Turkey 'in talks' with UK for air bridge link to start on July 15

Turkey is in talks with the UK for the creation of a “travel corridor” to welcome British tourists from July, the Financial Times reported. A Turkish government official told the newspaper that the agreement with the UK is close and that a provisional date for the restart of travel between the two countries has been set for July 15.

Duvar English

Turkey is among the countries that want to establish an agreement for air corridors with the UK, the British media said.

Turkey plans to resume flights with 40 countries in JuneTurkey plans to resume flights with 40 countries in June

Under the UK’s quarantine system, visitors must self-isolate for two weeks. But an air bridge or corridor is an agreement which will let the British holidaymakers travel freely between the two nations without going into quarantine when they go back to the U.K.

A Turkish government official told the Financial Times that the agreement with the UK is close and that a provisional date for the restart of travel between the two countries has been set for July 15.

He said that the final decision would depend on the coronavirus infection rate, but told the newspaper: “The two sides are in close contact. The UK is a very important country for us.”

The Daily Mirror reported that airlines including easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways want to agree air bridge deals with 45 nations and handed this list of nations to the British government ministers.

Top holiday spots all feature on the list, along with Turkey, the newspaper said.

Turkey's Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu said on June 4 that country plans to resume flights with around 40 countries in June and has reached preliminary agreements for reciprocal air travel with 15 countries. He did not however name the UK among these 15 countries.