Bad Weather Forces Turkish Airlines, AJet to Cancel Over 100 Domestic Flights.

December 31, 2025 at 11:50 PM•2 min read

Turkish Airlines and AJet canceled over 100 domestic flights across Turkey on January 1 due to widespread snowfall and strong winds, impacting New Year's Day travel.

Key Points

1114 total flights were canceled by Turkish Airlines (50) and AJet (64) on January 1.
2Cancellations primarily affected domestic routes in central and eastern Turkey due to snowfall and strong winds.
3The disruptions followed a yellow weather hazard code alert in 42 out of 81 provinces.
4Passengers are eligible for rebooking or refunds, but not financial compensation, as weather is an 'extraordinary circumstance.'

A total of 114 flights were canceled across Turkey on New Year’s Day.

Flagship carrier Turkish Airlines and low-cost subsidiary AJet announced the cancellations. The disruptions were caused by heavy snowfall and strong winds. These adverse weather conditions affected the central and eastern regions of the country. The cancellations were put in place to ensure passenger and crew safety.

Scope of Disruption

Turkish Airlines canceled 50 flights scheduled for January 1. AJet, a key low-cost airline, canceled a higher number, totaling 64 flights. This brought the combined total of Turkish Airlines flight cancellations and AJet's to 114. Almost all of the affected services were AJet domestic flights and Turkish Airlines domestic routes. The airlines directed passengers to check their official websites for the latest updates.

Meteorological Context

The widespread Turkey bad weather led to national alerts. The General Directorate of Meteorology had issued a yellow weather hazard code. This warning was active in 42 out of Turkey's 81 provinces, according to reports. The yellow code signals conditions that could disrupt daily life and travel. Forecasters predicted significant snowfall and strong winds across a large part of the country. A storm warning was also in place for the Black Sea regions. Furthermore, snowfall was expected in the Marmara Sea area, where Istanbul is located.

Passenger Impact and Rights

This mass cancellation on January 1 flight disruptions significantly impacted New Year's travel plans. Airlines classify severe weather as an “extraordinary circumstance.” Under the European Union’s Regulation EC 261/2004, which applies to many Turkish Airlines flights, this classification is important. When a flight is canceled due to weather, passengers are generally not eligible for financial compensation. However, the airlines must still offer assistance. This includes rebooking the flight for a later date or providing a full ticket refund. Passengers can check their flight status and options on the Turkish Airlines website or mobile application. The industry body IATA often advises travelers to monitor conditions closely during winter months.

This event highlights the constant challenge weather poses to commercial aviation operations. For more commercial aviation news and updates, visit flying.flights. Regulators like EASA continuously monitor safety protocols related to weather-induced delays.