Turkish Airlines has some really interesting ‘fifth freedom’ routes — flights between two countries other than their home country. Last I checked they were fourth in the world for number of destinations served, and they served the most countries at 110.
Here’s a fifth freedom route I didn’t know about: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The flight operates 3 times a week in each direction.
It’s a continuing flight to and from Istanbul.
This flight made an emergency landing yesterday in Irkutsk, Russia.
It is still unclear what necessitated the emergency landing. A technical glitch or bad weather is suspected to have forced the passenger airplane to land in Irkutsk – one of the largest cities in Siberia.
The Russian news agency Interfax reported the plane refuelled in the Russian city. None of the passengers left the aircraft.
What makes this noteworthy of course is the current tensions between Turkey and Russia. Turkey shot down a Russian plane for entering Turkish airspace. Yet here a Turkish plane made an unscheduled landing in Russia. The two aren’t close to the same of course, the Turkish military shot down a Russian military jet that had entered Turkish airspace without permission. And Russia has had experience with negative international repercussions over confusing a civilian jetliner with a spy plane. Nonetheless, it’s good to see this very normal aviation incident resolved… normally.
And I was fascinated to learn that the flight existed.
Yawn
Flew IST/FRU Nov 2014. It’s a 737 configured like a us domestic. Turkish has fabulous customer service. Had a great meal and a small amenity kit, with footrests on the seats, all in coach. The drawback to the flight is you arrive in Bishkek in early am, about 3am local time if I remember right.
Useful flight if you want to do a RTW in a narrowbody, on *A
@brian – is this possible?
I can figure out how to get from LAX to ICN or NRT via the Atlantic on a *A narrow body, but how can you get across the Pacific?
Ez. UA to hnl, then via via island hopper and gum..
@Justin Try the United (formerly Continental Micronesia) island hopper, from HNL-GUM on a 737 via some small islands. It’s only westbound though.
Can you not do it on some of the island hopper aircraft via Hawaii and Guam?
Gary — Do you have another post or web resource that lists the other Turkish 5th Freedom flights?
I would like to know of Turkish and any other carrier’s 5th Freedom flights and such a resource would be very helpful!
Thanks!
I’ve known this for sometime. I booked an award ticket for a client to Mongolia, then connecting onto Europe.