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Southwind Airlines

Southwind Airlines is a Turkish leisure airline founded in April 2022 by Cortex Havacılık ve Turizm Ticaret A.Ş. Flights to Russia commenced in August of that year, while Germany was added to its network a month later. The airline's main base and headquarters are in Antalya. The airline was banned from EU airspace in March 2024, but was lifted in December 2024. It is suspected of being related to Russian Nordwind Airlines, with which it shares some of the crews and planes.

History

Foundation

Southwind Airlines was formally announced in April 2022, based out of Antalya, Turkey. The airline aims to prevent the loss of Russian tourists coming to Turkey following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1] The airline received preclearance from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in June of that year.[2] The first commercial flight was flown to Perm on 12 August.[3]

Charter flights to Germany commenced in September 2022.[4] In February 2023, the airline announced plans to carry tourists to Antalya from 16 Russian cities during the summer season.[5] The number of aircraft in the fleet is expected to be 14 by the end of 2023.[6]

In July 2024, Southwind Airlines has joined IATA.[7]

EU airspace ban and lifting

On 25 March 2024, Southwind Airlines was banned by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency from operating flights to Finland. According to the agency, Southwind Airlines is a de facto Russian airline attempting to circumvent European Union sanctions against Russia, imposed in response to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.[8]

Following the Finnish assessment, the airline was banned on 28 March 2024 from the entire EU airspace, subject to regulation No 833/2014.[9] The airline was to begin flights under its own brand to several airports in the United Kingdom in summer 2024 as well, which however were all subsequently also cancelled.[10] Shortly after, Switzerland formally banned the airline as well.[11]

However, in the next publication on December 13 2024, Southwind Airlines was removed from the List.[12]

Destinations

Southwind Airlines operates flights to the following destinations:

Fleet

As of August 2025, Southwind Airlines operates the following aircraft:[30]

See also

External links

References

  1. Antalya merkezli yeni havayolu faaliyetlerine başlıyor AirportHaber, 15 April 2022, retrieved 2 April 2023^
  2. Southwind'e SHGM'den ön izin çıktı AirportHaber, 7 June 2022, retrieved 2 April 2023^
  3. Türkiye's Southwind launches flight ops CH Aviation, 22 August 2022, retrieved 2 April 2023^
  4. Southwind Airlines Avrupa uçuşlarına başlıyor AirportHaber, 23 September 2022, retrieved 2 April 2023^
  5. Southwind 16 şehirden Antalya'ya turist taşıyacak AirportHaber, 27 February 2023, retrieved 2 April 2023^
  6. Turkish Newcomer Southwind Airlines To Triple Fleet In 2023 Aviation Week Network, 6 February 2023, retrieved 2 April 2023^
  7. Current Airline Members www.iata.org, retrieved 2025-01-27^
  8. Traficom will not allow Southwind Airlines flights to Finland Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, 25 March 2024, retrieved 25 March 2024^
  9. Stefan Eiselin. EU verbannt Southwind Airlines aus Luftraum aeroTELEGRAPH, 2024-03-28, retrieved 2024-03-29^
  10. aeroroutes.com - SOUTHWIND AIRLINES NS24 UK SERVICE REVISION – 26MAR24 26 March 2024^
  11. aerotelegraph.com (German) 9 April 2024^
  12. The EU Air Safety List - European Commission transport.ec.europa.eu, retrieved 2025-02-07^
  13. Турэцкая авіякампанія адмяніла палёты па маршруце Мінск - Стамбул 2 April 2024, retrieved 2 April 2024^
  14. Southwind Airlines Adds Astana Service in NS24 AeroRoutes, 11 December 2023, retrieved 11 December 2023^
  15. Trei companii aeriene de peste hotare lansează curse directe spre și dinspre Chișinău. Care sunt DESTINAȚIILE www.ziarulnational.md, 9 August 2023, retrieved 9 August 2023^
  16. Антон Данилов. Прямые перелеты из Архангельска в Турцию неожиданно отменили 29.ру - новости Архангельска, 11 July 2024, retrieved 12 July 2024^
  17. Ярослав Вареник. Из Архангельска возобновят прямые рейсы в Турцию 29.ру, Сетевое издание «29.ру», 20 January 2025, retrieved 21 January 2025^
  18. Лоукостер Southwind открыл продажу авиабилетов на прямые рейсы из Калининграда в Турцию www.newkaliningrad.ru, Новый Калининград.Ru, 9 January 2024, retrieved 9 January 2024^
  19. Jim Liu. Southwind Airlines Aug – Oct 2024 Widebody Aircraft Network Overview AeroRoutes, 2 August 2024, retrieved 2 August 2024^
  20. Seasonal schedule krr.aero, Krasnodar International Airport, retrieved 18 September 2025^
  21. Jim Liu. Southwind Airlines Adds Antalya – Moscow Zhukovsky Service in NS25 AeroRoutes, 22 July 2025, retrieved 23 July 2025^
  22. Jim Liu. Southwind Adds Istanbul – Moscow Zhukovsky From late-Nov 2025 AeroRoutes, 21 October 2025, retrieved 21 October 2025^
  23. Елена Воробьева. Авиакомпания SouthWind продлила полетную программу из Перми в Турцию ura.news, 7 October 2024, retrieved 7 October 2024^
  24. Jim Liu. Southwind airlines NS25 Russia Network Additions aeroroutes.com, Aeroroutes, retrieved 22 March 2025^
  25. Ольга Сергеева. Аэропорт «Гагарин» переходит на летнее расписание с 29 марта Сетевое издание «Новости Саратова», 25 March 2026, retrieved 25 March 2026^
  26. Из Волгограда в Турцию и Грецию с туроператором PEGAS Touristik! Volgograd International Airport, retrieved 7 March 2024^
  27. Jim Liu. Southwind Airlines Expands Türkiye – Moscow Network in NS25 AeroRoutes, 8 May 2025, retrieved 8 May 2025^
  28. Southwind Airlines Schedules Belarus mid-Dec 2023 Launch AeroRoutes, 6 December 2023, retrieved 7 December 2023^
  29. Jim Liu. Southwind Airlines Adds Istanbul – Moscow From Nov 2024 AeroRoutes, 25 September 2024, retrieved 25 September 2024^
  30. Global Airline Guide 2025 - Southwind Airlines Airliner World, September 2025^