Pegasus Airlines (Turkey) relaunched its domestic flights on 1 June 2020, with its first flight taking place between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen and Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport following the initial lifting of restrictions to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. From today, 4 June 2020, Pegasus Airlines will be operating 39 domestic routes to 27 destinations in Turkey.
Following the temporary suspension of flights on 28 March 2020 as part of the restrictions to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, Pegasus Airlines relaunched domestic flights on 1 June 2020 and as of today, 4 June 2020, will be operating 39 domestic routes to 27 destinations in Turkey. From 4 June, Pegasus Airlines will be flying from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen to Antalya, Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Bodrum, Trabzon, Van, Dalaman, Kayseri, Gaziantep, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Gazipaşa, Hatay, Konya, Malatya, Samsun, Muş, Ordu-Giresun, Sivas, Şanlıurfa, Erzurum, Batman, Erzincan, Mardin and Kars. There will also be flights from Izmir to Adana, Ankara, Mardin, Elazığ, Kayseri, Samsun and Trabzon; as well as from Adana to Trabzon, Antalya, Bodrum and Van; and from Ankara to Antalya and Bodrum.
Explaining that guests will only be permitted to fly domestically if they have an HES code, Mehmet T. Nane said: “The HES code is a new requirement that has been developed as part of the new measures from the Turkish Ministry of Health so that our guests can fly safely within Turkey; and to ensure that travel is managed during situations of increased risk. Under these new measures, it will not be possible to book tickets, check in online or at the airport, and thus to travel on domestic flights, without the HES code. In addition, all our guests will be required to wear masks at the airport and on board the aircraft. There will be temperature checks at the airport. Our staff at the check-in counters will be assisting guests wearing visors. These and other similar measures will now be part of our lives, and we will continue to keep you informed as we progress.”
Highlighting the matter of hygiene on board the aircraft, Mehmet T. Nane continued: “We put the health and safety of our guests and employees first, and we will never compromise on this. We are disinfecting our aircraft more frequently according to international standards and in line with the aircraft manufacturers’ directions. All our aircraft are fitted with high-efficiency HEPA filters which filter and replace the air in the cabin every three minutes on average. This means that the same air is not circulating, whilst 60% is fresh air from outside the aircraft. This air is filtered through the engine through heat of 1300 °C. This process destroys viruses, bacteria and similar particles in the air before entering the cabin. We also replace these filters periodically. For this reason, aircraft are one of the most hygienic environments due to this highly effective ventilation method. However, it is also vital to create and maintain a chain of hygiene throughout the entire journey from leaving the house to getting back home. This is where our role as individuals is most important. Let us continue to stay cautious and follow the instructions from the government and official health bodies, so that together we can win this fight.”
