Istanbul Airport’s Fourth Runway was discussed by IGA Istanbul Airport CEO Selahattin Bilgen and he stated in an interview on Wednesday that Istanbul Airport hopes to commission its fourth runway before the end of the year. Istanbul Airport is the major air hub in Turkey. We intend to commission our fourth main runway in the second half of this year. Additionally, we are continuing to make expenditures to raise our current terminal’s passenger capacity from 90 million to 120 million,” Bilgen stated to Anadolu Agency (AA).
“When these, as well as our so-called second phase investments, are completed, IGA Istanbul Airport will be transformed into an airport with a capacity of 120 million passengers,” he said.
In response to inquiries from AA’s Finance Desk, Bilgen assessed goals and current problems while highlighting Istanbul Airport’s function as a major international aviation hub.
After being formally inaugurated in late October 2018, Istanbul Airport was fully operating in April 2019. Since then, the shiny glass and steel building on the Black Sea coast has grown to become one of the most significant aircraft transit hubs.
At the start of the year, Bilgen stated that their growth target for the first quarter was roughly 8%. However, he pointed out that it fell short of expectations and attributed this in part to the consequences of the conflict. We had 84.5 million passengers at the conclusion of the previous year. We ended the first quarter of this year with a 5.5% growth rate. We’ve been growing, but we’ve fallen a little short of our goals over the past three months,” he said. The impact of the conflict is undeniable, but we also observe that this time has highlighted the idea of “safe harbor” for both Turkey and IGA Istanbul Airport in the area,” he continued.
A reliable hub
Istanbul Airport has been a reliable hub for international aviation, particularly at crucial periods when aircraft are rerouted to safer locations. In particular, Gulf carriers have directed their aircraft to our airport and parked here for long stretches of time,” Bilgen insisted.
Additionally, it is said that Istanbul Airport’s growing reputation as a “safe harbor” is evident worldwide, adding that Istanbul “is standing out globally. “As a global player, we are going through a phase where our own share is growing and Turkey, particularly Istanbul, is standing out globally, stealing market share from our competitors, even though unfavorable issues affecting global aviation also negatively affect us. Here, we’ll keep setting ourselves apart in a good way,” he declared.
He also brought attention to the fact that aviation has significant economic and social ramifications and remembered that the Istanbul Airport project started with the planning of a capacity that might reach over 200 million passengers. “At the top” in Europe.
Bilgen added, “The results and figures show that Istanbul Airport is at the top of Europe in key aviation performance indicators. “We were in the top 10 in Europe not so long ago, but today we are at the top. We have been at the top of the flight numbers for five years running. In terms of passengers, we are currently at the top as well.
According to the data he cited, the airport “holds the record for the highest number of passengers served in a day, surpassing 280,000 additionally, with more than 1,700 flights in a single day, we hold the all-time record for flight numbers as well.”
Potential for air cargo
Bilgen went on to discuss the possibilities of air cargo transportation, pointing out that huge logistics facilities have been created at Istanbul Airport by major cargo corporations.
“Our strong position in passenger traffic at Istanbul Airport is a significant advantage that may also facilitate growth in cargo. When it comes to cargo, large companies have established important logistics centers at Istanbul Airport. With global players like FedEx, DHL, UPS and Trendyol making major investments here, we’ve risen to the top in Europe for cargo operations as well,” he said.
“As of last year, by surpassing 2 million tons, we became Europe’s leading airport for cargo handling. Looking ahead, though, I see much greater potential.”
Bilgen added that he doesn’t see any long-term problems with travel demand and that sustainability is an important issue for the aviation industry. He pointed out that there is a growing demand that they anticipate continuing since people want to travel more and live in a more integrated world.
Sustainability initiatives
Regarding sustainability, Bilgen stated that while Istanbul Airport adheres to the highest standards in the world, sustainability initiatives should be taken into account within a more comprehensive framework than just “SAF,” or the so-called Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
“As of today, IGA Istanbul Airport is able to recycle more than 35% of its solid waste and 40% of its water, and is operating 30% ahead of its 2050 Net Zero Carbon target. Last year, by putting our 240 MW solar power plant into operation, we became the first major airport in the world to meet all its electricity demand from renewable sources,” he said.
“With the reverse osmosis investment we started this year, which will continue for the next one and a half years, we will meet all of our water needs from sources other than the city network. With these major projects, we are setting a global example once again.”
Source: Daily Sabah
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