Turkish Airlines announced on Friday that it has signed a new codeshare agreement with South African Airways, paving the way for expanded joint flight operations beginning 1 March 2026. The agreement was formalised during a signing ceremony in Geneva, attended by Ahmet Bolat, chairman of Turkish Airlines, and John Lamola, chief executive of South African Airways.

According to Turkish Airlines, the partnership will offer passengers a wider range of travel options across both networks while strengthening commercial cooperation between the two national carriers. Bolat described the agreement as a milestone that extends beyond aviation, noting that enhanced air connectivity is expected to bring broader benefits to cultural exchange and tourism flows between Türkiye and South Africa.

“As the flag carriers of the two countries, we are offering our passengers more comprehensive travel opportunities,” Bolat said. “I believe this cooperation will not remain limited to commercial gains but will deepen cultural and tourism relations between our nations.”

Lamola characterised the agreement as a strategic development for South African Airways, emphasising its role in expanding reliable and competitive travel options for customers. He added that Turkish Airlines’ global reputation reinforces the shared objective of boosting connectivity between Africa and Türkiye while supporting tourism, trade and sustainable growth.

From March 2026, South African Airways will codeshare on several regional routes, including Johannesburg-Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Windhoek, Harare, Victoria Falls and Mauritius. Turkish Airlines will place its code on flights from Istanbul to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, as well as on select onward routes to Frankfurt, Paris and London.

Both airlines said the agreement is designed to enhance choice for travellers and strengthen long-term commercial ties between their respective markets.