Baku, Azerbaijan, May 23
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey intends to increase the number of airports until 2023, the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of Turkey told Trend May 23.
The ministry said that during the previous 16 years, 29 new airports were built in Turkey.
“Presently, 55 airports operate in Turkey,” the ministry said.
The ministry also noted that ten new airports are planned to be built in Turkey and the construction of the third airport in Istanbul is underway.
The construction of the third airport in Istanbul has been completed by more than 88 percent.
After commissioning, the number of flight destinations in Turkey will increase from 282 to 350.
Under the project, the first runway of the new airport will be 3.7 kilometers long and 60 meters wide. The second runway will be 4.1 kilometers long and 60 meters wide.
The first airport in Turkey was built in 1912 and was used for military purposes.
For the first time the Istanbul airport was opened for international flights in 1953 and in 1985 it was renamed in honor of founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
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