A tour operator temporarily lost track of a Pegasus Airlines flight carrying Russian tourists from Antalya to Samara following an overnight diversion, according to news outlet Profi Travel.
The aircraft departed from Antalya on the night of August 19, 2026, heading for the central Russian city of Samara. During the flight, operational restrictions were introduced at Samara airport, forcing the flight crew to divert to another airfield.
However, conflicting information quickly emerged about where the plane had actually landed. The tour operator initially reported that the aircraft had set down in Erzurum in eastern Turkey, despite passengers contacting their families and travel agents directly from the coastal Turkish city of Trabzon.
Conflicting reports over landing location
The online arrival board at Samara airport later confirmed that the Pegasus Airlines flight was scheduled to arrive in Samara from Trabzon at 18:00 local time on August 20.
A travel agent stated that passengers on the overnight flight landed in Trabzon instead of Samara and were left without information regarding when their onward departure to Russia would take place. The agent added that tourists reported having to struggle to obtain basic food and water supplies while stranded at the airport.
As of August 20, a representative for Pegasus Airlines had not established contact with the affected passengers or issued a formal statement regarding the discrepancy.
Airlines and flight diversions in Turkey
Pegasus Airlines is a Turkish low-cost carrier headquartered in Istanbul that operates regular commercial flights and charter services connecting Turkish resort destinations with major cities across Russia.
Antalya, located on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, is a primary destination for Russian vacationers, while Samara is a major transport and industrial hub situated on the Volga River in south-western Russia. Trabzon, positioned on the Black Sea coast in northeastern Turkey, often serves as an alternative landing site for aircraft encountering airspace or weather delays in the region.
The confusion marks the second recent operational disruption for Pegasus Airlines flights on Russian routes. Earlier, another plane operated by the airline carrying Russian passengers attempted twice to fly from Turkey to Moscow, but was forced to turn back to its departure airport due to temporary flight restrictions at Vnukovo International Airport.
