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A new $11.7 billion airport just opened in Turkey and it could become one of the world's biggest. Take a look inside the giant hub.
A new $11.7 billion airport just opened in Turkey and it could become one of the world's biggest. Take a look inside the giant hub.
Brian PascusNov 2, 2018, 03:09 IST
An aerial rendering of the new Istanbul AirportiGA
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On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the new Istanbul Airport, a major public works project that is the culmination of Erdogan's 15-year building spree.
At the price of $11.7 billion, the new Istanbul Airport will be one of the world's busiest.
iGA, the developer of the project, expects the airport to serve 90 million passengers in the first phase of construction, and anticipates that number to rise to 200 million passengers in three terminals once the fourth phase is completed
"We have completed this project," Erdogan declared at the ceremony, according to The Independent, "and we are officially launching the first stage. We did not build the Istanbul airport for our country. It is a great service we are offering to the region and the world."
On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the new Istanbul Airport, a major public works project that is the culmination of Erdogan's 15-year building spree.
"We have completed this project," The Independent reports Erdogan declared at the ceremony, "and we are officially launching the first stage. We did not build the Istanbul airport for our country. It is a great service we are offering to the region and the world."
The new Istanbul Airport was constructed and will be operated by iGA, a joint-venture consortium that was awarded a contract in 2013 and will be continually improving upon the airport over 25 years, according to iGA's website.
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iGA anticipates the new Istanbul Airport to serve more than 100 airline companies and reach over 300 destinations, though it is unclear if these numbers account for the entire score of the project.
iGA, who developed the project, expects the airport to serve 90 million passengers in the first phase of construction, and anticipates that number to rise to 200 million passengers in three terminals once the fourth phase is completed.
With phase one of the project completed this week, iGA expects all four phases to be completed between 2025 and 2027, when the airport plans to become "a new center of international aviation," as the Board of Directors wrote in a public letter.
The airport will utilize some of the newest technology emerging in a variety of sectors. According to iGA, information technology solutions featured at the airport will include BIM (Building Information Modelling), virtual reality, augmented reality, smart kiosks, and social media enabled services.
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Take a look at some photos and renderings below which showcase the inauguration ceremony of the new Istanbul Airport as well as some interior and exterior shots.
Many foreign dignitaries attended the inauguration ceremony for the new airport, which took place on the 95th anniversary of Turkey's establishment as a republic following its war of independence
At 1.44 million square meters, the passenger terminal building completed in phase one of the project will be the world's largest terminal building under one roof.
The architectural style of the terminals will reflect the style found in Istanbul’s mosques, baths, domes, and other historic buildings and monuments.
At the opening ceremony, President Erdogan said, "We did not build the Istanbul airport for our country. It is a great service we are offering to the region and the world."
In its first phase, the airport expects to handle 90 million passengers a year. In comparison, O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, the second busiest airport in the U.S., handled 79 million passengers last year.
Here's another look at the control tower from a different angle.
The first flight took place on October 31, 2018 to the Turkish capital of Ankara. It will be followed by flights to Azerbaijan and North Cyprus respectively.
When all four phases are completed, iGA's Board of Directors wrote they hope the airport will "become the meeting point of 5 continents where the east and the west meet."
