Turkish Airlines Drops Kinshasa from Future Route Plans

Turkish Airlines no longer plans to resume its flights between Istanbul and Kinshasa. The capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been removed from the carrier’s future route programs, joining other African destinations such as Juba, Libreville, Luanda, and Lusaka, according to scheduling data published by AeroRoutes on September 11, 2026.

Suspension and Lack of Resumption Date

The Istanbul-Kinshasa route has been suspended since May 6, 2026. Initially, Turkish Airlines had planned a temporary interruption until October 24, citing rising operational costs as a primary factor. This suspension was also confirmed by the Congolese Press Agency, based on information from N’djili International Airport.

However, the change in status occurred before the originally announced resumption date. Current flight schedules no longer display a new date for the return of flights to Kinshasa. This development reduces connectivity options between the DRC and Turkish Airlines’ extensive international network via Istanbul, particularly impacting business travelers and companies with trade links to Europe, Asia, or the Middle East.

A Route Active Since 2012

Turkish Airlines inaugurated its service to Kinshasa on August 27, 2012, with four weekly frequencies. Over the years, the service evolved and was notably integrated into rotations connecting Istanbul to Luanda.

Economic Context and Future Outlook

This shift comes at a time when both the DRC and Türkiye are expressing a desire to intensify their economic relations. In April 2026, Presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed the goal of increasing bilateral trade, currently estimated at approximately $200 million, to $500 million in the medium term.

It is important to distinguish between the absence of a scheduled resumption and an official decision to permanently withdraw. Turkish Airlines has not publicly announced the permanent closure of its Kinshasa service. As flight schedules remain subject to change, the situation could still be modified.