Direct charter flights between Turkish Cyprus and Azerbaijan are expected to begin soon, as preparatory work has made significant progress, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said on June 13.
“I believe that with the cooperation agreements we will sign, we will all soon witness the launch of regular charter flights between Azerbaijan and Turkish Cyprus a very short time,” said Üstel during event held in the Azerbaijani capital Baku aimed at promoting Turkish Cypriot
culture.
He said the planned air link would go beyond transportation, describing it as “a new gateway for tourism, a new corridor for trade, a new opportunity for education and a new bridge that will further strengthen our brotherhood.”
Direct international air connections to Turkish Cyprus remain politically sensitive, as the country is recognized only by Türkiye. Greek Cyprus claims that flights to the north of the island operate outside international aviation frameworks and are therefore considered illegal under international aviation rules.
Üstel also thanked for Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev for what he described as continued support for relations between the parties.
He further highlighted recent participation by Turkish Cypriot representatives in meetings of the Organization of Turkic States, where the country holds observer status.
According to Üstel, this engagement marks an important step toward deepening cooperation with Turkic-speaking states.
Separately, Üstel met with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov, alongside several officials, during his visit to Baku.
