All flights to and from Istanbul airport have been temporarily suspended due to the heavy snowfall, while many other parts of Turkey have experienced travel difficulties due to weather, Sabah reported.

Flights at Istanbul airport, which was the busiest in Europe last year, were halted until 6 p.m. Officials said delays were expected overnight, while national carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) also suspended all flights until Tuesday morning.

Heavy snowfall has hit many parts of Turkey since the weekend, prompting authorities to close schools in some parts of the country. Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Authority (AFAD) said thousands of people were stranded by the weather.

Turkish Airlines canceled all flights to and from Istanbul airport until 4 a.m. Tuesday, Yahya Ustyun, the airline's vice president for media relations, said on Twitter.

The company had earlier canceled 36 flights to and from Istanbul Airport and 31 flights to the city's second airport. Budget airline Pegasus said it canceled nearly 50 flights arriving or departing from Sabiha Gokcen.