Turkish Airlines has removed five African destinations from its future schedule after previously suspending services to the cities, in a move that will end flights to Luanda in Angola, Juba in South Sudan, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libreville in Gabon and Lusaka in Zambia.
The Istanbul-based carrier had initially classified the suspensions, announced in April, as temporary and planned to keep the routes out of operation until October 24. The destinations have now been removed from the airline’s forward schedule, indicating that the suspensions will extend beyond the original timeframe.
Turkish Airlines had cited rising fuel costs when announcing the initial suspensions, as airlines globally continue to review route networks against operating costs and passenger demand.
The withdrawal of the Luanda service is particularly significant for Angola, which has invested heavily in developing the Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport as a major international gateway and potential regional hub.
Inaugurated in 2023, the airport was designed to accommodate up to 15 million passengers annually. However, passenger traffic has remained well below that capacity, with fewer than 800,000 passengers recorded in 2025, according to Euronews.
The airport project was initially estimated at about $5 billion before the Angolan government subsequently revised the cost to approximately $3.85 billion. Its development was intended to support the expansion of Luanda’s international connectivity and strengthen Angola’s position as an aviation hub for Central Africa.
The transfer of airline operations from Luanda’s former airport to the new facility has, however, been accompanied by the challenge of attracting sufficient airlines and passengers to utilise its large capacity.
Turkish Airlines’ withdrawal adds to the pressure on the airport to build a sustainable international network, although the carrier is not the only airline to have reviewed its Luanda operations.
The development underscores the challenge of translating major airport infrastructure into sustained international connectivity, with airlines continuing to assess passenger demand, operating costs and the commercial viability of individual routes.
For Angola, maintaining a broad network of international services will depend not only on the capacity of the new airport but also on generating sufficient traffic to support airlines operating from the facility.
