On Monday, the new airport will open in the north of Istanbul. With a size of 76.5 million square meters and official costs of more than ten billion euros, it is a prestigious project of superlatives. First, 90 million pbadengers a year will be treated there. After the completion of the last stage of construction in 2028, this number is expected to reach 200 million. This would make the airport the largest in the world.
29.10.2018 00.26
Online since today, 12:26
The airport, which will replace Atatürk Airport, much smaller and more famous, will make Istanbul an air hub between Europe, Africa and Asia. With two terminals and six runways, the airport will become the largest transit airport. The name of the airport is still unknown, it currently only operates under the name "New Istanbul Airport". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to announce on Monday on the occasion of the opening of the airport, the Turkish National Day.
Erdogan had described the airport repeatedly as his favorite project in the past. When laying the foundation stone, he called the building a "monument of victory", symbol of the economic boom of Turkey. In fact, the big airport project ranks behind other major controversial infrastructure projects, such as the construction of the Third Bosphorus Bridge. That the more ambitious plan for the airport rises, however, is open.
The construction of the airport took about four years. From one completion may be, but until now, no question. According to the media, the reports worked until the last moment. Just a month ago, according to a report from the "mirror", important roads and infrastructure elements were lacking. There will be a subway connection in 2020.
Probably because of this, the full commissioning was postponed from two months to the end of December. As of Monday, only five targets will be approached, including three at the national level. On 29 December, the semi-public airline Turkish Airlines begins the transfer of Atatürk airport to the new airport. It should only take 45 hours.
The construction itself also cost lives. Officially, 30 workers died during the construction period due to accidents. A union speaks of 400 people. Recently, workers went on strike due to poor working conditions and accommodation. The police ended the uprising by force, there were arrests.
There were also reviews on the location, as the area on the Black Sea coast is often foggy and windy. In addition, environmentalists protested against the construction because 650,000 trees had to be cut down. The government argued that the airport was in any case located on an old coal mine.
The consortium of private operators will pay a concession fee of about one billion euros per year over the next 25 years. After that, the airport becomes the property of the state. For twelve years, the government guarantees operators an annual turnover of 6.3 billion euros – otherwise it pays the difference.
The government only benefits from the signal effect of the big project. If Istanbul, geographically favorable, may or may not become a new hub, this will depend in particular on the development of the aviation industry. Currently, the airport with the largest number of pbadengers is in the United States. Nearly 104 million pbadengers were treated at Atlanta Airport last year. Istanbul wants to double that.
