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Flight operations at Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul return to normal on Monday after severe weather disrupted air traffic and forced hundreds of cancellations starting on Sunday.
According to the airport authority HEAS, takeoffs and landings had temporarily stopped due to poor visibility caused by adverse weather, and 50 aircraft were diverted to Istanbul Airport after being unable to land.
As of the morning hours, both domestic and international flights are operating as scheduled. However, weather forecasts indicate that unfavorable conditions may persist in the coming days.
Heavy rainfall in parts of Istanbul reduced visibility and affected flight operations throughout the city. Aircraft approaching Sabiha Gokcen Airport were redirected, while many scheduled services were either delayed or canceled.
Authorities had earlier announced flight restrictions for March 29 and March 30, citing meteorological forecasts. In a statement, HEAS said cancellations would continue in line with weather assessments and advised passengers to check updates through airlines' official channels.
Following the cancellations, passengers gathered at airport counters to rebook tickets and seek information.
Crowds formed, particularly in the domestic terminal, where travelers waited in long lines for several hours. Some passengers remained stranded at the airport during the peak of the disruption.
Data from FlightAware shows that 277 arrival and departure flights were canceled within 24 hours.
Meteorological forecasts for the week starting March 30 indicate cool, unstable conditions in Istanbul, with rain and dense cloud cover early in the week and temperatures between 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit) and 9 degrees Celsius (48.2 Fahrenhiet) on Monday, before gradually improving from Tuesday with partly cloudy skies and a rise toward 13–15 degrees Celsius by early April, although intermittent rain and variable cloud cover continue.
Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, on the city’s Asian side, ranks among Türkiye’s main air transport hubs, serving a wide international network. It connects to over 150 destinations in over 50 countries, with around 23 airlines operating scheduled flights.
In 2025, the airport handled 48.4 million passengers, including 27.21 million international travelers, according to official data.
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