Travellers Grounded In Türkiye Today As Istanbul, Ankara, And Antalya Delay 260 And Cancel 11 Flights, Disrupting Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, SunExpress, Lufthansa, And Others

Written By: Ryan Rashid

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April 16, 2026 11:59 PM |

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Passengers were stranded in Türkiye today as flight disruptions impacted Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya, with 260 delays and 11 cancellations across Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya. The worst-hit airports include Istanbul Airport (5 cancellations, 116 delays), Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (4 cancellations, 86 delays), Antalya Airport (33 delays), and Ankara Esenboğa Airport (2 cancellations, 25 delays).
Among airlines, Turkish Airlines (103 delays) and Pegasus Airlines (74 delays, 6 cancellations) recorded the highest operational disruptions, followed by SunExpress (13 delays) and AJet (8 delays). Lufthansa (5 cancellations) accounted for all cancellations at Istanbul Airport. Additional airlines including Aeroflot (5 delays), Saudia (5 delays), Jet2 (5 delays), easyJet, and KLM also reported disruptions across routes connecting Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya.

• Updated today: Türkiye recorded 260 delays and 11 cancellations across four major airports.
• Istanbul Airport emerged as the most disrupted hub with 116 delays and 5 cancellations.
• Pegasus Airlines led cancellations with 6 total, while Turkish Airlines led delays with 103 flights affected.
• Sabiha Gökçen Airport reported 86 delays and 4 cancellations, largely driven by Pegasus operations.
• Antalya Airport saw 33 delays with zero cancellations, indicating operational strain without shutdowns.
• Ankara Esenboğa Airport recorded 25 delays and 2 cancellations, primarily involving domestic carriers.

Most Affected Turkish Airports

Istanbul Airport

The busiest hub saw the highest disruption levels, with major impact from Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot, and Saudia.

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

Disruptions were dominated by Pegasus Airlines, alongside Turkish Airlines and AJet.

Antalya Airport

Operations were affected mainly by SunExpress, Pegasus Airlines, Jet2, and easyJet.

Ankara Esenboğa Airport

Disruptions were led by Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, AJet, and SunExpress.

Airlines Most Affected by Türkiye Flight Cancellations and Delays

Turkish Airlines

The airline recorded the highest number of delays across all four airports, reflecting widespread operational strain.

Pegasus Airlines

Pegasus led in cancellations and was heavily impacted at Sabiha Gökçen and Ankara.

SunExpress

The airline saw notable delays concentrated in Antalya and some impact in Ankara.

AJet

Moderate disruption levels were recorded across Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen and Ankara.

Lufthansa

All its disruptions were cancellations due to strikes, concentrated at Istanbul Airport.

Aeroflot

Faced delays primarily at Istanbul Airport, contributing to international route disruptions.

What Can Affected Passengers Do?

• Check real-time flight status updates frequently before departing for major hubs such as Istanbul Airport or Antalya Airport, as delay patterns can shift rapidly throughout the day and schedules may change multiple times within short intervals.
• Stay in consistent contact with your airline’s customer service channels, including mobile apps, helplines, and airport counters, to explore rebooking options, alternative routes, or compensation eligibility if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
• Plan to arrive significantly earlier than usual when traveling through high-traffic hubs like Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, where congestion and cascading delays can extend processing times at check-in, security, and boarding gates.
• Keep both digital and printed copies of boarding passes, identification, and booking confirmations readily accessible, ensuring smoother processing if systems slow down or airport staff need to manually verify travel details during disruptions.
• Closely monitor airline notifications, SMS alerts, emails, and airport display systems for real-time updates on gate changes, boarding times, or last-minute schedule revisions, particularly in dynamic environments like Ankara Esenboğa Airport.
• Maintain flexibility in travel planning, including allowing buffer time for connections or considering alternate flights, especially when flying through busy corridors such as Istanbul or Ankara where delays can propagate across multiple routes.

Overview of Türkiye Flight Cancellations And Delays

Flight disruptions across Türkiye today, April 16, highlight operational pressure on major carriers including Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, SunExpress, Lufthansa, Aeroflot, and Jet2. The highest concentration of delays was recorded in Istanbul, followed by Ankara and Antalya, with repeated disruption patterns across these cities.
While Istanbul remains the primary congestion point due to traffic volume, secondary hubs such as Antalya and Ankara also experienced notable delays, reflecting broader network strain. Airlines operating across Istanbul, Antalya, and Ankara continue to face scheduling challenges, with both domestic and international routes affected throughout the day.

Source: Different airports and FlightAware