Turkish Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary Ajet announced on 28 April that it will scrap 12 international routes and trim frequencies on dozens more for the May-October 2026 season as part of a five-percent capacity reduction. Among the casualties is the daily Istanbul (SAW)–Geneva service, while frequencies on the carrier’s Antalya–Basel and Ankara–Zurich flights will fall by up to 30 percent. Ajet blamed rising jet-fuel prices linked to Middle-East tensions and ‘volatile demand’ on secondary European city-pairs. Geneva Airport estimates the cancellation will remove 120 000 seats and reduce competition on the lucrative Switzerland–Turkey VFR (visiting-friends-and-relatives) and SME (small and medium-enterprise) segment; Turkish Airlines’ mainline flights from Istanbul (IST) remain. Travel buyers moving project staff between Swiss UN agencies and Ankara will need to re-route via Istanbul IST or Vienna, adding at least one hour and potential Schengen re-clearance. Forwarders that depend on Ajet belly-hold capacity for e-commerce parcels from Turkish suppliers must now shift volumes to alternative carriers, potentially triggering surcharges in peak summer. The announcement is the latest indication that secondary carriers are consolidating in response to fuel-price shocks; mobility planners should expect further short-notice timetable changes and secure change-flexible tickets for essential assignees.
Source: Aviation.Direct
