Air Serbia Istanbul Flights Diverted to Izmir by Storm
A storm in Istanbul disrupted Air Serbia flights. Here are the replacement flights to Belgrade, when they depart and where to check your flight status.
Holding an Air Serbia ticket to Istanbul? Your plane will not fly all the way there right now: flights between Belgrade and Istanbul have been diverted to the airport in Izmir, and passengers cover the rest of the trip by bus.
The cause is the weather. In a statement issued on the evening of October 14, the airline said unfavorable weather conditions were behind the diversion, and that, according to the same statement, bus transport to Istanbul has been arranged for passengers.
What were passengers on flight JU423 told?
This group of passengers has been given a replacement for the return trip. Air Serbia said in its statement:
“Passengers on flight JU423 have been rebooked on alternative flights to Belgrade, planned for October 15, 2026”
The statement then lists two flights on the Istanbul-Belgrade route, both on Thursday, October 15:
- JU427: departs at 3:25 AM, lands at 5:05 AM
- JU423: departs at 3:40 PM, lands at 5:20 PM
Watch the clock. All times in the statement are given in local Serbian time. The first flight leaves at 3:25 after midnight, so anyone choosing it has to be at the airport during the night.
What is happening in Istanbul?
Air Serbia’s statement does not say what exactly is going on in Istanbul, but RTS reporting gives a picture of the city. According to its report, heavy rain caused flooding in a city of about 16 million people. The governor’s office said classes were suspended for one day on Thursday, and that civil servants with disabilities and mothers of young children are excused from work.
The governor advised residents to stay home unless travel is essential. People living in basement and semi-basement apartments were urged to spend the night elsewhere. The rain flooded roads and underpasses, vehicles were left stranded, and no injuries have been reported. In one district, passersby rescued a woman who was being swept down a street by a torrent, and firefighters pulled another person out of a flooded basement.
Before you head to the airport
It takes five minutes and saves you a lot of stress. Simple steps for anyone traveling on this route:
- Check your flight status before leaving for the airport.
- Open airserbia.com, where passenger information is posted.
- Call the contact center: 0800 111 528 from Serbia, or +381 11 311 21 23 from abroad. If you are already in Turkey, the international number is the right one.
- Match the clock: the statement gives flight times in Serbian time, so compare them to your ticket on that basis.
The airline also said it continues to monitor the situation and support passengers. If anything in the schedule changes, check the same places: the website or the contact center.
