Istanbul new Airport was officially opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday 29th October.
The President announced that the airport would be a model to the world in terms of its architecture, construction, operation, and finance.
The ceremony was attended by world’s leaders from different countries.
President Erdogan mentioned that Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city by its population and its most valuable brand name and that the new Airport is a big investment not only in Turkey but also in the region and the world.
And he added that the Airport will serve 150 million passengers annually and if needed the annual capacity can be raised to 200 million.
With the new opening of the airport, a total of 90 million passengers can use the airport on a yearly basis. He noted that the airport will continue to develop until all phases are completed by 2028.
Turkish Airlines will shift to the new airport by the end of the year; Ataturk Airport will change to other uses, such as training activities, aviation fairs, and civil use.
He also mentioned that the new airport represents a €10.3 billion ($11.6 billion) investment in all its phases, adding that it will offer nearly €22.2 billion ($25.3 billion) in revenue to the government.
The opening of the new airport will improve the country’s key role in the integration of global economies.
President Erdogan added that “With Istanbul Airport in service, European airspace will need to be restructured, since Istanbul will be the most important transfer point, the routes of intercontinental flights will also change accordingly.
