Turkish Airlines Permanently Drops Lusaka Route, Four Other African Cities Affected

Turkish Airlines has permanently cancelled its Lusaka route, making Zambia one of five African destinations dropped from the airline’s network after the suspension was initially described as temporary.

The airline operated flights to Lusaka via Dar es Salaam. It suspended the route in April as part of a wider reduction affecting 18 international routes, citing rising jet fuel costs, and had initially indicated that flights would resume by 24 October 2026.

However, Turkish Airlines has now made the Lusaka suspension permanent, alongside routes to Luanda in Angola, Juba in South Sudan, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Libreville in Gabon.

Aviation analysts have linked the changes to a combination of factors, including Middle East airspace closures, rising fuel costs and ongoing supply chain challenges. The airline, however, has not publicly provided detailed reasons for making the five suspensions permanent.

The decision is significant for Zambia, as Turkish Airlines had provided access to Istanbul, a major international aviation hub connecting passengers to destinations across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Despite the cuts, Turkish Airlines is not withdrawing from the African market. The airline is expected to launch new routes to Bissau and Monrovia, while also expanding its international network through new and restored services.

Industry sources indicate that further schedule adjustments could still be announced as the airline continues to review its global network.