Preparations underway to launch AZAL flights to Northern Cyprus

Minister of Public Works and Transport and leader of the National Unity Party Erhan Arıklı said that the TRNC authorities are working on launching regular flights of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) to Northern Cyprus.

According to him, if legal or political obstacles arise, one of the options would be to include Ercan Airport in Turkey’s domestic flight system, which would simplify the organization of flights.

The minister emphasized that within the Organization of Turkic States there is active discussion about expanding visa-free travel. According to him, entry between Azerbaijan and the TRNC could be possible based on reciprocity, and Baku consistently supports Northern Cyprus — including thanks to the position of President Ilham Aliyev.

Deputy Prime Minister Fikri Ataoğlu noted that after the events in Karabakh, the flow of tourists from Azerbaijan to the TRNC has increased noticeably. He called on Azerbaijani investors to more actively consider projects in tourism, education, real estate and transport, and stressed that joint initiatives in these sectors will continue in 2026.