Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 17
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Istanbul's third airport has attracted the attention of large global companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Cisco Systems, Citibank, Tommy Hilfiger, Canon and Boeing, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey Mehmet Cahit Turhan said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
Some 150 airlines will operate at the airport, and flights will be carried out to more than 350 destinations, according to the minister.
"Over 500 global companies are already operating at Istabul's third airport," Turhan said.
The minister also added that there is no doubt that Istanbul's third airport will remain the most important project for the next 20 years, and also this project is one of the main symbols of Turkey's economic development.
"While at the global level, air transportation increased by an average of 5.6 percent, in Turkey this figure reaches 14 percent. The growth in air traffic is also reflected in financial indicators. In 2002 revenues amounted to $2.2 billion but in 2015 this figure was $23.4 billion," the minister added.
The third airport was built near the Lake Terkos in northern Istanbul.
The tender for the construction of the airport was won by a consortium of companies Limak-Kolin-Cengiz-MaPa-Kalyon.
The construction will cost 10 billion Turkish liras, the Turkish Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications told Trend earlier.
Turkey’s Ziraat Bankasi allocated 1.54 billion euros for the airport’s construction, while Halkbank and Vakifbank – 1 billion euros, Denizbank – 500 million euros, Garanti and Finansbank – 300 million euros each in October 2017.
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.
(1 USD = 5.7898 TRY on Oct. 17)
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu