Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport in Turmoil with 699 Flight Delays and 1 Cancellation, causing Disruptions to Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, and Other Carriers After Runway Skid Shuts Down Operations, Stranding Passengers and Disrupting Travel Across Turkey

When Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) became the epicentre of aviation chaos, hundreds of travellers watched their holiday and business plans crumble. The runway closure — triggered by a Boeing 737 skid — has left air passengers stranded, with 699 reported delays and at least 1 confirmed cancellation as of today. The disruption has sent shockwaves through the bustling airport hub and exposed vulnerabilities in Istanbul’s air‑traffic network.

The incident began when a Boeing 737‑800 attempted to land on a rain‑soaked runway at SAW. The aircraft failed to decelerate properly, skidded off the runway, and forced authorities to shut down operations on the affected strip. Though the aircraft involved in the skid was safely evacuated and there were no immediate fatalities, the ripple effects for flights scheduled soon after were catastrophic.

Almost instantly, dozens of flights — both arrivals and departures — were delayed or diverted. Airlines scrambled to re‑arrange connecting flights, passengers spent hours waiting in terminals, and hope of reaching destinations on time gave way to frustration and uncertainty.

What triggered the shutdown

Heavy rainfall and slick runway conditions set the stage. The Boeing 737‑800 touched down under adverse weather, but failed to grip the surface. Rather than slowing down safely, the plane skidded off the runway. The incident forced air‑traffic control to close the affected runway immediately for inspection and clearance. This sudden closure brought normal operations at SAW to a grinding halt — leaving flights queued, schedules disrupted, and passengers in limbo.

It is a critical issue given SAW’s growing infrastructure. Since December 2023, the airport operates with a second runway — designed to ease congestion and improve capacity.Yet the skid proves that even dual‑runway capacity depends on safe runway conditions and vigilant operations.

How many flights were affected

Data compiled from the airport shows a staggering 699 flight delays and 1 cancellation recorded in a single day following the skid.

Major airlines bore the brunt of these disruptions:

• Turkish Airlines accounted for the lion’s share — 601 delays.
• Other affected carriers included regional and international airlines such as Air Europa, Aegean Airlines, Aeroflot, and Azerbaijan Airlines, among others. Each airline reported multiple delays — some as high as 100 % of scheduled flights for that slot.

Even for airlines that managed a fraction of their flights, the cumulative disruption translates into huge scheduling backlogs and passenger distress.

Airlines with the most delays:

• Turkish Airlines: 601 delays, comprising 51% of the total delays.
• Air Arabia: 2 delays (50% of its flights affected).
• Air Europa: 1 delay (50% of its flights affected).
• Aegean Airlines: 4 delays (50% of its flights affected).
• Aeroflot: 4 delays (26% of its flights affected).
• Azerbaijan Airlines: 4 delays (100% of its flights affected).
• British Airways: 3 delays (42% of its flights affected).

These delays are likely due to the incident that occurred at Sabiha Gökçen Airport, affecting operations and causing significant disruption to flight schedules at the airport.

Wider impacts: passenger stress, airline backlog, ripple‑effect

For travellers, the fallout has been immediate and frustrating. Many families and business travellers found themselves stranded at SAW, unsure of alternate flights. Tourists with connecting flights outside Istanbul faced missed connections. For long‑haul flight passengers, the delay could mean lost hotel bookings or missed appointments.

Airlines, too, face headaches. With SAW’s runway down temporarily, slot allocation shrank sharply. Carriers operating high-frequency flights — including charter, domestic and international services — must now deal with rebooking, rerouting, and accommodation for impacted travellers.

Moreover, the incident has triggered renewed scrutiny of runway maintenance, traffic scheduling and weather protocols. Experts warn that until such infrastructure and procedural gaps are addressed, similar incidents remain a latent risk — even with a second runway in operation.

History shows this is not the first time

This is not the first time a runway‑overrun or skid has disrupted SAW operations. A well‑documented past incident saw a Boeing 737 of Pegasus Airlines skid off the runway under heavy rain and strong winds, leading to fatalities and hospitalisations.

After that crash — which killed three and injured nearly 180 — flights were diverted to alternate airports, and SAW remained closed for hours while authorities cleared wreckage and assessed runway integrity.

Following that tragedy, SAW authorities fast‑tracked the opening of a second runway (completed in late 2023) to increase capacity and flexibility under heavy traffic.

Despite these improvements, the latest incident shows that even a new runway cannot guarantee immunity from weather‑related hazards or operational oversights.

What authorities and airlines are doing

Airport management at SAW has reportedly initiated full runway inspection protocols. Maintenance crews are assessing surface friction, drainage, lighting and instrument‑landing systems to rule out technical faults. Airlines affected by the disruption are working with ground staff to re‑book passengers, arrange accommodations, and coordinate alternative flights once the runway is cleared.

In parallel, Turkey’s aviation watchdog is expected to review weather‑related landing guidelines, runway‑suitability checks, and emergency response protocols — to prevent recurrence. Though no public statement has been issued yet, the urgency is evident.

What travellers should know now

• Passengers with upcoming flights through SAW should check flight status directly with airlines: expect delays or rerouting until runway clearance.
• Those in transit or holding connecting flights should prepare for alternative plans — including extended layovers or re‑bookings.
• Travellers should also factor in potential backlog for at least 48–72 hours, as airlines and airport operations strive to recover from the disruption.
• If you are travelling during wet weather, stay alert for updates — weather, runway conditions and air‑traffic control decisions can shift fast.

Airport hustle grounded by a single skid — caution for future travel

For a city that thrives on aviation and welcomes millions of global travellers, today’s disruption at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport underscored a stark truth: a single runway incident can still paralyse an entire hub — even one boasting dual‑runway infrastructure.

The frustrated faces at the terminal, the anxious families rearranging plans, the airlines scrambling behind desks — all remind us that beneath the glamour of global travel lies a fragile choreography of safety, weather, timing and human decision. For now, SAW limps on. For travellers and aviation stakeholders alike — the message is loud and clear: vigilance, not infrastructure alone, keeps the skies safe.

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