Lufthansa has temporarily suspended the acceptance of cargo to and from four Turkish airports, with the disruption expected to remain in place until 30 September 2026.
The affected airports are Istanbul (IST), Ankara (ESB), Izmir (ADB) and Antalya (AYT), meaning cargo services at some of Türkiye’s key air transport gateways are currently impacted.
According to Lufthansa, the decision follows the latest US sanctions affecting a local ground handling service provider in Türkiye. The carrier has not identified the ground handling company involved.
The temporary suspension applies to cargo moving both to and from the four airports. Lufthansa said it is working to restore normal operations as quickly as possible and is treating the situation as a priority.
A Lufthansa Cargo spokesperson confirmed that the airline is making every effort to find a solution, stating: “We are working with the highest priority to find a solution and resume cargo handling as quickly as possible.”
For shippers and logistics providers using Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir or Antalya, the suspension creates a temporary disruption to Lufthansa’s cargo handling services through the end of September.
The situation remains developing, and Lufthansa is expected to provide further information as efforts continue to restore cargo operations at the affected Turkish airports.
