Many Israelis are still flying Turkish Airlines, even to the United States in an effort to cut ticket costs. Turkish Airlines offers a connection via Istanbul, which works for many Israelis.
If you are among those flying Turkish Airlines you might want to know airline officials have announced they are experiencing a critical shortage of pilots. As such, they are hiring the services of 200 pilots, from Iran. The airline reports it is short 350 pilots.
Interestingly, pilots from the airline are angered over the news, Channel 2 News reports, explaining the Iranian pilots lack proper training due to the sanctions against that country and other factors. Nevertheless, for now at least, it appears Turkish Airlines is moving ahead with the plan.
It is also reported that all pilots entering Israel must first be approved by Israeli security officials so it is less than likely we will be seeing Iranian pilots in Ben-Gurion Airport.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
18 Responses
Support Erdogan! Fly Turkish!
Done! Stop flying Turkish if this is on the table.
Dont be cheap on your life!
Although they probably won’t fly into TLV, they could fly the return flight Istanbul to NYC, so that doesn’t make it much better.
In other words, your flight from NTBG to Turkey might be safe , but there to NYC, LAX, EWR etc. may end you up in the Israeli built Ayatollah Khomeini Tehran International Airport…….
Just saying…
So the Iranian pilots won’t fly into Israel but they COULD fly the Istanbul to USA leg. Not much better!
For all who are in need of a moderator, my earlier comment is sarcastic!
To fly the Turkey one is directly supporting Erdogan’s position of hatred for Jews and Americans.
They elected him let them stew in their own turkey sauce!
plus the fact that Erdogan sounds like Hitler and will most likely be re-elected?
I have been saying for years that people are crazy for flying Turkish. They hate us. Why support them ??
Yaapchik- you spend WAY to much time on the internet…
They are going to try and kill us wherever we are.
An Iranian plane crashed today with 30+ people killed
And there was I, think that Yaapchik talked sense. Must have been an accident.
They cancelled a lot of flights. Baruch Hashem!!!
We decided never to fly Turkish air after Erdogan was elected.
If we are going to the states we don’t make any stop overs in Europe.
It’s a shame. Turkish has the best kosher food in the air.
Iranian pilots will have little effect on the NY-TA route. They can’t land either in Israel or the US.
Although my kids have flowed via Turkish Air, I am not willing to, I rather spend a few dollars more and walk around in Paris or Amsterdam, etc for the time of the change over.
Why support those who want to kill us?
We flew Turkish exactly a year ago, and it was fine, especially the fact that they allowed 2 bags each. They treated their passengers quite nicely. But I won’t fly them again, even without Iranian pilots. However, our days of being able to safely transfer anywhere in Europe might be coming to an end as well. Particularly France, which is run by wimps who can’t and/or don’t want to control their rioting Islamics at all.
Thanks Avi Shlomo, point well taken! You’re right!