of June 1 we will be in the skies again, where we belong," tweeted Turkish Airlines' spokesman Yahya Üstün.
Passengers will need a code from a government mobile tracking application, said Bilal Ekşi, the national flag carrier's chief executive.
Among other things, the app – called Hayat Eve Sığar (Life fits inside the home) – confirms that the passenger is neither sick nor being monitored for the virus.
