A Turkish Pegasus Airlines flight PC5019, travelling from Antalya to Stockholm Arlanda in Sweden, was cancelled due to a warning of a possible bomb threat.
As reported by local media, the incident occurred at the scheduled departure time of 06:35 local time from the tourist city of Antalya last Sunday.
As authorities undertook a full investigation into the bomb threat, passengers were left in a distressing situation, enduring a harrowing six-hour period during which police and security personnel carried out ]checks.
In addition, bomb-sniffing dogs were also deployed to check their belongings. This extended delay was particularly difficult for individuals with medical conditions.
However, among the passengers affected by the incident was an individual struggling with diabetes and high blood pressure. Unfortunately, their important medicines were stored in luggage that was not easily accessible, but a doctor on board skillfully aided the passenger in question.
Moreover, the Antalya police have confirmed that no explosive device was discovered on the plane. Pegasus Airlines also stated in an email that the situation was considered a false alarm and no additional measures were needed.
Thus, the delayed flight was cleared to take off at 1:35 p.m., a total of seven hours beyond its original departure time. The plane then arrived at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport on Sunday evening.
According to the data provided by the Swedish Flight Booking website, Skyscanner, Türkiye has three different airlines that fly between Antalya and Stockholm, with an average of 90 flights per month.
As the same points out, this level of connection averages 21 flights per week and three flights per day from Antalya (AYT) to Stockholm Arlanda (ARN). At the same time, starting in August 2023, the route between Antalya and Stockholm is served by 12 weekly flights. In addition, Türkiye also has 401 direct flights per week between Stockholm and Istanbul.
In 2018, Sweden witnessed the highest number of Turkish visitors since 2008, with a total of 66,216 travellers. Similarly, in 2008, the country registered 40,540 Turkish visitors.
Further data spanning 2009, 2010, and 2012 reveals that Sweden welcomed 43,601, 46,129, and 46,476 Turkish tourists, respectively. Besides, 2012 saw several Turkish travellers with 45,799. The following year, 2013, it rose to 46,538; by 2014, the number had increased to 50,374.
Based on these data, Sweden’s recorded figures for Turkish travellers were as follows:
- 2015 – 77,690
- 2016 – 60,360
- 2017 – 62,781
As of August 2023, the population of Sweden is about 10.3 million people, which is 76,806,813 fewer people compared to the population of Türkiye.
