Yerevan/Los Angeles – Amid the fragile normalization process between Turkey and Armenia, a development is unfolding that carries immense symbolic weight:
Armenia is in negotiations with Turkish Airlines (THY) to launch direct flights between Yerevan and Los Angeles. The prospect of Turkey’s national carrier serving the very heart of the Armenian diaspora—a community historically known for its staunch opposition to Ankara—marks a paradoxical turn in regional diplomacy.
Lusine Gevorgyan, Chairperson of the Armenian Tourism Committee, confirmed during a press conference on February 23, 2026, that serious discussions regarding this transcontinental route are underway. According to Gevorgyan, Turkish Airlines possesses the necessary capacity and logistical infrastructure to operate such a non-stop service efficiently.
With THY already scheduled to begin regular flights on the Istanbul–Yerevan route in March 2026, a direct link to California is seen as a logical, albeit politically explosive, next step.
Glendale: The Heart of the Hardline Diaspora
Los Angeles, and specifically the city of Glendale, is widely regarded as the „capital“ of the Armenian diaspora. This community is not only significant in size but is also among the most politically organized and influential groups in the United States. Historically, however, the region is also marked by dark chapters of Armenian-Turkish relations.
In the 1970s and 80s, Los Angeles and neighboring Santa Barbara were the sites of assassinations of Turkish diplomats—including Consul Generals Mehmet Baydar, Bahadır Demir, and Kemal Arıkan—carried out by Armenian extremists.
The Divide: Diaspora vs. Yerevan
The Armenian diaspora in the United States traditionally maintains a significantly more hostile stance toward Ankara and Baku than the government in Yerevan under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
While Pashinyan pursues a path of pragmatic rapprochement, many influential organizations in California remain fiercely opposed to the process. They view the current policy of „small steps“ and unilateral concessions toward Turkey and Azerbaijan as a betrayal of national interests and historical memory.
Groups such as the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), which have their strongest base in the U.S., have publicly condemned Pashinyan’s course as a „capitulation“—especially following the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. Having spent decades lobbying against Turkey, a sudden reconciliation challenges their very political foundation.
Furthermore, in the diaspora, collective memory—particularly regarding 1915—is intensely preserved. Unlike the residents of Armenia, who face the daily realities of neighboring states, those in the diaspora often maintain a „conserved“ image of the enemy. While Armenia itself feels the deep pain of history, there is also a growing domestic desire to build a more stable future through trade and open borders.
A Flight Path Defined by Contradictions
Should Turkish Airlines secure the rights for the LAX–Yerevan route, it would create a striking paradox: those who have been most vocal in protesting Ankara’s influence would likely rely on Turkey’s „flagship“ carrier to fly non-stop to their ancestral homeland.
These negotiations take place against the backdrop of broader normalization efforts led by special envoys Serdar Kılıç and Ruben Rubinyan. While technical milestones—such as opening land borders for third-country nationals and expanding air travel—are progressing, the psychological barrier within the diaspora remains high.
For many Armenians in Glendale, the sight of a Turkish aircraft landing in Yerevan to transport passengers from California is more than a logistical convenience; it is a symbol of a shifting reality that many are not yet ready to embrace.
🇦🇲🇹🇷 Armenia is reportedly in talks with Turkish Airlines to begin direct Los Angeles–Yerevan flights.
Los Angeles (specifically Glendale) hosts one of the most politically active Armenian diaspora communities — many of whom have historically opposed Ankara. If agreed, the route… pic.twitter.com/OUgiGRtrkD
— The Azeri Times (@AzeriTimes) February 24, 2026
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