The aircraft changed its usual route and flew over the Kaliningrad region, although flights normally avoid Russian airspace, wrote the online edition of the weekly Eesti Ekspress.

One passenger said he noticed the route change in a flight‑tracking app and approached a flight attendant. After consulting the pilots, he was told that flying over Kaliningrad was a deliberate decision by the crew, as they considered this route the most optimal.

Lennuliiklusteeninduse AS, the company responsible for air‑traffic management in Estonia, said that according to the approved flight plan, the route should have passed through Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, without entering Russian airspace.

The head of the aviation department at Estonia's Ministry of Climate, Taivo Linnamägi, emphasized that flights over Russian territory are considered unsafe for civil aviation due to the ongoing war and the risks associated with it.

Although Turkish Airlines has the right to use Russian airspace, Flightradar data shows that such a route is rather an exception for flights between Tallinn and Istanbul, Eesti Ekspress said.

Incident explained by Turkish Airlines

On July 30, 2026 Turkish Airlines sent ERR its official position to clarify the flight path of TK1424 on 12 July 2026 and the circumstances related to it.

"Turkish Airlines flight TK1424 from Tallinn to Istanbul on 12 July 2026 was planned in accordance with operational requirements, and Russian airspace was not part of the intended route.

During the flight, the crew encountered adverse weather conditions along the planned route, including convective activity and thunderstorms. In coordination with air traffic control and in line with international aviation procedures, the aircraft performed a limited weather‑avoidance maneuver to ensure flight safety. During this maneuver, the aircraft briefly entered Kaliningrad airspace before continuing toward its destination.

Weather‑related route adjustments are common in aviation and may occur when operational conditions require it. Such decisions are made in real time by the crew in cooperation with relevant air traffic authorities, with passenger safety always the top priority.

We confirm that we do not normally use Russian airspace for our EU flights. The route change was a one‑time, short‑term operational adjustment caused by the specific weather conditions on that day.

Route changes may occur only once the aircraft is airborne, as weather conditions constantly evolve and pilots make safety‑driven decisions in real time. The crew monitors weather radar throughout the flight and receives updated information from air traffic control. If hazardous weather is detected along the planned route, the crew is obliged to make safety‑focused decisions and may request alternative routing. In this case, altering the route was necessary to ensure passenger safety and a smooth flight. Briefly entering Kaliningrad airspace was the only suitable option.

This TK1424 route adjustment was a one‑time, short‑term operational measure taken solely due to the weather conditions on that specific day. Turkish Airlines has not made similar route changes before or after on this flight path, confirming that it was an exceptional case driven by that day's weather."

This article has been amended on July 30, to add comment by Turkish Airlines.

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