Turkish Airlines and South African Airways have signed a codeshare agreement that will take effect on 1 March 2026, enhancing flight connectivity between Türkiye, Africa and major global hubs. The agreement was signed in Geneva by Turkish Airlines Chairman Prof. Ahmet Bolat and South African Airways CEO Prof. John Lamola. Under the arrangement, Turkish Airlines will place its “TK” code on South African Airways services across cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Harare, and Windhoek. In exchange, South African Airways will add its “SA” code on Turkish Airlines flights between Istanbul and several long-haul cities including London, Paris and Frankfurt.
Turkish Airlines, which already connects 65 African destinations, said the partnership aims to strengthen its African market presence while boosting long-term cooperation. South African Airways said the deal would improve competitive options for travellers while supporting regional tourism and economic ties.
Aviation analysts in Kolkata noted that passengers from eastern India increasingly depend on Istanbul as a major transit hub for Africa-bound travel, especially in sectors such as business travel, tourism and migration routes. They said the extended codeshare may eventually widen options for Kolkata flyers using Istanbul as their global gateway.