Airports
Istanbul’s New Mega-airport To Be Fully Operational in April
The transfer of the operations, fleet, and equipment from Istanbul Atatürk International Airport to the new venue will take two days.
Designed to accommodate 90 million passengers in its first phase of development, the new Istanbul Airport will impose no slot limitations and allow for all aircraft models including the Airbus A380. (Photo: IGA)
Designed to accommodate 90 million passengers in its first phase of development, the new Istanbul Airport will impose no slot limitations and allow for all aircraft models including the Airbus A380. (Photo: IGA)

After a series of delays, Turkish authorities have set the full opening of Istanbul’s new airport for next month and the relocation of operations and equipment from Atatürk International Airport (IST) to happen from 3 a.m. local time on April 5 to 12 midnight on April 7. Labeled the “Great Move” by both İGA, the consortium that won the concession to build and manage Istanbul’s mega-airport for 25 years, and Turkish Airlines, IST’s largest operator accounting for almost 80 percent of the airport’s traffic, the changeover to Istanbul Airport (ISL) will involve 1,800 staff and see approximately 47,300 tons of equipment moved by road from Atatürk Airport to Istanbul Airport.