Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 30
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Istanbul's new airport, which is also called "Istanbul", will be a transport hub of the region, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a speech in the country's parliament in Ankara.
At the initial stage of the project's implementation, few people believed in the successful completion of the construction of the third airport in Istanbul, Erdogan said.
The president noted that while the construction of the Istanbul airport was completed within 42 months, in Germany, which is the most developed country of Europe, the airport construction is still ongoing.
The opening ceremony of the new airport in Istanbul was held on October 29 and was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey Mehmet Cahit Turhan.
The Ataturk Airport in Istanbul will end operating flights at 00:00 (GMT +3) on Dec. 31.
Beginning from 00:00 (GMT +3) on Dec. 31, all passenger and cargo flights will be operated from the third airport of Istanbul.
The third airport was built near the Lake Terkos in northern Istanbul.
The first airport in Turkey was built in 1912 and was used for military purposes.
In 1953, Istanbul airport was opened for international flights for the first time, and in 1985 it was renamed in honor of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
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