Turkey to resume limited domestic flights from Monday

Turkey will resume a limited number of domestic flights from Monday, the transport minister said, as the country eases restrictions imposed since March to contain coronavirus.

The first flight will be from Istanbul to the national capital, Ankara, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said on Saturday, according to state news agency Anadolu.

There will also be flights from both of Istanbul's airports to the Aegean city of Izmir, the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya and Trabzon, off the Black Sea.

Flights to other cities are expected to restart from Wednesday, Anadolu reported.

"Enough of this longing! As of June 1 we will be in the skies again, where we belong," tweeted Turkish Airlines' spokesman Yahya Ustun.

Passengers will need a code from a government mobile tracking application, said Bilal Eksi, the national flag carrier's chief executive.

Among other things, the app - called Hayat Eve Sigar (Life fits inside the home) - confirms the passenger is neither sick nor being monitored for the virus.

Turkish Airlines had previously said it would restart domestic flights on Thursday and international flights on June 10.

The spread of the virus suspended economic activity from March as Turkey was quick to close its borders and halt flights and other transportation, impacting trade and tourism.

A raft of other measures will be eased from Monday, including a travel ban on the 15 hardest-hit cities such as Ankara and Istanbul.

Cafes, restaurants, parks, gyms and museums will reopen.

Since confirming its first case on March 11, Turkey has reported 4,489 deaths from Covid-19 and more than 162,000 infections.