Istanbul Atatürk Airport
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| Istanbul Atatürk Airport | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Istanbul Atatürk Airport |
| IATA | ISL |
| ICAO | LTBA |
| City | Istanbul |
| Country | Turkey |
Istanbul Atatürk Airport is a major international airport located in Yeşilköy, Bakırköy, on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey. The airport was named after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, and was the primary airport serving Istanbul until its closure. It was operated by TAV Airports Holding and General Directorate of State Airports Authority and served as a hub for Turkish Airlines, Onur Air, and AtlasGlobal. The airport was also a major cargo hub, with DHL Aviation, UPS Airlines, and FedEx Express operating flights to and from the airport.
● History
The history of the airport dates back to the 1910s, when it was used as a military airfield by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. After the war, the airfield was used by the Turkish Air Force and was later expanded to accommodate civilian flights. The airport was officially opened in 1953, with Sabena and Pan American World Airways being among the first airlines to operate flights to and from the airport. Over the years, the airport has undergone several expansions and renovations, including the addition of a new international terminal in 2000, which was designed by DMJM Aviation and Aerotecnica. The airport has also been used as a hub by several airlines, including Turkish Airlines, which operates flights to destinations such as John F. Kennedy International Airport, London Heathrow Airport, and Frankfurt Airport.
● Facilities
The airport had two runways, with the main runway being 3,000 meters long and the secondary runway being 2,600 meters long. The airport had a total of 123 aircraft gates, with 88 gates located in the international terminal and 35 gates located in the domestic terminal. The airport also had a number of facilities, including a VIP lounge operated by Turkish Airlines, a conference center operated by TAV Airports Holding, and a number of duty-free shops operated by Dufry and Gebr. Heinemann. The airport was also equipped with a number of air traffic control systems, including a radar system provided by Thales Group and a flight information display system provided by SITA. The airport was connected to the city center by a number of transportation options, including the Havabus shuttle bus service and the Istanbul Metro.
● Airlines and Destinations
The airport was served by a number of airlines, including Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, and Emirates. The airport was also a hub for several cargo airlines, including DHL Aviation, UPS Airlines, and FedEx Express. The airport offered flights to a number of destinations, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and Cairo International Airport. The airport was also a major hub for flights to and from the Middle East, with airlines such as El Al, Royal Jordanian, and Gulf Air operating flights to and from the airport. Other airlines that operated flights to and from the airport included Aegean Airlines, Austrian Airlines, and Swiss International Air Lines.
● Statistics
The airport was one of the busiest airports in Europe, with over 60 million passengers passing through the airport in 2015. The airport was also a major cargo hub, with over 800,000 tons of cargo passing through the airport in 2015. The airport was operated by TAV Airports Holding and General Directorate of State Airports Authority, which reported a revenue of over $1 billion in 2015. The airport was also a major employer, with over 20,000 people working at the airport. The airport's statistics were also influenced by the number of aircraft movements, with over 400,000 aircraft movements reported in 2015. The airport's statistics were comparable to those of other major airports, such as Frankfurt Airport, London Heathrow Airport, and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport.
● Accidents and Incidents
There have been several accidents and incidents at the airport over the years, including a plane crash in 1974 that killed 62 people. In 2002, a Turkish Airlines flight overshot the runway and crashed into a field, killing 3 people. In 2016, a terrorist attack occurred at the airport, killing 45 people and injuring over 200. The airport has also been the subject of several security breaches, including a incident in 2013 in which a passenger was able to board a flight without a passport. The airport's safety record was also influenced by the number of near misses, with several incidents reported in 2015. The airport's safety record was comparable to those of other major airports, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
● Closure and Replacement
The airport was closed to commercial flights on April 6, 2019, and was replaced by the new Istanbul Airport, which is located on the European side of Istanbul. The new airport was designed by Pininfarina and AECOM and has a capacity of over 200 million passengers per year. The new airport is operated by IGA Airport Operations and has been designed to be one of the largest and most modern airports in the world, with facilities such as a hotel operated by YOTEL and a shopping center operated by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. The closure of the airport was a major event, with several airlines, including Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, relocating their operations to the new airport. The closure of the airport also had a significant impact on the local economy, with several businesses, including DHL Aviation and UPS Airlines, relocating their operations to the new airport. The new airport has been designed to be a major hub for flights to and from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines operating flights to and from the airport.