Trapped in the Airport During Turkey’s Coup

Every week, The Friendship Files features a conversation between The Atlantic’s Julie Beck and two or more friends, exploring the history and significance of their relationship.

This week she talks with two women—one American, one French—who were supposed to be on the same flight out of Turkey on the day of the July 2016 military coup, but who got trapped in Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport overnight instead. After a chance meeting, they implemented a buddy system to stay safe that night, taking care of each other and doing their best to keep their spirits up. Every summer since, they’ve taken a trip together to commemorate the anniversary of the coup, and their meeting.

The Friends:

Katherine Davey, 31, an elementary-school teacher who is on hiatus to travel the world, currently staying in Istanbul
Aline Petit, 40, an improv teacher at Impro Studio who lives in Paris

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Julie Beck: You both were at the airport trying to fly out of Turkey on the day of the coup. What was supposed to happen that day?

Aline Petit: I was on a holiday to visit some friends in Turkey, and I went to the airport to take my plane to go to visit another friend, who lives in a little village, Sanavardo, in Georgia.

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