Pegasus Airlines is set to end flights between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport and Tuzla, with the last service scheduled for October 23. The airline had planned to operate the route once per week throughout the 2026/27 winter season, using a 239-seat Airbus A321 aircraft. Ticket sales for next summer have also been suspended. Pegasus’ exit follows AJet’s withdrawal from the same route in June. With Pegasus; departure, Wizz Air will be the only scheduled airline serving Tuzla during the winter months.
The development comes as Tuzla Airport records a strong recovery in passenger traffic, fuelled primarily by Wizz Air. The airport handled 502.744 passengers during the first three quarters of the year, more than double the 251.332 recorded during the same period in 2025. September alone saw 59.431 passengers. The airport had already matched its full-year 2025 total of 338.132 by mid-July.
The recovery has been supported by a subsidy programme run through the Tuzla Canton Tourist Board, which has a contract with Wizz Air. The programme received some 614.000 euros in funding for 2026. Following negotiations with Wizz Air, the canton ordered an audit to assess whether the subsidy contract was delivering its aims of improving air connectivity and supporting tourism. The government accepted the audit report last month and said its findings would inform adjustments to the subsidy model, with the aim of maintaining air services. It has not published the report’s specific conclusions or any revised contract terms, Ex Yu Aviation news writes.
